About Us

Mission and History

Our Mission
Our mission is to provide a wide range of innovative and effective programs that empower and enrich the lives of youth and families in Washington County, and to provide leadership and support to other youth programs throughout Vermont

History & Achievements
The Bureau has been helping area youth and families thrive for over thirty years. We began in 1974 with a staff of 12 who operated several teen centers and provided substance abuse counseling to teens. Today, our staff of 37 adults and 4 teens provide youth and family counseling, crisis intervention, support services, and out-of-school time programs to nearly 4,000 Washington County residents each year.

The Bureau is a recognized leader in the youth and family services field. As the coordinating agency for four statewide youth service coalitions, we provide youth service agencies throughout Vermont with funding, information, and staffing that assists runaway programs, teen centers, and after-school programs. Thousands of additional young people benefit in this way. The Bureau is also a State of Vermont approved alcohol and drug abuse treatment program for youth.

The national Center for Substance Abuse Programs (CSAP) has sponsored seven drug and alcohol prevention demonstration projects developed by the Bureau. Two of these programs, Early Drug Abuse Prevention (EDAP) and The Highgate Project, received the CSAP National Exemplary Program Award in 1989 and 1997.