March 15, 2024: Issue 6
Offering hope and help to those impacted by opioid misuse in
Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region.
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If you would like copies of any of the palm cards, posters, and/or flyers seen below please contact Karen Carmona at karen@opioidtaskforce.org
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Billboards, Buses,and Shelter Signage | |
"Screenings Raise Awareness of Gambling Addiction" ~ Greenfield Recorder (3/13/2024) |
"With the legalization of sports betting putting Massachusetts residents at an increased risk of problem gambling, Pioneer Valley volunteers did their part on Tuesday to help detect problem gambling habits and connect residents with the resources they need.
Volunteers with The RECOVER Project, an addiction treatment center, visited the Greenfield Public Library on Tuesday afternoon to screen visitors for gambling addiction in recognition of Gambling Disorder Screening Day. Established in 2014, Gambling Disorder Screening Day takes place in the second week of March each year, and is used to detect problem gambling, and possibly intervene.
Those who were screened walked out of the library with a $5 Dunkin’ gift card, courtesy of the state Department of Public Health, which funded screening events among peer recovery centers within the Western Massachusetts Training Consortium.
Participants were invited to fill out surveys with questions about their gambling habits and were provided resources to seek help for gambling addiction. Although The RECOVER Project on Federal Street typically specializes in substance abuse recovery, Program Director Abbi Cushing said the program ultimately aims to combat addiction, regardless of its form. “Typically, we do support people with substance use recovery, however, that’s a symptom of the disease of addiction, and it can manifest in many forms, and gambling is one of those forms that really can affect people’s lives adversely,” Cushing said. “The RECOVER Project is here to support
anyone that needs support so they come in, and we can make referrals to different organizations that can support the different types of addiction that they might be experiencing, gambling being one of them.”
Sarah Rashad, who works for The RECOVER Project, said the Greenfield event saw a “terrific turnout” with 42 survey respondents, some of whom expressed interest in seeking The RECOVER Project’s resources.
According to a study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2018, approximately 2 million adults in the U.S., or 1% of the population, had a gambling problem. In Massachusetts, UMass reported, more than 139,600 people, or 2% of the state’s population, had a gambling problem.
Northampton Recovery Center, a peer-driven addiction treatment nonprofit, served as the lead organizer for the regional screening day. According to Outreach Coordinator Trevor Dayton, the legalization of sports betting during the summer of 2022 made gambling much more accessible for Massachusetts residents, putting the population at an increased risk of problem gambling.
“Sports betting is now endemic across the country,” Dayton said. “Pretty much everywhere you look, it’s being offered up and made extremely accessible. In a matter of 10 minutes, you can have an app on your phone and be actively gambling.”
Like most addictive activities, Dayton said, the act of gambling is not the sole indicator of gambling addiction. Continuing to gamble at the expense of other aspects of one’s life and neglecting to stop, Dayton said, is a common indicator of problem gambling. The negative consequences of gambling addiction, Dayton added, can even manifest physically, as the practice often goes hand-in-hand with physically harmful activities such as smoking, excessive caffeine consumption and drinking.
The screening process for gambling addiction, Dayton said, consists of only three basic questions. Those who are screened are asked if they have, in the past 12 months, become irritable, restless, or anxious while trying to quit or cut down on gambling, if they have tried to hide the amount they gambled from their friends or family, and if gambling has caused them such significant financial losses that they had to seek help from friends, family or social welfare agencies.
In Northampton, Health and Human Services Commissioner Merridith O’Leary said her department is dedicated to addressing addiction in its many forms. Gambling addiction screenings were also offered at Forbes Library on Tuesday after noon. “While gambling disorder may not be the most prevalent, it is part of our larger mission for Northampton residents to reach their fullest potential of wellness. Early detection and community awareness are key to our public health efforts,” O’Leary wrote in a statement for Gambling Disorder Screening Day.
