Best Substance Abuse in Vermont — 14 resources

About Substance Abuse for Women

Substance use treatment in the US is delivered through state-licensed providers, mutual-aid programs (AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety), hospital detox, methadone clinics, and sober living. SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) and findtreatment.gov locate local programs 24/7. For pregnant and parenting women, federally funded Pregnant and Postpartum Women (PPW) programs provide specialized residential and outpatient care that allows children on-site. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the standard for opioid use disorder, and family drug courts offer treatment-based alternatives to losing custody. This directory aggregates each state's single state agency for SUD, women-specific treatment, MAT providers, and recovery meetings.

Substance Abuse in Vermont

Vermont's Family Division of the Superior Court handles all family matters statewide. The Office of Child Support Services operates under DCF. Burlington, South Burlington, Rutland, and Essex are the largest towns. Vermont Legal Aid, Legal Services Vermont, and the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence provide civil legal aid and a statewide Family Law helpline for women.

14 Resources

1. Vermont Division of Substance Use Programs — Free

DSU at the Vermont Department of Health in Waterbury runs the statewide hub-and-spoke opioid treatment system, prevention coalitions, and the Project SUCCESS school-based program. Call 802-651-1550 Mon-Fri 7:45am-4:30pm to find your regional hub for medication-assisted treatment.

802-651-1550 · Waterbury, VT 05671 · Mon-Fri 7:45am-4:30pm · Visit Website

2. Vermont Helplink — Free

Vermont Helplink at 802-565-8603 (vthelplink.org) is the state's free substance use treatment locator staffed by counselors who book intake appointments while you're on the line. 24/7. Knows current capacity at residential, MAT, and counseling programs statewide.

802-565-8603 · Statewide Service · 24/7 · Visit Website

3. Serenity House — Wallingford

Serenity House at 36 School St in Wallingford is a long-term residential recovery program specifically for women with substance use disorder. Length of stay is typically 6-9 months; Medicaid and self-pay accepted. Call 802-446-2820.

802-446-2820 · 36 School St, Wallingford, VT 05773 · 24/7 residential

4. Turning Point Center of Central Vermont — Free

Turning Point Center at 61 Main St in Barre is a peer-run recovery center hosting daily AA/NA meetings, recovery coaching, and a free morning coffee group for women in early recovery. Free; drop-in welcome Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. 802-479-7373.

802-479-7373 · 61 Main St, Barre, VT 05641 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website

5. Brattleboro Retreat — Substance Abuse

Brattleboro Retreat at 1 Anna Marsh Ln offers inpatient detox, residential rehab, and an Uniformed Service Program specifically for first responders. Women's track integrates trauma-informed care. 24/7 intake at 802-258-3700; insurance verification required.

802-258-3700 · 1 Anna Marsh Ln, Brattleboro, VT 05302 · 24/7 · Visit Website

6. SAMHSA Treatment Locator — Free

FindTreatment.gov is SAMHSA's federal locator filtering Vermont facilities by Medicaid acceptance, MAT availability, women-only tracks, and pregnancy-friendly programs. Call 1-800-662-HELP for live staff assistance.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. Alcoholics Anonymous — Free

Vermont's AA Area 70 lists 200+ weekly meetings statewide — daily online, women-only, young people's, and rural in-person. The meeting finder at aa.org defaults to your location.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. Narcotics Anonymous — Free

NA's New England region runs weekly meetings in Burlington, Rutland, Bennington, and St. Johnsbury with literature for women new to recovery. Free; locator at na.org.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. SMART Recovery — Free

SMART Recovery hosts free online meetings 24/7 plus in-person groups in Burlington and Brattleboro — secular CBT-based alternative to 12-step for Vermont women who prefer that framework.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Women for Sobriety — Free

Women for Sobriety runs online and phone meetings specifically for women in recovery using their 13 Acceptance Statements. Particularly helpful for Vermont women in remote counties without in-person women's AA.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Al-Anon Family Groups — Free

Al-Anon's Vermont chapter meets weekly in most counties for family members affected by someone else's drinking. The Lifeline phone-meeting list helps moms with night childcare conflicts.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Nar-Anon — Free

Nar-Anon supports family and friends of people with drug addiction. Vermont in-person meetings in Burlington and Rutland; online meetings 24/7 at nar-anon.org. Free, anonymous.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Shatterproof — Free

Shatterproof's ATLAS treatment-quality tool rates Vermont addiction treatment programs on evidence-based criteria — useful when choosing between a residential program and outpatient MAT.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Faces & Voices of Recovery — Free

Faces and Voices of Recovery organizes Vermont's recovery community advocacy and supports the development of Recovery Community Organizations like Turning Point Centers statewide.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many substance abuse resources are in Vermont?
Women's Corner tracks 14 substance abuse resources for women in Vermont.
Are substance abuse resources in Vermont free?
12 of the 14 listed substance abuse resources in Vermont are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Vermont have substance abuse resources?
Listings span cities including Waterbury, Wallingford, Barre, Brattleboro.
What are some examples of substance abuse resources in Vermont?
Featured entries include Vermont Division of Substance Use Programs, Vermont Helplink, Serenity House — Wallingford, Turning Point Center of Central Vermont, Brattleboro Retreat — Substance Abuse.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
5 of 14 Vermont substance abuse listings include phone numbers.
Where do I start if I want help with addiction?
Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) — free, confidential, 24/7. They connect you to local treatment, support groups, and women-specific programs. FindTreatment.gov lets you search by location, payment, and women's services. Medicaid covers treatment in every state under the Mental Health Parity Act.
Will I lose my kids if I go to treatment?
Voluntarily seeking treatment is almost always viewed favorably by family court and CPS — it shows responsibility. Many states have women-and-children residential treatment programs where your kids stay with you during recovery (search SAMHSA's directory for 'residential treatment for women with children'). Hiding addiction is far more dangerous to custody than addressing it.
Are there women-only treatment programs?
Yes — research shows women have better outcomes in gender-specific treatment because programs address trauma, parenting, pregnancy, and DV that fuel addiction differently for women. SAMHSA's directory filters by 'programs for women' and 'pregnant/postpartum women.' Most include childcare or family housing.
What about pregnancy and addiction?
Call 1-800-662-HELP immediately — they prioritize pregnant women for treatment, and federal law requires treatment programs to admit pregnant women on the same day or refer immediately. Medication-assisted treatment (methadone, buprenorphine) is safer for the baby than untreated addiction or withdrawal. Most states have laws protecting pregnant women seeking treatment from prosecution.