We will continue working with the remaining youth staff to help them secure new jobs, and we will pay them for the original time period as planned.

The press release below has been updated to reflect these changes.

Burlington, VT — Spectrum Youth & Family Services announced today that its social enterprise, Detail Works, will close on September 18, 2025.

Detail Works launched nine years ago to provide meaningful employment opportunities for young people who faced barriers in traditional workplaces. In that time, it has helped dozens of youth build skills, confidence, and experience in the workforce.

The decision to close comes as Spectrum faces the same challenge confronting nonprofits nationwide: rapidly escalating employee health insurance costs. Over the past five years, these costs have more than doubled for the organization, creating unsustainable financial pressures that can no longer be absorbed without compromising other critical youth services.

“At its best, Detail Works created a supportive workplace for youth who needed a different kind of opportunity,” said Mark Redmond, Spectrum’s Executive Director. “We are deeply proud of what Detail Works has accomplished over the past nine years and grateful to the youth, staff, and community members who made it possible. This decision was not easy. Our commitment now is to ensure a smooth transition for those directly affected, while keeping Spectrum’s focus on our mission and sustaining the many programs that help young people thrive.”

Two full-time employees and ten youth staff will be affected by the closure. Spectrum is already working closely with each of the youth to find new employment opportunities. The organization will also provide financial assistance during the transition. Adult staff members are eligible to apply for open positions within other Spectrum programs.

Customers with unused gift cards may request a cash refund or choose to donate the value of their gift card back to Spectrum to support youth and families by submitting this form: spcvt.org/DWGiftCard.

Spectrum also asks that media outlets respect the privacy of the youth who have worked at Detail Works by not contacting them directly or filming the location.

No other Spectrum programs are affected by this decision, and the organization remains focused on its core mission of supporting and empowering youth, young adults, and families
across Vermont.

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About Spectrum Youth & Family Services
Located in Burlington and St. Albans, Vermont, Spectrum Youth & Family Services helps teens and young adults ages 14-24 meet their basic needs, access mental health counseling and
substance use disorder services, and get help with employment, education, and living independently to thrive as young adults. Learn more at www.spectrumvt.org.

The post UPDATE: Spectrum Youth & Family Services to Close Detail Works in September appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Open from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 24 hours a day on weekends, the shelter provides a safe, warm place to sleep, a full kitchen, access to hot showers and laundry facilities, and supportive staff trained in youth development and trauma-informed care. 

“This shelter is more than just a bed — it’s about meeting young people where they are, offering dignity and safety, and helping them take the next step toward stability,” said Mark Redmond, Executive Director of Spectrum. “We’re so grateful to the St. Albans community, the Vermont House Human Services Committee, and our generous donors for making this long-needed service a reality.” 

The shelter is located just two blocks from Spectrum’s Drop-In Center, allowing youth to access meals, case management, counseling referrals, and basic needs support on weekdays. Together, these services aim to provide a stable foundation for youth to build independence and thrive. 

The project is a collaboration with Champlain Housing Trust, which purchased and renovated the building with funds from the Department of Children and Families in partnership with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. 

“New shelters, like this one, are unfortunately needed more than we’ve ever seen before,” said Michael Monte, CEO of Champlain Housing Trust. “We are thankful to Spectrum for stepping in to fill this critical gap of services and shelter, and to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for funding it. But we also look forward to the day when there’s enough affordable housing to meet Vermonter’s needs.”

“This shelter is a strong example of what it means to invest in both people and community,” added Gus Seelig, Executive Director of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board. “We’re grateful to be part of a project that offers young Vermonters a safe place to land and a pathway forward.” 

Daily operating costs are funded by the Department of Children and Families and countless individual donors, including an anonymous $1 million gift and a multi-year commitment from the Hoehl Family Foundation. 

“We are so happy this program has opened to help fill the need in this community,” said Stefanie Comstock, Director of Basic Needs Programs, St Albans. “We are ready to support the youth in need of a safe place to sleep and help them get on their feet as they gain skills towards independence.” 

To learn more about the shelter or to refer a young person, visit www.spectrumvt.org or call (802) 777-7882. 

