Breaking the Addiction Stigma
While cultural awareness around substance and alcohol use disorder have improved in recent years, there is still a substantial amount of stigma surrounding these topics. Despite well-established research identifying addiction as a disease, some still see it as a moral failing instead. The negative attitudes and stereotypes that stem from this belief create barriers to ...
Spectrum Health Systems Unveils Scholarship Program with Assumption University
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment and behavioral health services throughout Massachusetts, announced today its partnership with Assumption University to create a scholarship program for its employees to complete the university’s clinical counseling psychology master’s program. “We continue to see an increased need for both representation and ...
Spectrum Health Systems Awarded Contract with Middlesex Sheriff’s Office
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts and a range of programming for justice-involved individuals throughout the country, has been awarded a new contract by the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) to serve individuals at risk for recidivism. “In addition to our long-standing relationship with the Massachusetts ...
Spectrum Health Systems Announces Changes to 2023 Board of Directors
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a longtime not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts, announced today the appointment of Thomas Turco, former secretary to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, to its board of directors, and Cheryl Gallant, vice president of Human Resources at Coghlin Companies, Inc., as board ...
The White House Hopes to Curb Overdoses by Unveiling New Dashboard
Last month, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy unveiled a new data dashboard in partnership with the National Highway Safety Administration to track non-fatal opioid overdoses. The dashboard uses a map to display Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data collected in each state and U.S. territory. The effort is aligned with President Biden’s ...
A Letter from Our President: Kurt Isaacson Reflects on 2022
2022 was an interesting year in healthcare. With much of the world finding its footing in the ‘new normal,’ providers were hard at work continuing to keep clients and patients safe while deciding which pandemic-era policies and practices were here to stay, and which could be discontinued. This was no easy feat, and the entire ...
Spectrum Health Systems’ Chief Medical Officer Receives Award for Outstanding Contributions to Opioid Treatment
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a longtime not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts, and a range of recidivism reduction programming for justice-involved individuals throughout the country is pleased to announce that the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) has awarded Dr. Jeffrey Baxter, Chief Medical Officer at Spectrum ...
Breaking the Addiction Stigma
While cultural awareness around substance and alcohol use disorder have improved in recent years, there is still a substantial amount of stigma surrounding these topics. Despite well-established research identifying addiction as a disease, some still see it as a moral failing instead. The negative attitudes and stereotypes that stem from this belief create barriers to ...
Spectrum Health Systems Unveils Scholarship Program with Assumption University
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment and behavioral health services throughout Massachusetts, announced today its partnership with Assumption University to create a scholarship program for its employees to complete the university’s clinical counseling psychology master’s program. “We continue to see an increased need for both representation and ...
Spectrum Health Systems Awarded Contract with Middlesex Sheriff’s Office
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts and a range of programming for justice-involved individuals throughout the country, has been awarded a new contract by the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) to serve individuals at risk for recidivism. “In addition to our long-standing relationship with the Massachusetts ...
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 ...
