Since Tropical Storm Irene and the loss of the State Hospital in Waterbury, Vermont has taken aggressive steps to address mental health care. But what about those who seek help outside the state system?
We discuss the role independent mental health providers play and how they are integrated into the state system with Dr. Rick Barnett, a psychologist and licensed alcohol and drug counselor, and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Kevin Gallagher.
Also on the show: a three million dollar federal grant to expand opioid addiction treatment across the state. We talk to Jeffrey McKee, director of psychiatric services at the Rutland Regional Medical Center, which runs the West Ridge Center for Addiction Recovery.
Plus, VPR's Sara Simon discusses a new bot she created, DirtyWaterVT, that Tweets information whenever there is a sewage overflow in Vermont.
Broadcast live on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
