A mental health program for flood-affected Vermonters has been extended through 2025 – VTDigger

Last Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch that set off a cascade of preparations across Vermont. 

On that same day, Vermont Department of Mental Health announced that it had received an extension of funding for its Starting Over Strong program to support the mental health of flood-affected Vermonters.

Two days later, reports revealed that the rain and snowmelt had caused little damage to Vermont homes and infrastructure. But the mental health department’s deputy commissioner, Samantha Sweet, said it is exactly these repeat flooding events that could cause continuing struggles for Vermonters who have been hit hard by previous storms. 

“The rain hitting their roof in years past used to be soothing and comforting to people, and they enjoyed hearing (the) sound, and now it causes them incredible anxiety,” Sweet said. 

The state’s repeat flooding disasters was also part of the reason the program has been extended. The department initially received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration after the July 2023 flood to operate the program through October 2024. But after the July 2024 flood, the program’s funding was extended through July 2025. 

The core purpose of the program is to provide outreach and connect flood-affected Vermonters to a variety of mental health services from regional providers. The program operates a hotline at 802-651-1767 and has reached out to Vermonters in a variety of other ways — from door-to-door knocking to booths at local farmers markets, Sweet said. 

The program has interacted with 14,000 Vermonters so far. That includes Vermonters who have reached out on behalf of a loved one or friend, Sweet said. 

“As these services are going door to door and just telling people about the service, they’re hearing a lot, ‘well, I’m okay, but my neighbor three doors down is really struggling,’” she said. “It’s truly a Vermont way.”

Sweet added via email that of those 14,000 Vermonters, about 1,150 have had more in-depth visits from the program and 1,000 have attended support groups run by some regional providers. 

Program staffers can also connect Vermonters to more long-term mental health support and other community resources like their local food shelf, Sweet said. 

However, the program does not provide mental health crisis support. Sweet urged Vermonters in crisis to call the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

The program is completely free, Sweet said. The sole eligibility criteria is location: You must be in one of the counties that had a declared disaster, which includes Chittenden, Washington, Addison, Lamoille, Essex, Caledonia and Orleans counties. 

The level of support someone receives from the program is up to them, she said. 

“It can be just touching base with someone and connecting and sharing their story and having someone listen to how things have been for them,” she said. “All the way up to, visiting with them three or four (times), and they’re having that short term support to kind of get their story out and and receive the support that they need.”