Dayton, of the Northampton Recovery Center, encouraged those who did not attend Tuesday ’s screening events to evaluate their gambling habits and seek help if needed. “Answering ‘yes’ to any one of those questions d o e s n’t indicate that you have a problem with gambling,” he noted. “It just suggests that you might want to consider your behavior in light of the consequences and possibly seek support in recovery.”
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"Shelter Leaders Ponder Bill's Impacts" ~Greenfield Recorder (3/13/2024) |
" Less than a week after the House voted to pass a spending bill allocating $245 million to the state’s emergency shelters and impose a stay limit, Greenfield shelter operators are unsure how the legislation could impact their residents.
The House voted 121-33 to approve the spending bill, which, if passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, would establish a nine-month stay limit for most emergency shelter residents — a drop from the current average stay time of 13 to 14 months. However, the bill allows 12 continuous months of shelter for pregnant women, people with certain disabilities, veterans and people at imminent risk of domestic violence.
Greenfield has two emergency shelters — one at the Days Inn on Colrain Road, which houses 45 families, and another at the Greenfield Family Inn on Federal Street, which houses 16 families. Both sites are operated by ServiceNet, a nonprofit human services agency that provides for those facing homelessness, mental illness, developmental disability and substance
abuse.
The Days Inn shelter opened last summer, after Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency following a roughly 80% increase in migrant families seeking shelter in Massachusetts. Marisa Perez, who is overseeing the emergency shelter at the hotel, previously said that the majority of the families living at the Days Inn are Haitian refugees. Others were stationed for a few years in other countries, including Chile and Mexico, before finding their way to the United States. Still other families immigrated from Colombia, Jamaica and Africa, and some are Massachusetts residents.
According to ServiceNet Vice President of Community Relations Amy Timmins, the emergency shelter has not been around long enough to infer whether the bill’s ninemonth stay limit would negatively impact its residents.
Still, Timmins said the city’s shelter system would benefit greatly from state-subsidized affordable housing.
“We’re simply waiting to see what the impact of this bill might be if it’s passed,” Timmins said. “We look forward to learning more about strategies the state may have for affordable housing, because that’s the challenge on the other end — finding affordable homes for people to move into when they leave the shelter.”
The bill also permits shelters to extend stays by three months for residents who are employed or enrolled in a job training program and allows the Healey administration to create a re-application process for residents after they have exceeded the limits of their stays.
A change the House embraced during debate sets parameters on how families could lose access to shelter. The amendment, filed by Second Assistant Majority Leader Frank Moran, would require each resident to receive at least 90 days notice before termination of their benefits and bars the state from pushing more than 150 families out of the program per week.
Timmins said that while the needs of emergency shelter residents vary from family to family, ServiceNet aims to helps them to obtain the skills and credentials so they can move out of shelter housing.
“The needs are so varied, it’s not a one-size-fits-all in this. Sometimes people need to get into a particular job training program, but other times they may need to be enrolled in language classes. Other times, it may be finding child care. There can be any number of different supports that residents need to really get to work and get into permanent housing,” Timmins said. “The focus of our work from the start, when people first come in, is to help families secure the support and the documents and the resources that they need to move out of shelter. … That may mean getting a driver’s license or ID or a Social Security number card.”
Massachusetts — the only state in the country that guarantees emergency shelter services to some families and pregnant women — hit a record number of families in the shelter system months ago. The spike prompted Healey to impose a capacity limit of 7,500 families in the fall, leaving 783 eligible families on a wait list as of last week.
If the Senate and Healey agree with the House’s proposed $245 million, the year-to-date total appropriation for emergency family shelters would rise to $820 million, more than four times as much as the state made available for the system in fiscal year 2021. In the Senate, top Democrats have yet to give a clear indication of whether they support limiting how long families can stay in the shelters.
ServiceNet currently receives funding from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. Timmins said she does not know how the $245 million in funding will affect the city’s shelters if passed, but she plans to “keep on keeping on” with the city’s regular shelter services.
