Moving to Vermont?
Moving can be stressful at the best of times, and when HIV is a factor it becomes even more so. Many of Vermont CARES’ clients have moved here from out of state and Vermont CARES does its best to help with the process.
The best way to ensure a smooth transition is to PLAN AHEAD.
Before coming to Vermont give us a call. We’re happy to talk to you about what Vermont has to offer in terms of care, housing and services.
Vermont is a rural state and many people who move here from urban environments find the change dramatic and sometimes hard to deal with. That being said, Vermont is a great place to live, with a solid focus on community and healthcare. Vermont has a variety of services for people living with HIV that Vermont CARES can help you access.
For these reasons and many more we encourage you to contact us as a step in planning your move. For new clients wanting to be connected to case management, please contact our executive director at (802)863-2437, ext. 1, who can walk you through this process in a way that’s tailored to your plan.
Here are some preliminary resources and contacts you should have on-hand to help with your transition to Vermont.
Medication/Health Insurance connections:
- Vermont Medication Assistance Program (VMAP) (equivalent to ADAP in other states): formulary is listed here and shows what medications the state can help to pay for for income-eligible Vermont residents: https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/ID_HIV_VMAPformulary42018.pdf
- VMAP application is listed here: https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/ID_HIV_FillableVMAPApplicationAndAttachments2018.docx.pdf
- These formularies and applications are sometimes updated, and we will do our best to update these links as often as needed, but at minimum we are sharing these so you have a sense of how to enroll and what’s covered (and what documentation you’ll need to enroll)
Housing:
- Vermont CARES doesn’t have emergency/short-term/immediately available housing, and we are usually a clearinghouse to specific housing voucher wait lists, such as HOPWA-funded units in Chittenden County or HOPWA-funded vouchers for anywhere else in the state. When you’re closer to your move, and have a permanent address to which mail can go, we can help to enroll you as a client, begin those applications, and get you on those lists. I’d recommend lists for Burlington Housing Authority, Champlain Housing Trust, and the Vermont State Housing Authority. As with VMAP above, those applications also change frequently. Linked here is a sheet that outlines the steps we usually see for these housing processes, and the rough timelines connected to each. You’ll see that it can be a long wait, so knowing what’s needed can really help expedite some of those steps and allow for clear communication!
Case management:
- Similar to housing, we can serve Vermont residents, meaning we won’t do an intake with you until you’ve moved here formally and have an address. At that point, we can connect you to a case manager who can have those preliminary steps lined up and ready for your arrival for a smooth transition. We’re happy to help once you are in-state.
HIV medical care:
- Each region of the state has its own network of HIV care specialists, and we can help you connect to the provider you’re most likely to want to connect to.