In Vermont, public mental health care is overseen by the Vermont Department of Mental Health, which works through 10 Designated Agencies that each serve a region of the state. If you're in crisis, call or text 988, and Vermont's statewide Mobile Crisis program can send a two person team to you at any hour. NAMI Vermont runs free peer and family support groups and classes, and the Pathways Vermont Support Line takes calls and texts 24 hours a day at 833-888-2557.
Vermont has two Lifeline call centers of its own, so many 988 calls from the state are answered in Vermont. If you're not sure where to start, your local Designated Agency or 988 can point you to the right service.
Every part of Vermont is covered by one of 10 Designated Agencies, community mental health organizations that offer outpatient care, case management and substance use treatment for their region. Mobile crisis response is available statewide around the clock, led by Health Care and Rehabilitation Services with nine other community agencies, so a team can meet you at home, school or work. Burlington has a walk in Mental Health Urgent Care at 1 South Prospect Street, and similar urgent care programs run in Middlebury, Montpelier and Newport City. Academic psychiatry is concentrated in Burlington at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine, which trains psychiatry residents and child psychiatry fellows. Farmers and their families can get free, confidential help through Farm First, including up to 12 free counseling sessions.
Crisis lines
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988 anywhere in the United States, including from Vermont. Free and confidential, 24 hours a day. For chat, visit 988lifeline.org.
- Pathways Vermont Support Line (peer warmline). A statewide, peer run warm line for Vermonters over 18, staffed by people with lived experience. Call or text 833-888-2557 (833-VT-TALKS) any time, day or night, when you need to talk before things reach a crisis.
- Vermont 211. A free, confidential information and referral service from the United Ways of Vermont. Dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898211 to find local health, housing, food and human services; staff are available 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.
- Farm First. A free, confidential stress support service for Vermont farmers and their families, sponsored by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Agency of Human Services. Call 802-318-5538 during business hours or 1-877-493-6216 any time for urgent support; it offers peer farmers, resource help and up to 12 free counseling sessions.
Crisis care and mobile crisis
- Community based crisis services (Department of Mental Health). The state's overview of its crisis services continuum: crisis lines, mobile crisis response, peer support and short term crisis stabilization programs. Start here to understand what's available, or contact your local community mental health center.
- Mobile Crisis of Vermont. Vermont's statewide mobile crisis program, run by Health Care and Rehabilitation Services with the Department of Mental Health and nine other community agencies. It's available 24 hours a day, every day, and sends a two person team to people of any age in a mental health or substance use crisis; call 988 or your county's agency to reach it.
- Mental Health Urgent Care (Howard Center, Burlington). A walk in alternative to the emergency department for adults in a mental health crisis, at 1 South Prospect Street in Burlington, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. No appointment is needed; call 802-488-6482 (802-488-MHUC) with questions.
State mental health authority
- Vermont Department of Mental Health. The state department that oversees the Designated Agency system, Vermont's designated psychiatric hospitals and peer support services, and runs the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital. The main number is 802-241-0090.
NAMI Vermont
- NAMI Vermont support groups. Free peer support groups for adults living with a mental health condition and family support groups for people who care about them. NAMI Vermont also offers free classes such as Family-to-Family and Basics; call (800) 639-6480 for information.
- NAMI Vermont resources and crisis numbers. NAMI Vermont's list of state and national crisis lines, its downloadable Resource Guidebook and free printed materials you can request.
Community mental health centers
- Designated Agencies (community mental health agencies). The Department of Mental Health's list of Vermont's 10 Designated Agencies and two Specialized Service Agencies, with a phone number for each. Find the agency for your region to ask about outpatient care, case management, crisis services and substance use treatment.
Treatment locators
- FindTreatment.gov. The federal SAMHSA locator for mental health and substance use treatment. Search by Vermont address or ZIP code and filter by payment type.
University and academic medical centers
- University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. Faculty provide inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care in Burlington and work with the Department of Mental Health and the Howard Center. The department's page links to mental health services at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
- UVM psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship. Vermont's psychiatry training program, with a general residency and a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship focused on family based care.
Other state programs
- Suicide prevention (Department of Mental Health). The state's suicide prevention page, with guidance on getting and giving help, safe firearm storage, talking about suicide and support after a loss.
- Vermont Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur. Vermont's Medicaid programs, run by the Department of Vermont Health Access, including Dr. Dynasaur for children, teens under 19 and pregnant women. Call customer service at 1-855-899-9600 on weekdays to ask about coverage.