R-255 Page 1 of 1
2024
No. R-255. House concurrent resolution honoring Robert Bick for his remarkable three decades of leadership at the Howard Center.
(H.C.R.196)
Offered by: Representatives Rachelson of Burlington, Squirrell of Underhill, Austin of
Colchester, Berbeco of Winooski, Bluemle of Burlington, Brumsted of Shelburne, Cina of
Burlington, Dodge of Essex, Dolan of Essex Junction, Donahue of Northfield, Garofano of Essex,
Graning of Jericho, Headrick of Burlington, Houghton of Essex Junction, Hyman of South Burlington, Krasnow of South Burlington, Krowinski of Burlington, Lalley of Shelburne, LaLonde of South Burlington, Logan of Burlington, Minier of South Burlington, Mulvaney-Stanak of
Burlington, Nugent of South Burlington, Ode of Burlington, Stone of Burlington, Taylor of
Colchester, and Waters Evans of Charlotte Offered by: Senators Chittenden, Lyons, Ram Hinsdale, and Wrenner Whereas, over the past three decades, the scope and quality of mental health and substance abuse services in Vermont has moved forward due, in large measure, to the visionary work of Bob Bick, and Whereas, as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, he has innovatively applied his professional training to the treatment of clients, but his role has extended far beyond a typical counselor’s domain, and Whereas, Bob Bick served as the former Executive Director of Champlain Drug and Alcohol Services prior to that agency’s 1994 merger with the Howard Center for Human Services, which formed the current-day Howard Center, and, until 2015, he was the merged organization’s Director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and Whereas, he was responsible for starting Vermont’s first methadone clinic, supporting the creation of the hub and spoke treatment model for opioid use disorder, establishing harm reduction services as a bridge to recovery, and initiating the Street Outreach Program in downtown Burlington, and Whereas, since 2015, Bob Bick has admirably served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Howard Center, transitioning the $130 million organization with 50 programs, 1,600 employees,
and 60 locations in order to improve the delivery of services to 19,000 persons through an improved organizational structure and new and revamped treatment programs, and Whereas, Bob Bick is a pioneering national leader in mental health and substance abuse treatment and is concluding his tenure at the Howard Center, leaving a legacy of outstanding achievements, now therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly honors Robert Bick for his remarkable three decades of leadership at the Howard Center, and be it further Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Bob Bick and the Howard Center.
VT LEG #376050 v.1