Changing How Vermont Does Substance Misuse Prevention
As one of four Lead Prevention Organizations in the state, United Way of Northwest Vermont is leading substance misuse prevention strategies across Northwest and Central Vermont, serving over 5,000 people of all ages.
On April 9, 2026 we are bringing prevention partners together for Prevention Day at the Statehouse to share stories about how prevention is building a healthier community.
“Every town needs a Cafe”
A few years ago, a group of afterschool professionals, students, and community partners came together in Enosburg, VT around the goal of “Community Empowering Youth.” With a lot of local effort and prevention funding, they opened The Cafe Youth Center, filling a huge gap in rural Enosburg in opportunities and spaces for youth.
The Cafe is a safe, supportive space for kids and teens in grades 6-12 to hang out, build peer community, gain independence, and explore new interests. It is also a space for youth and adults to come together in mentorship opportunities, classes, and hobby sharing.
The Cafe is one of 17 projects currently receiving subgrant funding from United Way. Each project is meeting local needs and creating healthier communities for our families, friends, and neighbors.
Expanding Access to Prevention for All
United Way has been collaborating with the Vermont Department of Health’s Division of Substance Use for six years, helping develop a comprehensive statewide approach to substance misuse prevention — including creating a regional strategic plan for prevention, developing the Northwest and Central Vermont Prevention Network, and becoming a Lead Prevention Organization in 2023.
United Way is supporting prevention programming in EVERY town in Region 1 (which covers Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, and Washington counties).
An Employer Guide to Substance Misuse
The Employer Guide to Substance Misuse was created in partnership with United Way’s Working Bridges program and Prevention Works!VT to support Vermont employers in promoting healthy and safe workplaces. The free toolkit is designed to help workplaces destigmatize conversations about substance misuse, offer guidance in how to address it, and help them go upstream with policies and practices that focus on prevention.
“In the manufacturing field, particularly in rural areas of Vermont, people can be reluctant to talk about their problems. We need to destigmatize conversations about substance misuse and mental health in the workplace, so employees feel comfortable asking for help before it becomes a safety issue.” — Eric Ciemniewski, Senior Director of Manufacturing at Teknor Apex in St. Albans
Translated Prevention Content
The Prevention Network partnered with the Vermont Language Justice Project to create translated prevention content: The Legal and Health Consequences of Using Drugs and Alcohol and How Medicine and Alcohol Affect Older Adults. Each video is available in at least 18 languages.
