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 ...
Twelve-Step and Non-Twelve-Step Meetings: Which is Right for You?
Twelve-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are some of the most popular formats of addiction recovery meetings. These programs are based on a broad concept of spirituality and encourage members to work through a series of steps to solidify their recovery. While many people have found long-term recovery through twelve-step programs, ...
Alcoholism Awareness Month: The Prevalent Dangers of Alcohol Misuse
Though alcohol consumption is considered more socially acceptable than the use of narcotics like cocaine or heroin, drinking is far from harmless. Alcohol can pose detrimental health and safety risks. According to the CDC, excessive drinking is the cause for more than 140,000 deaths each year in the United States. In acknowledgement of April being ...
Spectrum Health Systems Grants $137,000 to Thirteen Local Massachusetts Organizations
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment and behavioral health services throughout Massachusetts, announced today it has issued $137,000 in grants to local organizations that work to support those in recovery. Spectrum established its Community Impact Committee in 2022, comprised of nine members, to provide financial relief to ...
Get to Know Kristin Nolan, Chief Behavioral Health Officer
Having started as a clinician in 2000, Kristin Nolan has deep roots with Spectrum Health Systems. Early on, she found the clinical work rewarding, but over time she began to feel like she could have a broader impact in the addiction treatment field by focusing her efforts on the operations side of things. Now serving ...
The Shifting Landscape of Telehealth Addiction Treatment
As the United States government searches for leverage in the battle against the opioid epidemic, several recent developments have altered the way medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), such as buprenorphine, can be prescribed. While some of these changes have increased accessibility to buprenorphine, others threaten to hinder access. With opioid overdoses continuing at a ...
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 ...
Twelve-Step and Non-Twelve-Step Meetings: Which is Right for You?
Twelve-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are some of the most popular formats of addiction recovery meetings. These programs are based on a broad concept of spirituality and encourage members to work through a series of steps to solidify their recovery. While many people have found long-term recovery through twelve-step programs, ...
Spectrum Health Systems Welcomes Back Amy George as Executive Director of Community Relations
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a longtime not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts, is pleased to welcome back Amy George as the new Executive Director of Community Relations for its subsidiary, the New England Recovery Center (NERC).
Reflection: A Look Back on An Impactful Year
Whether you’re in recovery, treatment, or active addiction – this past year likely posed some extra challenges. We saw many changes in 2021, from telehealth services to vaccine mandates and everything in between, and sometimes it felt impossible to keep up. Join us as we reflect on all the great things that did come out ...
Lucemyra for Opioid Withdrawal: A Doctor’s Perspective
When thinking about the difficult symptoms of opioid withdrawal and hearing the news of the FDA approving Lucemyra, a non-opioid prescription medicine to help reduce them, many people who struggle with addiction may be intrigued. It has even been made available in Walgreens across the nation (with a valid prescription), making it uniquely accessible. But ...
Our Latest Treatment Center Opens in Framingham
Substance use disorders pose a challenge to many around the United States, and treatment isn’t always as accessible as it should be. For those struggling with addiction, same-day care can be essential to beginning on the road to recovery. Providing immediate care ensures that individuals feel encouraged and supported when they are ready to take ...
Spectrum Health Systems Announces Opening of Rapid Access Treatment in Framingham, Mass.
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a comprehensive continuum of CARF-accredited substance use disorder treatment, was recently awarded a new contract with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to provide rapid access treatment at its outpatient treatment center located at 68 Franklin Street in Framingham, Mass.
Spectrum Health Systems Receives 7th Consecutive CARF Accreditation
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts and beyond, has been awarded a three-year accreditation from CARF International for treating inmates with substance use disorders within prison and probation settings throughout the state of Georgia.