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About Spectrum Youth & Family Services 

Located in Burlington and St. Albans, Vermont, Spectrum Youth & Family Services helps teens and young adults ages 14-24 meet their basic needs, access mental health counseling and substance use disorder services, and get help with employment, education, and living independently to thrive as young adults. Learn more at www.spectrumvt.org. 

About Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) 

Champlain Housing Trust serves northwestern Vermont with a variety of housing and community development programs. Under CHT’s stewardship are nearly 700 permanently affordable homes and condos, about 2,800 permanently affordable apartments, over 200 shelter beds, and over 200,000 square feet in commercial and nonprofit facilities. CHT also runs a variety of financial literacy and lending programs. More information can be found at www.getahome.org. 

About the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB)

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board invests in the creation of permanently affordable housing and the conservation of agricultural and recreational land, forestland, and historic properties. Since 1987, VHCB has supported projects that strengthen communities, protect Vermont’s working landscape, and promote equity, resilience, and quality of life statewide. Learn more at www.vhcb.org. 

The post New Youth Shelter Opens in Franklin County to Support Young People Facing Homelessness  appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

This ruling is deeply painful. For trans and nonbinary youth, their families, and those striving to create a more inclusive and supportive world, it represents a step backward—and a stark reminder of the work still ahead.

Here in Vermont, we remain committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all young people. Gender-affirming care for minors continues to be legal and accessible in our state. Vermont House Bill 89 explicitly ensures that this care cannot be restricted or banned—something that sadly is not true in all states, including our neighbor New Hampshire.

Medical experts widely agree: gender-affirming care is not controversial—it’s essential. It supports mental health, reduces risk, and saves lives. We’ll continue to say that loudly and clearly, no matter what the courts decide.

At Spectrum Youth & Family Services, we stand unequivocally with trans youth. We believe every young person deserves access to the care and support they need to live as their authentic selves. That commitment hasn’t changed, and it never will. We will continue to be a safe, affirming space for all youth—especially those targeted by discriminatory legislation or policies.

Thank you for standing with us. We are stronger together.

The post Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on US vs. Skrmetti appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

To Whom It May Concern: 

I am writing regarding the present condition of Vermont’s substance abuse treatment system of care. 

Vermont’s present model is funded via an “episodic rate,” which often results in short-term stays (14-17 days) at the highest level of care in one of two primary High-Intensity Residentials:  Valley Vista or Serenity House.  While low-intensity residential treatment is available, individuals are often discharged to their communities for treatment in their home geographic area, usually with options that range from living at a Sober Home and outpatient care, recovery supports at the local Turning Point Center, or both. 

This unfortunately places them back with the very people, places and things which fed their addiction to begin with.  Relapse is almost a certainty, and they are eventually sent back for another 14-17 day stay at a High-Intensity Residential. 

This is what is called a Wash-Rinse-Repeat cycle, and we are doing exactly that in Vermont. The system we have in place may have worked somewhat well when we were in a Heroin crisis.  But we are in a Fentanyl/Xylazine crisis, which is very different and requires a different approach. 

As the executive director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services, one of our main programs is the provision of outpatient counseling for those suffering from mental health and/or substance use disorders.  Eighteen months ago, I started meeting with judges, staff from Probation and Parole, and with providers from treatment programs such as Jenna’s Promise.  We were all reporting seeing the sad, same phenomenon.  We did our research and learned that other states, including nearby New Hampshire, have a much longer and more comprehensive system for treating those suffering from substance use disorder.  We learned that we are missing that “middle piece,” that part of treatment that links an individual from a Valley Vista/Serenity House, to at least 30 days of coordinated care, and then refers people to the Sober Homes and Turning Point Centers which are, in fact, an indispensable component of treatment.    

Creating this “middle piece” is supported by the scientific literature which states that the longer an individual is drug-free and has an opportunity to practice sobriety, the more likely he or she will engage in a sustainable, sober lifestyle. 

It also makes financial sense for our taxpayers.  The High-Intensity Residential is the most expensive component of the system of care.  By treating an individual there for 14-17 days, sending them into the community, having them quickly relapse, and end back up at that Residential, this Wash-Rinse-Repeat cycle is costing the taxpayer dearly.  It makes far more sense dollar-wise to continue to keep individuals in the system of care longer where the likelihood of their staying sober increases, and the cost to the taxpayer is less. 