Staff File Photo/Paul Franz)
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UPCOMING OTF COMMITTEE & WORKGROUP MEETINGS | |
Virtual: Emergency Services for Unhoused Individuals Task Force
March 18, 2024
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Zoom details here.
Hybrid: Public Safety & Justice Committee
April 1, 2024
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Franklin County Reentry Center
106 Main Street, Greenfield
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Harm Reduction Workgroup
April 3, 2024
11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Zoom details here.
Hybrid: Treatment & Recovery Committee
April 5, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: To Be Announced
Zoom details here.
Hybrid: Sexual Exploitation & Trafficking Workgroup
April 8, 2024
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Franklin County Reentry Center
106 Main Street, Greenfield
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Education & Prevention Committee
April 9, 2024
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Zoom details here.
Virtual: CAM Workgroup
April 9, 2024
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Methadone Workgroup
April 11, 2024
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Housing & Workforce Development Committee
April 12, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Healthcare Solutions Committee
May 10, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:30 Noon
Zoom details here.
Consult our website or Facebook Page for updates. Please email us with any questions!
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FEATURED EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | |
CONNECT: Post-Opioid Overdose Outreach Services | |
Updated Emergency Resources for
Unhoused Individuals
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Time Sensitive Announcements | |
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March 18 - 24, 2024
"Participate in National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) and help share facts about drugs, alcohol, and addiction in your community. NDAFW is an annual health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. NDAFW provides an opportunity to bring together scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners to help advance the science and address youth drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. Sign up for NDAFW email updates below, and find lots of great resources for planning and promoting your very own NDAFW event.
Register now
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24th Annual Peacemaker Nominations | |
February 1 - March 28 Thursdays Bilingual Music & Movement | |
March 15 Kidleidoscope Story Hour Collaboration | |
March 15 Rec the Night Building Big | |
March 15 Pi Day Pie Social! | |
March 15 - 16 Rossum's Universal Robots | |
March 16 Greenfield Winter Farmers Market | |
March 16 Dancing With Joy & Sorrow | |
March 16 Stone Soup Cafe Menu | |
March 16 St. Paddy's Day 5K | |
March 16 StoryCraft at Wendell Free Library | |
March 17 Getting Started with Native Plants | |
March 18 Stuffie Sleepover | |
March 18 Positive Solutions for Families | |
March 18 Financial Literacy Workshop
(8 Week Course on Mondays)
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March 18 - June 13 Free Training in Carpentry | |
March 19 De-Escalation Workshop | |
March 19 Visit With Judge Laurie Macleod | |
March 19 What's Wrong with My Houseplant? at New Salem Public Library Community Room | |
March 19 & 20 Massachusetts Municipal Opioid Abatement Virtual Conference | |
March 19 & 21 Franklin County Police Cadet Program | |
March 21 Heart Health Screenings | |
March 21 Family Game Night | |
March 22 Drop In and Draw! | |
March 22 Rooted in Resilience | |
March 23 MPL Artists' Reception | |
March 23 PV Habitat for Humanity Information Session | |
March 25 Registration Deadline: Greenfield YMCA Lifeguard Classes | |
March 26 Origami Earring Making with Jenna | |
March 27 - June 20 Weekly Wednesday Nurturing Father's Program | |
March 28 Virtual Overdose Prevention & Narcan Training
Register Here
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March 28 Montague Center Library Book Club | |
March 30 Erving Recreation's Annual Egg Hunt | |
March 30 Sun on the Muddy Poems & Photographs | |
April 1 - June 22 Free English Class for Immigrants and Refugees | |
April 2 Greenfield Public Library Presents Jarrett Krosoczka | |
April 2 Wednesdays for 8 Weeks: A Girl's Group - My Life My Choice Exploitation Prevention | |
April 3 - May 29 Wednesdays Functional Training Fitness Class for Adults | |
April 4 FCSO Spaghetti Dinner | |
April 5 Flag Raising Ceremony in Recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month | |
April 5 I See You: Stories From Wetlands and Woods | |
April 5 YA Art Journaling Series! | |
April 5-6 Indoor Mini Golf | |
