Barnstable County Regional Substance
Abuse Council E-Newsletter 
Join Our List
Quick Links

 

In This Issue
Funding Accouncement
Spotlight On: Overdose Prevention
Documentary Screening
MassTAPP Southeast Regional Meeting
National Drug Facts Week
Sandwich Substance Abuse Committee
Research and Reports
Gosnold Family Support Groups
Mutual Support Groups
Follow us on Facebook & Twitter

ISSUE: 019
January 8, 2015

 
Welcome to the e-Newsletter from Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council. This newsletter is designed to provide timely information on substance abuse and other related topics for people living and working in Barnstable County. 
 
This publication will be sent out periodically to our mailing list.  Please forward this newsletter to your friends and colleagues who may be interested in this information.  If you are not on our mailing list, you can join by clicking on the button to the left.

 

If you have information you would like included in future e-newsletters, please follow the submission instructions outlined at the bottom of this page. 
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT

We are pleased to announce that the Barnstable County Department of Human Services on behalf of the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council was awarded a five-year $550,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Services to support an Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative.

 

The grant award will support a Barnstable County Opioid Abuse Collaborative (OAC) and will be structured as a working committee of the SAC with a specific emphasis on planning and implementing opioid prevention strategies. The funding will allow the region to build upon existing collaborations among members of the SAC and enhance, expand, and formalize collaborations between participating municipalities.

 

For more information, please visit the Barnstable County Human Service Department website.

SPOTLIGHT ON: OVERDOSE PREVENTION

An information sheet explaining the Good Samaritan Bill, passed to help reduce overdose deaths by removing barriers to calling 911 for medical assistance.

An article about a new pilot program in Rhode Island that sends certified recovery coaches into emergency rooms to provide information about programs and services.

A research study looking at the effectiveness of distributing nasal Narcan to peers and family members of overdose victims, as well as possible policy and program responses.

Toolkit for communities and local governments to develop policies and practices to help prevent opioid-related overdoses and deaths. Addresses issues for first responders, prescribers, those recovering from opioid overdose, and community members. 

An information sheet on the Opioid Overdose Prevention and Reversal Project.  Local information is available for the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod and Learn to Cope.

DOCUMENTARY SCREENING
What Happened Here: The Untold Story of Addiction on Cape Cod
Wednesday, January 28 - 6:00-8:00PM
Cultural Center of Cape Cod
307 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth

The Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council and the Cape and Islands Suicide Prevention Coalition are sponsoring a screening of the documentary film What Happened Here: The Untold Story of Addiction on Cape Cod.  

This documentary film, by local filmmakers Sam Tarplin and Nate Robertson tell the stories of addicts, families, law enforcement, clinicians, and community leaders who are affected by addiction and recovery on Cape Cod.

 

Hosted by the Cultural Center of Cape Cod and Plain Talk, the film will start at 6:30 followed by a discussion with the filmmakers.  There will be a reception prior to the film at 6:00 PM with light refreshments.

For more information, view the event flyer here.
MASSTAPP SOUTHEAST REGIONAL MEETING
Friday, January 30 - 11:00-1:00
SSTAR Training Center
400 Stanley Street, Fall River

Topic: Scope of Pain
This meeting will feature a 'Scope of Pain' presentation by Ilana Hardesty, Scope of Pain Program Operations Manager for the Barry M. Office of Continuing Medical Education at the Boston University School of Medicine. 

'SCOPE of Pain' training is a series of continuing medical education/continuing nursing education activities designed to help you safely and effectively manage patients with chronic pain, when appropriate, with opioid analgesics. Participants will also have an opportunity to discuss regional planning, share local updates and network with one another. Lunch will be provided. Please specify any special dietary needs at registration.

To register for this event, click here.
NATIONAL DRUG FACTS WEEK
Drugs: Shatter the Myths
National Drug Facts Week (NDFW) is a national health observance for teens to promote local events that use NIDA science to shatter the myths about drugs. This online guide gives you everything you need to plan, promote, and host your NDFW event.

 

During this annual live online chat held between high school students and NIDA scientists, students from around the country ask the questions they most want answers to about drugs and drug abuse, including drug effects, how to help friends or family that are abusing drugs, and what causes addiction. Our expert scientists give them the facts.

 

For more information, including free planning tool kits, visit the National Drug Facts Week website.

SANDWICH SUBSTANCE ABUSE COMMITTEE

A group is being formed in Sandwich in an attempt to combat drug use and explore treatment options as the opiate abuse epidemic continues on Cape Cod.

 

Anyone interested in serving on the Sandwich Substance Abuse Committee should contact the Board of Selectmen. They are looking for seven to nine members.

RESEARCH AND REPORTS


Teen prescription opioid abuse, cigarette, and alcohol use trends down. Learn how the National Institute on Drug Abuse thinks prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts are working.