Another factor to consider is that under our present system, some of these individuals are relapsing and then becoming homeless and ending up in hotels and shelters, all of which are expensive.  Some become involved in crime, at the cost of public safety and with a fiscal cost as well.  The fact is that a person who is stable in their recovery is much more likely to obtain and maintain employment and secure permanent housing. 

It took our group over a year, but we convinced the Scott administration to include funding for this “middle piece” in the Governor’s recommended budget.  The administration has done so, proposing $1.5M which will create 15 beds.   

It is now up to the Vermont Legislature to decide whether or not to proceed with this plan, and I am imploring them to do so.  It would be nothing less than tragic to remove this money from the budget for some other purpose.  We cannot wait for another biennium to address this issue.  People are dying from overdoses of Fentanyl and Xylazine now.  We need to catch up to the science and to what other states are doing.  Vermont was not long ago the standard for the nation in terms of the provision of Medically Assisted Treatment, and the Hub-and-Spoke model, for the treatment of heroin addiction.  But this is a different time, with much more dangerous drugs, requiring a different approach.   

I am asking the Vermont Legislature to do the right thing and move ahead with the administration’s proposal.  This has nothing to do with left versus right politics.  It has to do with science, saving money , and, most importantly, saving lives. 

Sincerely 

Mark Redmond 
Executive Director 

The post A Letter to the Legislature: Vermont’s Substance Abuse Treatment System of Care appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

In addition to the anonymous $1M donation, the Hoehl Family Foundation will donate $125,000 per year for the next three years to support the St. Albans Drop-In Center and soon, a new youth shelter, which is also funded by the Vermont State Legislature.

This fall, Champlain Housing Trust purchased the building at 135 Lake Street in St. Albans where the new youth shelter will be housed, and renovations are currently underway. Spectrum is hiring and training staff so that the shelter can open as soon as renovations are complete in March.

These donations are a powerful affirmation of the commitment of donors to the youth of Franklin County. The $1M donation will be used to supplement community donations over the next several years or more— ensuring that Spectrum services for youth in Franklin County will be available for the long term. These services include:

• The Drop-In Center, a welcoming space offering essential resources and support for young people in need.
• The new youth shelter, a safe haven where young people can find stability and work toward self-sufficiency.
• Youth Development Program, helping young adults aging out of state custody transition to independent living.
• The Compass Program, which works to stabilize youth and families in crisis to help them get their lives on track.
• Mentoring, connecting young people with caring, supportive adults who help them navigate life’s challenges.

“The community in St. Albans has been incredibly welcoming and supportive of all these programs, but it’s not just Franklin County residents who are donating. Both the $1M gift and the gift from the Hoehl Family Foundation are from donors outside of Franklin County who deeply believe in the work that Spectrum does,” said Mark Redmond, Executive Director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services. “They recognize the potential of Franklin County as a community where young people—no matter their circumstances—can thrive. This investment is a testament to the strength and resilience of the youth we serve.”

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Located in Burlington and St. Albans, Vermont, Spectrum Youth & Family Services helps teens and young adults ages 14-24 meet their basic needs, access mental health counseling and substance use disorder, and get help with employment, education, and living independently to thrive as young adults. Learn more at www.spectrumvt.org  

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Through generous funding from KeyBank Foundation, the Pomerleau Family Foundation, the University of Vermont Medical Center, and many individual donors, Spectrum Youth and Family Services has been able to make its Nightly Shelter a year-round resource for homeless youth. 

On May 14, 2024, Spectrum officially expanded its seasonal warming shelter operations from seasonal to year-round programming to fill the critical gap in the local continuum of care, offering a youth-friendly overnight option when other shelter beds are full.

“We are pleased to join forces with the Pomerleau Family Foundation and other donors to help expand the vital resources that Spectrum provides,” said KeyBank Market President, Tony DiSotto. “KeyBank is a long-time supporter of Spectrum and their mission to improve the lives of disadvantaged youth and young adults in our community.” KeyBank Foundation has provided a three-year $225,000 grant to support the Nightly Shelter.

