BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – More than 100 people continue to die in our state every year from opiate overdoses. Meanwhile, public consumption of drugs continues to make members of our community feel unsafe. The city of Burlington held a public forum tonight to try to tackle the crisis.
“She went out into the world with a mental health issue and an addiction, and you know, she didn’t make it to the next day,” said Recovery and Mental Health Counselor Alexsandria Fleischmann.
Fleischmann lost her daughter to an overdose. Now she works with people released from prison, preventing overdoses amid the opioid crisis.
“Things are definitely worse than I’ve ever seen them before,” said Jess Kirby from Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform.
More people overdosed in the summer and early autumn of 2024 than the state has ever seen, and for the fire department’s chief, it seems like nobody wants to get help.
“What we’re struggling with, is folks to want to engage,” said Chief Michael LaChance of the Burlington Fire Department.
And for the few people who want help, the services they need are overwhelmed.
“There are waits associated with all of the social services that exist in our community,” said Lacey Smith of the Crisis Advocacy Intervention Program.
Or, the bar is just too high for those struggling to meet.
“We need things that address the lowest barriers in this community because we have plenty of services, but you have to meet a criteria,” said Smith.
The public forum was a review of the services the city already offers and a short introduction to the incoming safe injection site. There weren’t many updates as to when or where it will open.
“We’re a few steps away from that step of the process,” said Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney Stanek.
There weren’t new proposals to stop open consumption or help people through treatment. Those in the field, like Fleischmann, want the state and city to fill the gaps the industry has already identified, like better reimbursement to rehab facilities. Right now, reimbursement barely covers 14 days of treatment. She says we also need more sober housing and recovery residences.
“So where’s the supportive housing? You come out of treatment, you should be able to go to a sober living place and know that you’re going to be safe,” said Fleischmann.
Because as Fleischmann knows all too well, filling these gaps is a matter of life or death.
“I want to make sure that no other mother has to worry about their child getting to the next day,” said Fleischmann.
The next public safety forum will be in March and will discuss hate crimes and bias.