Learn more about the emerging public health issue of combined-use of alcohol and energy drinks, and the effect it has on drunk driving and other high-risk behaviors.

This study explores which teens are more likely to have parties at home, what factors are associated with the presence of alcohol at parties, and who supplies the alcohol.

A new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that 32 percent of hospital emergency department visits involving benzodiazepines resulted in serious medical outcomes such as hospitalization (or in rare cases death).

E-NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
Did you know that a full archive of the previous editions of this e-Newsletter are available on the Barnstable County Human Services Department website?

View past editions of the Regional Substance Abuse Council e-Newsletter and the Human Services Department e-Newsletter at www.bchumanservices.net and click on "E-Newsletter".
GOSNOLD FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS
The Gosnold Reaching Out program is a resource for family members and loved ones affected by addiction. It assists the family at all stages of addiction through education, intervention, and support. 

Information and Education Forums help family members gain a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of addiction, treatment options, and stages of recovery. An educated and supportive family has a positive impact on treatment outcomes.

To learn more about these groups, view the Weekly Family Support Group flyer.
MUTUAL SUPPORT GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
Learn to Cope  
Learn to Cope is a support group for parents, family members, spouses, and caregivers who have a family member who is addicted to opiates, alcohol, or other drugs.

Learn to Cope offers experienced facilitators, resources, informational material, guest speakers (in long term recovery or professionals in the field), overdose education, and Narcan enrollment at all weekly meetings.  

Weekly meetings are held on Tuesdays 7:00-8:30 PM at the Yarmouth Police Station, One Brad Erickson Way. For more information call (508) 738-5148 or visit their website.

shiny-black-header.gif
Parents Supporting Parents 
Parents Supporting Parents is a group of people who have come together as parents and family members coping and dealing with children/loved one's addiction.

Their mission is to support, strengthen, and educate one another as they share their lives.  Their goal is to help their loved ones find and live in recovery, and for all members to live a healthy lifestyle.

Weekly meetings are held on Monday 6:30-8:30 PM upstairs at the Ballymeade Country Club in East Falmouth. To learn more, view the Parents Supporting Parents Facebook page.
shiny-black-header.gif
Mothers Helping Mothers
Mothers Helping Mothers is a support group for women struggling with the emotional difficulties associated with addiction and recovery during the pregnant and postpartum phases of life.

Free childcare is provided during the meetings by The Children's Study Home.  Anyone planning on attending the meeting and needing childcare is asked to call ahead.  All ages are welcome. 

Weekly meetings are held every
Tuesday 7:30-9:00 PM at the John Wesley Methodist Church in Falmouth at 270 Gifford Street and every Monday 5:30-7:00 PM at the Federated Church in Hyannis at 320 Main Street. 

For more information, contact Deborah at (774) 392-0446 or Danielle at (508) 209-7533
.
shiny-black-header.gif
Alateen
Alateen is a fellowship of young Al-Anon members, usually teenagers, whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking.  
 
There are two regular meetings run by Cape Cod Alateen: 
 
Wednesday - 7:00-8:00 PM in S. Dennis:  Church of the Nazarene, 209 Upper County Rd.
Friday - 7:30 - 8:45 PM in Cataumet: Cataumet Methodist Church, 1091 County Rd. 

For more information, call 508-394-4555 (M-F 10AM - 3PM) or visit their website at www.capeteens.com.
shiny-black-header.gif

Nar-Anon
Nar-Anon Family Groups is a twelve step fellowship that offers a recovery program for those affected by someone's addiction.  The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of addiction in a relative or friend.

Nar-Anon is adapted from Narcotics Anonymous and uses Nar-Anon's Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts.  Weekly meetings are held Friday nights 6:00-7:00 PM at St. David's Episcopal Church in South Yarmouth.  For more information, visit the Nar-Anon website.
MASSACHUSETTS SUBSTANCE ABUSE HELPLINE

For tens of thousands of Massachusetts resident struggling with alcohol and other drug related issues, (800) 327-5050 is an important number.   

 

The Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline provides free and confidential information and referrals for alcohol and other drug abuse problems and related concerns.  The Helpline is committed to linking consumers with comprehensive, accurate, and current information about treatment and prevention services throughout Massachusetts.  

 

Services are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Language interpreters are always available. 

 

For online service and more information, click here.

Join Our List
E-NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS
To submit materials, please contact Samantha Kossow at SAC@barnstablecounty.org and include the following information:
  • Descriptive Title
  • Brief Description of the Content 
  • Relevant attachments, submitted in PDF or text format 
  • Website link if available 
  • Contact information of the person submitting the information the contact person for the event 

logo

Posting of articles submitted for publication in the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council E-Newsletter is at the discretion of the Department.  All articles must be submitted in text format to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  To request this newsletter in alternate formats, please call Kathie Callahan at (508) 375-6628 or TDD at (508) 362-5885.