“We are proud to continue supporting Spectrum in this innovative project,” said Ernie Pomerleau on behalf of the Pomerleau Family Foundation, which has contributed $200,000 so far to the warming shelter. “Mark and his team have been on the leading edge of creating a true safety net for young persons faced with the loss of a homelife, dealing with drugs, or just needing mentoring.  Spectrum has evolved in providing housing, food, counseling, and jobs – with compassion, kindness, innovation, and professionalism.  We are lucky to have this amazing organization in our community.”

Spectrum Youth and Family Services opened a winter warming shelter in November of 2017 to provide more beds for youth facing homelessness in the harshest months. The warming shelter was a seasonal shelter, open from November through March 31.

Over the past two years, however, Spectrum’s Basic Needs Director, Christina Brown says she has been handing out more sleeping bags and tents than ever before year-round – in fact, she can’t keep them in stock.

To meet the growing need for safe youth shelter in Burlington, Spectrum’s warming shelter was re-named the Nightly Shelter and is now open year-round.

The Nightly Shelter is a low-barrier, 10-bed emergency shelter that is open every day from 5pm to 9am. Youth can then access our Burlington Drop-In Center during the day for meals, laundry, clothing, and case management.

Many of the youth who access the Nightly Shelter are new to Spectrum, and each year several youths move from the Nightly Shelter into the Landing or Pearl Street Residence, significantly increasing their odds of moving on to permanent housing.

The shelter, located at 179 South Winooski Ave, is accessible to youth ages 18-24 on a first-come first-serve basis.

Special thanks to KeyBank Foundation, the Pomerleau Family Foundation, the University of Vermont Medical Center, and many individual donors who contributed support. If you’d like to donate to Spectrum’s housing programs, please visit: https://spcvt.org/housing

If you are in need of housing you can find more information here.

The post Spectrum’s Nightly Shelter Open Year-Round appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Vermont Business Magazine writes, “MENTOR Vermont recognizes that young people are natural dreamers, but not all youth are given the same access and opportunities to achieve those dreams. A caring and committed mentor can help a young person ignite their curiosities, solidify their passions, and leverage their talents.

More than ever, youth need supportive, committed mentors in their life who see, hear, and champion them. Mentoring relationships provide individualized attention and support, a primary component of pandemic recovery. By increasing the quality and quantity of safe and effective mentoring relationships in places where young people live, learn, connect, and play, the Vermont Mentoring Grants help address the inequities plaguing Vermont youth.

Through the generous contributions of the A.D Henderson Foundation and the Vermont Department for Children and Families, MENTOR Vermont provides annual funding to mentoring agencies, investing in the creation and support of quality, long-term, youth mentoring programs.

At a time when research shows that loneliness and isolation are trending upwards, we know that relationships are powerful tools for significant change. They bring us together, help us to navigate our divides, and create a common purpose. Mentoring unites us.”

Read the entire article here.

Interested in becoming a mentor?

The post Spectrum Mentoring Program named recipient of MENTOR Vermont 2023-2024 mentoring grant appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Published: Dec. 4, 2023 at 7:50 AM EST

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Officials say a program helping homeless youth in the region is starting to make an impact.

In August, WCAX News told you about Spectrum Youth and Family Services piloting a cash transfer program that gives 10 young people a monthly stipend of $1,500, a total of $30,000 over 18 months. Recipients meet monthly with Spectrum to talk about budgeting and getting a job to monitor progress.

The youths are chosen based on their demonstrated desire to work hard.

Three months into the program, 10 youths have received the funding and Spectrum says the program is a success so far.

“We’re looking at about half of those youth already gaining permanent housing which is a fantastic outcome. Hopefully, we can continue that trajectory and get the rest of those youth housed,” said Will Towne with Spectrum Youth and Family Services.

The funding for the program came from private donors and federal funds. Spectrum will do three groups of 10 young people each over three-and-a-half years. Spectrum told WCAX News in November they estimate around 50 youths in the Burlington area are experiencing homelessness right now.

Related Stories:

Area shelters see increased demand for homeless youth services

New program to provide monthly stipend for homeless youth

Copyright 2023 WCAX. All rights reserved.

The post Spectrum reviews homeless youth stipend program appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Click here to read the full article.