April 6 - May 25 *Saturdays* Postpartum Therapeutic Support Group | |
April 8 The Great North American Solar Eclipse Collaboration | |
April 9 Healthy Relationships Workshop | |
April 12 Economic Forecast | |
April 16 Musical Story Time with Julie Stepanek | |
April 16-18 Porter Family Farm April Vacation 2024 | |
April 17 Queen Elizabeth II - "Her Majesty" | |
April 20 Exploring Vernal Pools | |
April 26 Dress for Success | |
May 18 Heart of Leyden Running Fest | |
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MONTHLY/WORKSHOP CALENDERS AND WEEKLY STANDING MEETINGS/EVENTS | |
Improving Housing to Improve Health News | |
Re-Entry Foundational Manufacturing Program | |
March Community Action Family Center Calendar | |
March Franklin County Reentry Center Calendar | |
March Programs - Great Falls Discovery Center | |
March Children's Programs at Greenfield Public Library | |
March Montague Public Library Programs | |
March Events at the Sunderland Public Library | |
March LifePath Healthy Living 2024 Winter Workshops | |
March Union 28 Community Network for Children Program Calendar | |
2024 Seeds of Solidarity Calendar of Events | |
SNAP Application Assistance | |
Always Open! Community Labyrinth in Greenfield | |
RECOVER Project Groups At a Glance | |
Weekdays All Recovery Meeting at
The RECOVER Project
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Monday/Wednesday/Friday
The Community Closet at The Franklin County Reentry Center
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Monday - Friday
Movement Group with North Quabbin Recovery Center Peer Leaders
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Mondays North Quabbin Patch Parents' Council | |
Mondays Art Guild Meetings | |
Mondays Advanced Manufacturing Info Sessions | |
Monday Drug Court Alumni Group - North Quabbin | |
Second Mondays of the Month - North Quabbin B.R.A.V.E. Task Force Meetings | |
Mondays Alternatives to Suicide Group | |
2nd Mondays
Greenfield Healing Clinic
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2nd and 4th Mondays
Parenting Together at the Brick House
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Mondays and Wednesdays
Restless, Irritable, and Discontent: Your Brain in Recovery
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Tuesdays
Peer-Led Grief and Loss Circle
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First Tuesday - Dads' Group at Valuing Our Children | |
Tuesday Tea Time & Community Resource Drop-In | |
Tuesdays North Quabbin Recovery Center Coffee Hour | |
Tuesdays Greenfield Suicide Loss Group | |
First Tuesday - P.A.R.T. Task Force | |
Tuesdays Drop-In Knitting & Sewing Sessions | |
2nd Tuesdays New Member Orientation at the RECOVER Project | |
Tuesday Men's Anger Management Group
Wednesday Women's Anger Management Group
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Wednesdays - Wendell Library Playgroup with Sylvia | |
Wednesdays - Playgroup at the Leverett Library with Gillian | |
Wednesdays - Housing Navigator Sessions at the Franklin County Reentry Center | |
Wednesdays HEROES Study Hub at GCC | |
Wednesdays Men's Support Group:
Keep Moving Forward
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Last Wednesday of the Month Office Hours With An Att | |
First & Third Thursdays Parent Support Group | |
Thursdays Recovery Support Group Meetings at the Franklin County Reentry Center | |
Thursdays Coffee Hour at the Brick House | |
Thursdays Beyond Trauma Group in Spanish | |
Second Thursdays Every Month, Peer Grief Support | |
First Friday of Every Month: Open Mic at the RP | |
Every First & Third Friday - Grandparents & Kinship Support Group | |
Every Second Friday Chosen Family Night | |
Every Third Friday: Karaoke at The RECOVER Project | |
Last Friday of the Month: Gardening in Recovery | |
Homeshare Program with LifePath | |
Act Now to Stay Covered with MassHealth | |
DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps Opportunity at
Montague Catholic Social Ministries
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CHCFC OBAT Same Day & Tele-Health Appointment Information | |
Free Meals and Essentials
Saints James and Andrews Parish Hall
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Come Cook with Franklin County
Community Meals Program
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CONNECTIONS -
A Residential Program of Behavioral Health Network
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Orange Food Pantry Seeking Non-Food Donations | |
When people think of donating to our agency and food pantry, they often think of food- however, that's easier for us to obtain with local partnerships with farms and retailers. What we struggle to keep stocked are hygienic & household products, such as:
- Adult pull-ups size Medium, Large, & XL
- Menstrual products
- Bath products- bath wash or bar soap, shampoo, conditioner
- Deodorant
- Floss
- Mouthwash
- Toothpaste (we have plenty of toothbrushes currently!)
