Group vs. Individual Therapy: Finding the Right Recovery Fit
In your recovery journey, finding the right support system is crucial. Two pillars of that support system are individual and group therapy, each offering unique benefits and challenges. Choosing between them, or even incorporating both, can be intimidating for someone navigating the path to healing. Understanding the Individual Experience Individual therapy provides a dedicated space ...
The Key Role of Addiction Treatment Services in the Justice System
Despite widespread understanding of the disease model of addiction, substance use is still perceived as a criminal act. Every year, 1.16 million Americans are arrested for the sale, manufacture, or possession of illicit substances. Incarceration is a common punishment for drug-related crimes, with the National Institutes of Health estimating that 65% of the U.S. prison ...
A Letter from Our President: Kurt Isaacson Reflects on 2023
2023 was a year of remarkable progress and achievements at Spectrum Health Systems. We took numerous strides toward our goal of making treatment more accessible for the most vulnerable populations while continuing to look for ways to retain and recruit staff that make it all possible. One of Spectrum’s proudest achievements came in February when ...
Recognizing the Members of Spectrum’s 2023 President’s Club
Since Spectrum Health Systems was founded in 1969—known then as Challenge House—we have been intently focused on offering the highest quality services to individuals seeking treatment for substance use and mental health disorders. Spectrum’s goal is to assist its clients in establishing and sustaining recovery, giving them the tools needed to lead healthy, productive, and ...
Spreading Crucial Awareness About the Dangers of Fentanyl
In recent years, fentanyl has become the predominant adversary in the opioid epidemic. Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues can be deadly in very small doses because of their powerful effects. The chemical composition of fentanyl also makes it much easier to traffic than other drugs, allowing it to saturate the illicit drug market across the country. ...
Spectrum Health Systems Issues Scholarships to Eight Employees Pursuing Nursing Degrees
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment and behavioral health services throughout Massachusetts, announced today that it has awarded scholarships to eight employees pursuing licensed practical nurse (LPN) degrees to help further their careers and the delivery of care within the behavioral health field. “As we continue to ...
Observing National Minority Health Month
Addressing health equity is crucial to the advancement of health services. No person should ever face higher health risks because of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other attribute of their identity. Yet, disparities like these have long been observed in the health outcomes of minority groups, including rates of substance use disorder ...
Group vs. Individual Therapy: Finding the Right Recovery Fit
In your recovery journey, finding the right support system is crucial. Two pillars of that support system are individual and group therapy, each offering unique benefits and challenges. Choosing between them, or even incorporating both, can be intimidating for someone navigating the path to healing. Understanding the Individual Experience Individual therapy provides a dedicated space ...
The Key Role of Addiction Treatment Services in the Justice System
Despite widespread understanding of the disease model of addiction, substance use is still perceived as a criminal act. Every year, 1.16 million Americans are arrested for the sale, manufacture, or possession of illicit substances. Incarceration is a common punishment for drug-related crimes, with the National Institutes of Health estimating that 65% of the U.S. prison ...
A Letter from Our President: Kurt Isaacson Reflects on 2023
2023 was a year of remarkable progress and achievements at Spectrum Health Systems. We took numerous strides toward our goal of making treatment more accessible for the most vulnerable populations while continuing to look for ways to retain and recruit staff that make it all possible. One of Spectrum’s proudest achievements came in February when ...
Study Reveals Grim Toll of Alcohol & Drug Related Deaths During Pandemic
Across the nation, April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and a recent study drives home the importance of raising awareness of the tolls of alcohol and substance misuse now more than ever. A Tragic Increase New research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concludes ...
Get to Know Earl Warren, Vice President of Correctional Services
Earl Warren has been instrumental in the growth and expansion of our Corrections Division, almost from its inception. With over 24 years in the field, he brings invaluable expertise to his new role as Vice President of Correctional Services. Warren now provides executive oversight, including program design and development, for all correctional treatment programs in ...
Spectrum Health Systems Awarded Virginia Department of Corrections Contract
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts and recidivism reduction programming for justice-involved individuals throughout the country, has been awarded a new contract from the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) to provide a range of substance use disorder treatment programs at eight VADOC facilities. “We are ...
Get to Know Christopher Petrozzi, Chief Organizational Development Officer
With more than three decades of professional success in the progressive treatment and criminal justice fields, Chris Petrozzi astutely recognizes both the challenges and the rewards he will face following his recent promotion to Spectrum Health Systems’ Chief Organizational Development Officer. “The behavioral health field is highly dynamic from an accountability, regulatory, technological, and performance ...
Life After Addiction Isn’t Just Possible, It’s The Norm
Substance use disorder is a hard struggle, and the road to recovery can be long. But research confirms that it is far from a permanent affliction. A pair of recent studies on life after addiction, one published by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the other by ...
Leadership Series: Meet our Senior Staff Members
We have been fortunate to enjoy significant growth over the past several years, and as a result, we are pleased to highlight well-deserved promotions for eight members of our leadership team who have played key roles in that success. For two years, a global pandemic has wreaked havoc on America’s healthcare delivery systems, including behavioral ...

