By Kolby LaMarche
The City of Burlington has released a comprehensive services assessment report for its planned Overdose Prevention Center, detailing community input, potential participant needs, and recommendations for operations as the city moves forward with Vermont’s first such facility.
The report, prepared by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation between October 2025 and March of this year, in partnership with Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform and the Mayor’s Office, details the perspectives of people living with substance use disorder drugs while incorporating broader community feedback.
Funding came from the City of Burlington.
Burlington continues to face a significant overdose burden. Vermont’s 2024 overdose death rate stood at 33.6 per 100,000 residents, above the national average, with Chittenden County and Burlington seeing the highest concentrations in the state.
While statewide deaths have declined somewhat, fentanyl and stimulants drive much of the local risk, particularly among unhoused individuals and those using alone or in public.
The assessment used mixed methods including in-person surveys with 49 people with living experience who reported recent drug use, five follow-up interviews, an online community survey with 1,505 responses, discussions with 26 community partners and first responders, and review of local data.
Among people with “living experience” in drug use surveyed, 92 percent said they would consider using the OPC, and 73 percent indicated they would use it most or all of the time they use drugs.
Survey respondents described frequent substance use, with high rates of crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and opioids in the past 30 days. Most had smoked or inhaled drugs recently.
A large majority reported being unsheltered or in outdoor public spaces in the prior three months, and nearly half experienced an overdose in the past year.
The broader community survey showed an average helpfulness rating of 6.3 out of 10 for an OPC in Burlington – a D- in most primary education schools.
Supportive respondents highlighted potential for saving lives, reducing public drug use and litter, connecting people to services, and easing pressure on emergency responders. Those expressing concerns raised issues about enabling drug use, attracting more users or dealers, impacts on neighborhoods and public safety, and allocation of limited resources when treatment capacity is strained.
Both groups ranked preventing overdoses and saving lives as the top desired outcome, followed by reducing public drug use.
Downtown Burlington emerged as the preferred location, followed by the Old North End for people with living experience and areas near Riverside Avenue and the Intervale for community respondents. In 2025, the downtown Neighborhood Planning Assembly passed a resolution stating its collective preference was not to have the site be downtown, while still supporting the project.
Most people with living experience said they would travel no more than 15 minutes. A free staffed shuttle was suggested if the site is located farther away.
The report recommends a fixed-site OPC in downtown, the Old North End, or near Riverside/Intervale Avenue, away from schools and playgrounds, with capacity for multiple consumption methods — especially inhalation.
High-priority services include overdose prevention, medical and wound care, peer support, drug checking, case management, mental health referrals, and basic needs support like bathrooms and showers.
Staffing should emphasize trauma-informed, de-escalation-skilled personnel with adequate ratios for supervision and support, according to the report.
A medically trained person should be available on-site or on call. Hours should prioritize daily afternoon and evening coverage aligned with local overdose patterns, with potential expansion based on usage data.
Perspectives on security were mixed. Some people with living experience supported non-intimidating security for safety while others worried it could deter access. The report stresses de-escalation by trusted staff as central. Privacy, discreet entry, and separation of consumption areas were highlighted as important.
Healthcare providers and first responders stressed coordination with existing systems, clear 911 protocols, and realistic expectations about treatment pathways. They viewed the OPC as one part of a broader continuum rather than a standalone solution.
Planners estimate the OPC could serve 100 to 150 unduplicated individuals per quarter in its first year, with numbers potentially growing. Participants are expected to mirror survey demographics: predominantly White, about 60 percent male, largely unhoused, with high rates of chronic health conditions.
Evidence from Canadian and limited U.S. sites shows overdose prevention centers can reduce fatal overdoses, with no on-site deaths reported in authorized Canadian facilities. The externalities of the programs, however – like crime – have been harder to study.
Some studies note decreases in public drug use and litter in certain contexts, along with connections to care. Neighborhood impacts vary and require local monitoring.
Recommendations call for baseline neighborhood assessments before opening, continued partner coordination through a provider working group, public education to address stigma, and systematic data collection on usage, referrals, neighborhood impacts, and outcomes. Regular updates to residents and businesses are suggested.
City officials and Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform will now use the assessment to inform site selection, design, and implementation planning. Site selection remains ongoing, with broader community engagement continuing.
Burlington Daily News will continue covering developments related to the overdose prevention center.
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