Here are the opportunities published about Spectrum:

Tutoring (Multicultural and New American youth)

Description: Provide academic support for New American and multicultural youth in Spectrum’s Resource Space.

Time commitment: Several hours each week

Organization: Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Location: Available upon sign-up

Contact: myp@spectrumvt.org

Mentoring (Teens and young adults)

Description: Become a positive adult role model for youth between 12 and 22. Each volunteer with be matched with a child, participate in their hobbies and help them set goals. Male mentors of color and LGBTQ+ identified mentors are especially needed. Volunteers must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check and able to provide reliable transportation.

Time commitment:

• Four hours per month over two to four sessions; minimum commitment of one year
• Required eight hours of training in one to two-hour increments

Organization: Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Location: Available upon sign-up

Contact: mentoring@spectrumvt.org

Meal donation

Description: Donate a meal large enough for 20-30 youths at Spectrum’s Drop-In Center, which provides basic needs services, warms meals, housing and case management referrals and supportive engagement to young adults between 14 and 25.

Time commitment: Varies

• Meals should arrive between 4-4:30 p.m.

Organization: Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Location: 177 Pearl St., Burlington, VT 05401

Contact:

• Main contact: cbrown@spectrumvt.org
• Contact to enter the building: (802) 777-5714

Organizing drop-in donations

Description: Help organize Spectrum’s clothing donations for youth.

Time commitment: Varies

Organization: Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Location: Available upon sign-up

Contact: dropin@spectrumvt.org

Miscellaneous volunteering

Description: Help with various Spectrum events and special projects, such as large mailings.

Time commitment: A few hours at a time

Organization: Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Location: Available upon sign-up

Contact: events@spectrumvt.org

The post Here are local volunteer opportunities to get on Santa’s Nice List next year appeared first on Spectrum Youth & Family Services.

Published: Nov. 28, 2023 at 5:57 AM EST

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – As temperatures drop across our region, more people experiencing homelessness are looking for shelter, including Vermont’s youth.

Burlington-based Spectrum Youth and Family Services says they’ve worked with 1,434 youth this year, a 12% increase from 2022. Officials at Spectrum estimate around 50 youth are homeless and say their shelter is at capacity.

“We’re handing out tents and sleeping bags as fast as we get them in, which is something that we never had to do in the past,” said Will Towne with Spectrum.

Towne says the nonprofit is busier than ever. Their 26-bed shelter is full as are most other shelters in the Burlington area. They’re now working on other options to keep people ages 12 to 26 out of the cold.

“We’re working to try to get our winter warming shelter open and this year, hopefully, we will be able to keep that running year-round,” said Towne.

But without staffing, the 10-bed shelter isn’t running yet.

Marc Redmond with Spectrum says not being able to have a home can take a toll on the mental health of homeless young people. They plan on providing more mental health support, going from 4 to 12 licensed mental health counselors in three years. At one point they had 90 people on their wait list for services.

“It’s down to about nine now; we want it to be zero. But I think it shows the extent even though we keep expanding and adding mental health staff, the extent of the mental health difficulty young people are experiencing,” said Redmond.

An increase in homeless young people isn’t only a problem in Vermont’s most populated county.

“We definitely saw an influx of folks in that age range coming in, especially into the hotel program, the GA emergency shelter program,” Kim Anetsberger said.

Kim Anetsberger and Sherry Marcellino of the Lamoille Community House in Hyde Park say they went from a seasonal night shelter to a seasonal 24-hour shelter due to demand around the pandemic. Their shelter of 12 beds is at capacity, too. They say the county has around 70-80 people experiencing homelessness right now with roughly 30% of them being 18 to 24 years old.

“Their needs are different in the fact that they may not have the same history with homelessness just given their age. They may not have a treatment history, so it might be harder for them to get into services,” said Marcellino.

They say they often notice these young people are coming out of the Vermont Department for Children and Families, have developmental disabilities or struggle with mental illness.

“They’re graduating from the children’s world into the adult world and the bridges are just not strong enough to bring them in,” said Marcellino.

The new Lamoille Community House is opening a new 365-day-a-year shelter. It will be in Hyde Park housing 21 people, and is under construction now.

Copyright 2023 WCAX. All rights reserved.

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