Grand opening event planned for July 23
Vermont Business Magazine A new treatment hub for opioid use disorder is now open in Bennington, marking a significant expansion to the state's network of services for people recovering from substance misuse. The site is operated by BayMark Health Services – known as BAART Programs in Vermont – which is North America’s largest provider of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders. BAART Bennington began providing services in June and will celebrate a grand opening on July 23.
“The opening of this facility is a testament to years of hard work and collaboration between the Health Department, BayMark, the Bennington community and many more partners,” said Health Department Deputy Commissioner Kelly Dougherty, who oversees the state’s substance use treatment programs. “By adding this new hub in Bennington to our statewide system of care, we are improving access and reducing barriers for Vermonters in recovery.”
Vermont’s hub-and-spoke opioid treatment service system is organized through geographic regions—Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southeast, and Southwest. With the opening of BAART Bennington, each region now has at least one “hub,” a licensed Opioid Treatment Program with the authority to dispense buprenorphine and methadone, two powerful medications used to treat individuals with opioid use disorder. “Spokes” are healthcare practices that can provide office-based treatment supported with buprenorphine – previously the only level of care available in Bennington.
“Before the Bennington hub opened, people seeking this level of treatment needed to travel significant distances, or outside of the state, to receive care,” Dougherty said. “Opioid misuse continues to impact our communities. Having accessible treatment for people in Vermont remains crucial.”
The Health Department is supporting the new hub in Bennington with a $3.9 million grant to help cover startup, operational costs, and the cost of treatment for those without insurance through July 2026. BAART Bennington has an estimated capacity to serve about 400 people in need of medication to treat opioid use disorder annually, and offers other recovery services including case management, addiction and relapse prevention education, and referrals to community resources. Health officials said over 11,000 people received opioid treatment services from Vermont’s hub-and-spoke system of care in 2023.
Grand Opening:
Media are invited to BAART Bennington’s official grand opening at 120 Depot St, Ste 4, Bennington, VT 05201.
The event is scheduled July 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be followed by tours of the facility.
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