BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 14 – Vermont’s congressional delegation announced Friday that U.S.D.A. Rural Development has awarded four grants totaling $204,200 to help combat the opioid epidemic in Vermont.

“Vermonters in every corner of the state have been touched by the opioid epidemic and while real progress is being made, we have more work to do. These federal grants will be especially critical to helping Vermonters access treatment and succeed in recovery,” Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.,) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Rep. Peter Welch said.

Groundworks Collaborative, Inc. in Brattleboro received $6,400 to help purchase a passenger vehicle to transport Vermonters to recovery and treatment facilities for medication assisted treatment programs. Groundworks Collaborative is a non-profit which provides housing, food, health, case management and financial security services to homeless and low-income individuals and families.

Recovery House, a treatment facility based in Wallingford, received $90,700 for training and facility equipment to enhance their services to a growing client base.  Recovery House has 44 beds in Wallingford and Rutland and provides advanced care and treatment to the growing population suffering with substance use disorders.

The Town of St. Johnsbury received $82,400 for its police department to purchase three vehicles and additional equipment to bolster its efforts to confront the opioid epidemic.

Vermont Committee for A.I.D.S. Resources, Education and Services in Burlington (VT CARES) received $24,700 to purchase a van and related equipment to provide free services to people living with, and at risk, for HIV/AIDS. The van will be used for the mobile harm reduction program for injection drug users. The equipment will help with education and training on the proper use of Narcan and Fentanyl testing kits, as well as mobile application software to allow VT CARES to help clients to request mobile visits.