Addiction, and not just to opiates, is a serious health issue in Vermont. Substance use disorders can have a profound influence on the lives of people and their families, particularly their children. Young children are especially affected because of exposure during the prenatal period, exposure to toxins and toxic stress in their home environment as they grow and develop, and the impact of these substances on their family’s capacity to parent and their community’s capacity to support them during their most critical years of development.
