By Kolby LaMarche
Burlington’s Overdose Prevention Center planning remains still in its planning phase, with the city highlighting a careful, resident-focused process centered on listening sessions and structured input before selecting any site. However, a city partner has other plans.
The City of Burlington, working alongside Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform (VCJR) as the designated operator, has yet to choose a location for the facility. Formal site selection has not started. The current emphasis falls on initial coordination with police, fire, and EMS while setting up for a full Service Assessment.
The assessment will incorporate a Neighborhood Assessment and wide-ranging public engagement, the City says.
This includes listening sessions for residents, businesses, and stakeholders; community forums; presentations to Neighborhood Planning Assemblies planned for later this summer; and open updates on possible locations, safety features, accessibility, and design.
A Service Assessment Report will summarize all community feedback and go to the Department of Health at least 90 days before any operations begin. City Council approval follows.
In parallel, however, independent education efforts have moved ahead more quickly through workshops, campaigns, and events aimed at “educating” Burlington residents, particularly parents. These activities, driven by harm reduction supporters and city partners, seek to educate Burlingtonians on overdose prevention centers, share data on their operations and results, and discuss possible local effects.
One upcoming example is “Overdose Prevention Centers in the Community: A Workshop for Parents,” scheduled for Wednesday, January 28, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Guild Hall in Burlington.
Dad Guild and Bella Fearn of Vermont Harm Reduction Advocates will lead the session. It will cover what an OPC involves, present evidence including reduced overdose deaths and community benefits seen elsewhere, address Burlington’s plans, and examine expected impacts.
These community-organized sessions stand apart from the city’s methodical pace—where listening and assessments are meant to come first—by offering immediate, targeted information and discussion to specific groups.
Last November, Vermont for Criminal Justice reform held one of its first education sessions titled Overdose Prevention Centers: Evidence, Impact & Community Dialogue. The event featured national and local experts who shared research, data, and firsthand experience from operating OPCs across the U.S.
In September of last year, Burlington’s OPC head, Theresa Vezina, spoke before the council, shedding light on the City’s plans moving forward. At that time, Vezina said “a really big component of [the listening sessions] is education and awareness.” She added, “We’ll listen, but it’s really an opportunity to talk about strategies.”
However, earlier this year, the City produced a flyer explaining, in more detail, their plans for site selection and listening sessions. No where in the new flyer does Vezina mention education. Rather, it seems the responsibility of education has shifted to third-party providers, like VTCJR.
City officials commit to transparency, prioritizing resident input to limit neighborhood effects and apply proven public safety and health standards, the City said. Site priorities center on accessibility for those most impacted by overdoses, nearness to related services, safety and neighborhood factors, zoning rules, ADA compliance, and steps to reduce syringe litter and outdoor use, the City says.
Remaining progress depends on completing the service assessment and identifying a site, with no set opening date announced as of this month.
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