Anger management in Burlington: start with Cherry Street
If a judge, a probation officer or a family member has raised the subject of anger management, much of what follows for a Burlington resident happens within a few downtown blocks. Cherry Street holds both the Superior Court divisions that hear criminal and family matters for Chittenden County and the state office that supervises people on probation. That short stretch of road is a useful way to picture the local landscape before you pick a class.
This directory lists independent anger management providers who see people from Burlington, Winooski, South Burlington and the surrounding towns. We do not run classes, and we do not review providers' credentials or decide who is a good fit. A listing is a starting point for your own questions.
The courthouse divisions
The Vermont Judiciary's page for the Chittenden Criminal Division, cited below, places it at 32 Cherry St., Suite 300. The Chittenden Family Division is in the same building, one floor down in Suite 200, according to its own page. Both list weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., apart from observed holidays, and the criminal division closes for staff training from noon to 4:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. If you need to drop off paperwork or pick up a copy of an order, plan around that afternoon.
A referral to an anger management class can come out of either division. In a criminal case it might be a condition attached to a plea or sentence. In a family matter it might come up while a judge is looking at a household's arrangements. Either way, the wording of the order or conditions is what matters. Read it closely, keep a copy, and bring that copy when you first contact a provider.
Probation and parole, a short walk away
The Vermont Department of Corrections lists Burlington Probation and Parole at 50 Cherry Street, phone (802) 863-7350. The department describes its probation and parole offices as community-based field offices, twelve of them around the state. If you are under supervision, the officer assigned to you at that office is the person to ask before you enroll anywhere. Only the court or your probation officer decides whether a particular program fits a court order or a condition of supervision. A provider can describe what its class covers, but that decision is not the provider's to make.
If you don't have a lawyer
The Judiciary's Access and Resource Center offers free help for people without an attorney: information about how state court processes run and help with state court forms. In-person support is at the Costello Courthouse in Burlington by appointment, and staff answer calls and emails on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. That is the place to ask about paperwork or deadlines. Staff there explain processes; they do not act as anyone's lawyer.
What to compare between classes
Classes near Burlington vary more than people expect. Some meet in a group once a week for a set number of sessions. Others are one-on-one with a counselor. A growing share run partly or wholly by video, which can help if you work early shifts at the hospital, at the university, or on a job site out toward Williston. Before you sign up, ask:
- How many sessions are there, how long is each one, and how often do they meet?
- Is the class in a group or individual, in person or online?
- What does the provider give you at the end: a letter, a certificate of attendance, a session log?
- Will the provider send attendance updates to your probation officer if you ask, and in what form?
- What happens if you miss a week because of work or weather?
- What does the full course cost, and are there any separate fees for paperwork?
Write the answers down and show them to your probation officer or attorney before you pay. If the answers don't line up with what your order says, ask for a different format or a different provider.
Getting there
Downtown parking near Cherry Street fills quickly on weekdays, and the courthouse and probation office are both close to the Church Street pedestrian area. Many people from outlying towns come in by bus or carpool. If a class meets in South Burlington, Essex or Colchester, check whether the meeting time leaves you enough room to make an appointment downtown on the same day. Winter driving on I-89 and Route 7 can stretch a short trip, so leave a margin.
Voluntary classes
Not everyone looking for anger management in Burlington has a case open. Some people simply want to handle conflict at home or work differently. If that is you, the same questions above still help, and you can choose the format that suits your schedule without waiting on anyone's sign-off.