HCR 203

R-244  Page 1 of 1
2026
No. R-244. House concurrent resolution designating February 2026 as Recovery
Awareness Month in Vermont.
                                        (H.C.R.203)
   Offered by Representatives Maguire of Rutland City and Berbeco of Winooski
   Whereas, according to a recent report of the research site methadone.org, “Vermont
faces one of the most severe substance abuse challenges in the United States, consistently
ranking among the top states for illicit drug use … [and also] … faces significant
challenges with alcohol consumption and abuse,” a fact that the State’s high rates of
binge drinking and alcohol abuse document, and
   Whereas, according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, 10.3 percent of Vermont youth (12–17 years of age) reported illicit drug
use during the prior month, and Vermont ranks 48th among the states in this
category, and
   Whereas, the Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery
(VAMHAR), a statewide nonprofit organization established in 1939, “embrace[s] the full
spectrum of the human experience—with compassion and acceptance…” and works to
strengthen collaboration across agencies, providers, employers, and communities in its
effort to ameliorate substance abuse, and
   Whereas, peer-led recovery centers and residences across the State have coalesced as
Recovery Partners of Vermont, and this multimember organization serves on the front
line of supporting individuals in their journeys from active addiction to lives in
recovery, and
   Whereas, both these organizations, in coordination with State agencies, community
partners, employers, and Vermonters with lived experiences, are intensifying their
collaboration to break down silos and build coordinated, community-rooted pathways to
recovery, and these partnerships greatly benefit the well-being of all Vermonters, and
    Whereas, on February 11, 2026, Vermonters involved in the recovery process gathered
at the State House to celebrate progress and educate legislators concerning these
initiatives, and a broader public knowledge of these efforts is vitally important, now
therefore be it
   Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
   That the General Assembly designates February 2026 as Recovery Awareness Month
in Vermont, and be it further
  Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to
VAMHAR and Recovery Partners of Vermont.
                                                                           VT LEG #387510 v.1