The Importance of World Mental Health Day for the Addiction Community
It’s been a tough time for many people – the COVID-19 pandemic has continued well into 2021 and the world is grappling with a constantly changing “normal life” as we head into a new season and new year. As a disease that thrives on inconsistency, drug and alcohol addiction has had its moments – with ...
From In and Out of Prison to Peer Recovery: Jose’s Story
In honor of National Recovery Month, we sat down with Jose, a former member of our Everyday Miracles Peer Recovery Center in Worcester, MA, to hear about his recovery story. Jose’s addiction first began when he was living on Main Street in Worcester, MA – an area challenged by widespread drug use. At age nineteen, ...
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc. Wins Two Contracts with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a comprehensive continuum of evidence-based addiction treatment, announced it was recently re-awarded two contracts by the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services. Spectrum was the incumbent provider for both solicitations.
Suicide Prevention Month: 3 Tips for Helping Loved Ones
Mental illness is one of our nation’s greatest public health issues, with suicide being the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Suicide, addiction, and depression are often intertwined as co-occurring disorders. It’s a vicious cycle that is hard to escape. Individuals struggling with ...
International Overdose Awareness Day – Where it Began and Its Impact Today
According to the CDC, the first-known wave of opioid overdoses began with the rise of opioid prescriptions in the 1990s. At the time, many pharmaceutical companies and prescribers did not have enough research about the potency and addictive nature of these medications. As methadone and semi-synthetic opioid usage began to increase in 1999 and into ...
The Hub & Spoke Model: A Client’s Perspective on Rapid-Access Addiction Treatment
Like many people who begin misusing substances, Roslyn didn’t immediately see that she was developing an addiction. She started using opioids here and there, would try to stay clean for a while, and then start using again. It was a pattern that continued to get worse and worse, until a series of personal tragedies forced ...
3 Reasons People Avoid Seeking Addiction Treatment
Addiction may go untreated for a variety of reasons. Individuals may be reluctant to seek treatment because of the associated stigma, the potential costs, or they may live in an area where treatment is not easily accessible. Here, we take a closer look at these barriers to drug and alcohol treatment and provide some answers ...
Employee Spotlight: Meet Karen Hewitt, Regional Program Director for Spectrum’s Millbury and Milford Outpatient Treatment Centers
We’re excited to shine the spotlight on another one of our outstanding employees: Karen Hewitt! Karen is the Regional Program Director for Spectrum’s Millbury and Milford Outpatient Treatment Centers, where she is responsible for the clinical, financial and environmental operations of both programs as well as overseeing the outpatient intake departments. Karen wears a variety ...
Client Story: From Addiction to Recovery to Mentorship
Over 21 million Americans struggle with addiction, but only ten percent of them seek help. Despite drug and alcohol addiction costing the U.S. economy over $600 billion each year, there are many barriers to treatment including transportation issues, work and family responsibilities, lack of insurance, and more. The most significant, however, is the limited number ...
A Family Disease | 3 Tips for Loved Ones of People Struggling with Addiction
The impact of addiction spreads far beyond the person struggling with it. Too often, those closest to the person suffering are also going through their own struggle as a result, which is why we call addiction a family disease. If you have a loved one currently in early recovery or active addiction, you may be ...
