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The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County

The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County

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Grant funds allow us to expand our Outreach Recovery Work

March 9, 2023 By Kim Norman Mercer

PODS ON ELMWOOD AVENUEThe Turning Point Center of Chittenden County (TPCCC) has been awarded $50,000 per year for three years to expand its Outreach Recovery Coaching program, which helps people in the community struggling with opioid addiction and other substance use.

“The need is great,” said Cam Lauf, the center’s executive director. “With this new funding, we will expand the program and be on-site, in more locations where we are needed. Instead of waiting, and hoping people decide one day to come to us, we will go to them and share some of the hope that we offer at the center.”

The grant was awarded to the center by the University of Vermont Medical Center’s  Community Health Investment Committee (CHIC). According to its website, the projects supported by this fund will “show a unique, creative way to address an emerging need in ways which might lead to a new best practice.” This is exactly what the Outreach Recovery program seeks to do.   

The Outreach Recovery program was created in 2020 after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when staff at the TPCCC were searching for ways to maintain contact with people with addiction and substance use after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently the Outreach Recovery Coaches provide low barrier addiction coaching services to individuals and families at the Champlain Inn on Shelburne Road, Susan’s Place on Susie Wilson Road in Essex, and the new Burlington Emergency Shelter Pods on Elmwood Avenue.

A typical day for an outreach recovery coach includes facilitating recovery groups, engaging with all who are interested, and establishing trust with community members who feel abandoned. By design, these recovery groups are low barrier which means anyone interested in learning more about recovery from drug and alcohol addiction can attend to discover the many paths there are to recovery.

“When visiting a location, I start my day by greeting staff there, then focus on talking with people,” said Olivia Watson, CRC, (Certified Recovery Coach. “I ask people how they are doing, how’s their day going, et cetera. I’ll often share that I’m an addict in long-term recovery. After sharing my lived experience, sometimes people share their struggle with addiction. This can lead to a real connection. Sometimes, the people I talk with decide to visit the Turning Point Center. Sometimes they sign up to work directly with a peer recovery coach, or to attend a meeting. Often, they tell me about where they have been and where they want to go. That is the first step to recovery.”

Peer recovery coaching is effective because the coaches have themselves been in the grips of drug and alcohol addiction. Recovery coaches at TPCCC have sustained recovery and are trained and certified through Recovery Vermont’s Recovery Coaching Board Certification. The recovery center has a drop-in location in downtown Burlington that promises a welcoming, substance-free, supportive space, where people can come for fellowship, to attend recovery meetings, to practice yoga, to use computers or make art, and much more.

In addition to meeting with people individually at the center, and on site at emergency, temporary, and supportive housing sites, TPCCC’s recovery coaches work within the University of Vermont Medical Center’s Emergency Department, consulting with people who are in crisis and supporting them toward treatment and their recovery goals.  

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Call the Center at 802.861.3150 or knock on the window by the Center’s front door.

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You can also visit our Staff page to write for support.

2023 March

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Events for February

27th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts (Noon Mondays)

Entrance sign to the Turning Point Center
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

All Recovery: Medication Assisted Treatment

Events for February

28th

Celebrate Recovery
9:30 am - 10:30 am

Celebrate Recovery: Breaking Chains

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Parents in Recovery: Drop-In

Metal folding chair
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

AA Way of Life

NA logo
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts

Refuge Recovery
6:45 pm - 7:45 pm

Refuge Recovery

Events for March

1st

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Reiki – 30 minute sessions

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Families coping
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Families Coping with Addiction

Events for March

2nd

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Good Vibes

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Events for March

3rd

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Events for March

4th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

5
6
7
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9
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11
Events for March

5th

Hands clasped
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

SMART RECOVERY

Events for March

6th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts (Noon Mondays)

Entrance sign to the Turning Point Center
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

All Recovery: Medication Assisted Treatment

Events for March

7th

Celebrate Recovery
9:30 am - 10:30 am

Celebrate Recovery: Breaking Chains

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Parents in Recovery: Drop-In

Metal folding chair
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

AA Way of Life

NA logo
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts

Refuge Recovery
6:45 pm - 7:45 pm

Refuge Recovery

Events for March

8th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Families coping
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Families Coping with Addiction

Events for March

9th

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Good Vibes

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Events for March

10th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Events for March

11th

Yoga class at Turning Point Center of Chittenden County
9:15 am - 10:00 am

In-person yoga class

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

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18
Events for March

12th

No Events
Events for March

13th

Get tested
11:00 am - 1:30 pm

FREE & CONFIDENTIAL HIV TESTING

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts (Noon Mondays)

Entrance sign to the Turning Point Center
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

All Recovery: Medication Assisted Treatment

Events for March

14th

Celebrate Recovery
9:30 am - 10:30 am

Celebrate Recovery: Breaking Chains

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Parents in Recovery: Drop-In

Metal folding chair
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

AA Way of Life

NA logo
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts

Refuge Recovery
6:45 pm - 7:45 pm

Refuge Recovery

Events for March

15th

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Reiki – 30 minute sessions

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Families coping
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Families Coping with Addiction

Events for March

16th

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Good Vibes

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Events for March

17th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Carole from Working Fields
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Cookie Decorating

Events for March

18th

Yoga class at Turning Point Center of Chittenden County
9:15 am - 10:00 am

In-person yoga class

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Events for March

19th

No Events
Events for March

20th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts (Noon Mondays)

Entrance sign to the Turning Point Center
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

All Recovery: Medication Assisted Treatment

Events for March

21st

Celebrate Recovery
9:30 am - 10:30 am

Celebrate Recovery: Breaking Chains

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Parents in Recovery: Drop-In

Metal folding chair
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

AA Way of Life

NA logo
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

NA Beautiful Addicts

Refuge Recovery
6:45 pm - 7:45 pm

Refuge Recovery

Events for March

22nd

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Families coping
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Families Coping with Addiction

Events for March

23rd

NA logo
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

NA Good Vibes

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Stitches
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Slow Stitching & Weaving

Events for March

24th

One Month Chip
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Nooner

Events for March

25th

Yoga class at Turning Point Center of Chittenden County