Meet Us
Thank you for taking an interest in getting to know us. We are a coalition of Burlington residents, businesses, school and college representatives, parents, youth, medical professionals, students, social service representatives, law enforcement officials, court representatives, and more who recognize that the damages of drugs, alcohol abuse, and tobacco effect us all and we work together to create a healthier environment in Burlington.
Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community (BPHC) evolved from the strong foundation built by the Chittenden County Substance Abuse Coalition (CCSAC) that began around 1999. In 2005, the Vermont Department of Health approached CCSAC to develop a coalition to impact substance abuse prevention, across all age groups, specific to the needs of the city of Burlington. In the fall of 2006, the decision was made by the CCSAC Board to focus their efforts on Burlington and the county coalition reformed as the Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community.
BPHC maintained many of the same board and coalition members as a new mission and vision were identified and funding for continued sustainabilty was addressed. The board members hired their first staff member and spent significant time and effort to identify and include the appropriate people and organizations that needed to be involved in the work of the coalition for us to be successful in improving health outcomes in Burlington. BPHC applied for and was awarded funding in 2007 from the Vermont Department of Health to build capacity and completed a community needs assessment to help identify priorities. Through this funding and assessment we created our first strategic plan and have continued to evaluate and revise our interventions to support health and wellness in Burlington ever since!
Vision & Mission
Working together for a safe and healthy community; To positively impact the Burlington community by addressing the causes and consequences of substance abuse.
We focus on the following principles to guide our Mission:
Our long-term goals for Burlington
- Reduce underage and high-risk drinking rates
- Reduce youth prescription drug abuse/misuse rates
- Reduce tobacco use rates
- Reduce youth marijuana use rates
- Increase opportunities for youth participation and leadership in community prevention strategies and activities
Our Advisory Board of Directors
Megan Peek, Chair – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, Burlington resident
Mitch Barron, Fiscal Agent Representative – LICSW, LADC Centerpoint Adolescent Treatment Services
Karen Tyler, Member- University of Vermont Health Network, Burlington resident
Tian Berry – Burlington resident Marielle Matthews – Winooski Partnership for Prevention, public health consultant, Burlington resident
Our Staff
Registered Members
We welcome organizations and individuals to partner with us to create a healthier environment in Burlington. Learn more about membership and the special benefits of your annual registration.
Organizations
Big Heavy World
Burlington Housing Authority
Burlington Labs
Burlington Parks & Recreation
Centerpoint Adolescent Treatment Services
Champlain College
UVM Medical Center
Howard Center
Local Motion
People’s United Bank
Vermont Agency of Human Services
Vermont Department of Health
Vermont Works for Women