- Paper Towels
- Toilet Paper
- Laundry Detergent
- Dish Soap
- Household cleaners- Windex, multi-surface, floor cleaner, etc.
Dozen-sized egg cartons for repackaging the hundreds of eggs we receive weekly from retailers are also needed.
Please share this list amongst your networks! Donations can be dropped off at 324 Wells Street (the Franklin County Community Distribution Center) at our office, or if donating a large amount, drop-off can be coordinated via donate@fccmp.org. (Image credit: Pixabay)
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Family Self-Sufficiency Program Available | |
Eviction Self-Help Booklets Available in Multiple Languages | |
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MLRI has recently updated and translated some of our self-help booklets for unrepresented tenants facing eviction. While we still recommend tenants facing eviction seek legal help, we know resources are limited and many tenants have to represent themselves. We hope these booklets can be helpful to pro se tenants and their advocates.
You can see the full list of booklets below, or at MassLegalHelp. The booklets can help tenants prepare for court, outline their legal claims, and file court forms. There is also a booklet to help public housing tenants navigate the Grievance process.
Please reach out if you have any questions about the booklets and how they can be used.
What steps to take before going to court and what to bring to court.
An easy-to-use checklist that tells you what conditions violate the State Sanitary Code. You can also use the free self-help guided interview, MADE: Up To Code.
The Answer is a court form that tenants facing evictions can file with the court to outline your legal claims and tell the court your side of the story. You can also use Greater Boston Legal Services’ free self-help guided interview, MADE.
How to ask the court to accept your Answer and Discovery forms late. You can also use Greater Boston Legal Services’ free self-help guided interview, MADE.
A form with instructions for tenants facing eviction to get information to prepare for their trial.
A form with instructions for tenants in foreclosed properties to get information to prepare their case.
A form you can file to transfer your eviction case from a District Court to a Housing Court.
How to get a new court date if you missed your court date.
If you lost your eviction trial and think you have a good case, you may appeal. This document tells you which Appeal form to use.
How to file an appeal from a case in Housing Court.
How to file an appeal from a case in District Court.
How to get time to stay in your home if you lost your case.
How to ask the court to pay for court costs.
How to think through the terms you want in an agreement. Includes a worksheet and stipulation forms to use when you go to court. Read this booklet as webpages and watch the videos!
How to correct errors on your online court records. The Booklet includes the court form you can save to your computer, fill out, save again and print when ready.
A booklet for tenants in Mass. about the grievance process, including worksheets to help you prepare for a grievance hearing.
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Update! Greenfield CSC New Hybrid Operations Change |
The Greenfield Court Service Center is located at 43 Hope St., 1st Floor, Greenfield, MA.
They offer in-person services on Tuesdays & Thursdays, ONLY, from 8:30 am-1 pm, and 2 pm-4 pm. Remote services (email, phone, Zoom) are available on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.
For an intake, contact the Virtual Court Service Center, Mon. thru Fri. 9 am-12 pm by telephone: 1-646-828-7666, press #, #, then enter meeting ID: 161 526 1140 or by video: www.zoomgov.com/j/1615261140.
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COMMUNITY JOB OPPORTUNITIES | |
Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region www.opioidtaskforce.org
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