On Oct. 11, the Burlington City Council declared the opioid epidemic we are experiencing a public health crisis. The council is absolutely correct. From January through June of this year, 115 people in Vermont overdosed and died because of opioids. By Oct. 1, that number had risen to 398. This is horrific, and it has to stop.
Community Health Workers are a solution. They are not the whole solution, especially for such a complex, nuanced issue, but they can provide substantial help. CHWs provide a cost-effective service, bridging the gap between communities and the health services within those communities. They do not take the place of current health workers, but instead help to improve the quality and competence of health care within a community.
They can yield a return of $2.47 for every $1 invested, saving Medicaid $4,200 per beneficiary every year. With around 20% of Vermonters on Medicaid, this will be a substantial saving for Vermont. Unfortunately, community health workers often do not receive the sustained funding or support necessary to make the long-term, long-lasting improvement they are capable of.
That is why I call on Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch, and Rep. Becca Balint to support and sign onto a bill in support of community health workers, which would improve reimbursement for the CHW workforce in Medicare and support their integration in Medicaid.
Shelby Raymond
Burlington
