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

 
Behavioral Health Portal and Service Directory
 

 
MA Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
 

Mass 211
In This Issue
News from the Trial Court
Poster Contest
Naloxone Training
Substance Abuse Prevention Forum
Forum: Opioid Crisis
Lower Cape Prevention Partnership
From CAPT
From SAMHSA
Headlines
News from MassTAPP
Follow us on Facebook & Twitter
ISSUE: 040
             February 24, 2016

 
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. 
NEWS FROM THE TRIAL COURT
Massachusetts Trial Court Awarded Federal Grants to Drug Courts in Barnstable and Bristol Counties

BOSTON, MA - The Massachusetts Trial Court  announced that it has been awarded two federal grants totaling $1.375 million to expand services offered to court-involved juveniles in the Bristol County Juvenile Drug Court and to Cape Cod adults participating in the Barnstable Drug Court.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded a $975,000 three-year grant to the Barnstable Drug Court. The Barnstable Drug Court opened in January 2002, and now serves approximately 50 to 55 court-involved adults per year on Cape Cod.

 "This funding comes at a pivotal time in our fight against the opioid epidemic, which has hit the Commonwealth with particular force," said Trial Court Chief Justice Paula M. Carey. "These grants will help the Trial Court substantially increase its ability to respond to the growing treatment needs in Bristol County and on Cape Cod. Adolescents and adults in these communities often face significant challenges in obtaining support services. The grants will strengthen the links we're building between the courts and local treatment service providers."

The SAMHSA grant will enable the Barnstable Drug Court to provide substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment services to 90 drug court participants. The grant will also provide "Mission Criminal Justice" services, a well-established support model of evidence-based practices that have been shown to reduce relapse and recidivism by increasing access to services; such as medication assisted treatment, mental health and trauma-informed therapy, employment opportunities, and housing through intensive case management and peer-support.

Specialty courts are problem-solving court sessions that provide court-supervised probation and mandated treatment focused on treating the mental health or substance abuse issues underlying criminal behavior. Massachusetts has four types of specialty court sessions: drug courts, mental health courts, veterans' treatment courts, and a homeless court. There are 34 specialty courts in Massachusetts, including 22 adult drug courts, six mental health courts, three veterans' treatment courts and three juvenile drug courts. The Trial Court aims to increase the number of specialty courts to 50 by the end of Fiscal Year 2017 in order to serve all areas of the state.
POSTER CONTEST
MOON Study Poster Contest - now taking entries!
As part of a 3-year study on opioid safety in pharmacies, the MOON (Maximizing OpiOd safety with Naloxone) Study team at the Boston Medical Center and Rhode Island Hospital is holding a Poster Contest.  

As you may know, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are in the midst of an opioid epidemic with an increasing number of people dying each year from opioid overdose.  One effective strategy to reduce the number of deaths during an epidemic is to build public awareness through effective health campaigns.

We hope to gather creative marketing materials in support of a health campaign that can raise awareness and educate the public on opioid safety issues and the use of naloxone to save lives. Advertising campaigns in the public realm can effectively reach a wide and diverse audience.  Depending on the style of advertisement, they can be placed in a variety of settings such as doctor's offices, pharmacies, bus stations, and billboards.  Our team hopes to find posters that can reach as many people as possible in every type of setting.

The contest is now open to the public and the deadline to submit an entry is Thursday, March 31, 2016.  Four prizes (2 -$1000 prizes and 2- $500 prizes) will be awarded to the top 2 posters in each category representing either 1) an opioid safety theme or 2) a naloxone awareness theme.  There is no cost to enter.  Winners will be announced by May 1st.

For more details on how to create and submit your poster(s), please visit
the study website or view the contest flyer.

NALOXONE TRAINING
February 25, 2016 | 6:30 - 7:30 PM
Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod
31 Frank E. Hicks Drive, Mashpee

On Thursday, February 25, 2016, the Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod will be hosting a free Naloxone/ Narcan Training and Overdose Prevention Education Hour from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod, located at 31 Frank E. Hicks Drive in Mashpee.  

Narcan, whose generic name is naloxone, is an opiate antidote and can reverse a potentially fatal overdose until help arrives.  Although no training is needed in order to purchase a Narcan kit, this training is invaluable to understand what an overdose looks like, what the risk factors are for an overdose; how to recognize an overdose; how to respond to an overdose situation; and, how to administer naloxone. 

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION FORUM
March 17th, 2016 | 5:30 - 8:30 PM
Cape Cod Community College - Tilton Center
 
The Town of Barnstable Youth Commission is hosting it's second Annual 2016 Substance Abuse Prevention Forum & 7th Grade Youth Summit.  This is a two part program that the youth has put together with the mission of helping our youth make positive choices.

For more information about the forum or becoming a vendor, please contact Patti.machado@town.barnstable.ma.us.
FORUM: OPIOID CRISIS
Opioid Crisis: Thinking Outside the Box
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 | 8:30 am - 12:30 PM 
Back Bay Events Center, Boston
The event is hosted by William James College and co-sponsored by the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, the Massachusetts Public Health Association, and the US Department of Health and Human Services. 

This Forum will present the opioid crisis from policy, academic, and frontline perspectives. Our target audience is policymakers, clinic administrators and clinicians. Opioid abuse has risen to epidemic proportions in Massachusetts and across the nation. 

The Forum will focus on innovative harm reduction strategies, approaches to racial and ethnic disparities in access to treatment, and state of the art prevention and early intervention programs.

For more information and registration, please click here. 
LOWER CAPE PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP
Community Forum and Speaker
Wednesday, May 11th | 6:30-8:00 PM
Monomoy Regional High School - Auditorium

Community forum and speaker event. Kevin Hill, MD, psychiatrist and addictions researcher from McLean Hospital will be talking about underage drinking, teens and marijuana, and opioids.
 
To learn more about the Lower Cape Prevention Partnership, please click here.
FROM THE CENTER FOR THE APPLICATION OF PREVENTION TECHNOLOGIES
Prevention Collaboration in Action Toolkit
On February 10, SAMHSA's Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) delivered a virtual guided tour to SAMHSA substance use prevention and mental health services Grantees to showcase the CAPT online toolkit designed to build the capacity of prevention practitioners working in communities to initiate, strengthen, and maintain collaborations that enhance prevention processes and improve health outcomes. 

Below are links to the archived webinar and toolkit:
FROM SAMHSA
Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records:
Proposed Revisions Open for Public Comment
HHS has published proposed revisions to the Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records regulations-42 CFR Part 2.This proposal was prompted by the need to update and modernize the regulations.

The goal of the proposed changes is to facilitate information exchange within new health care models while addressing the legitimate privacy concerns of patients seeking treatment for a substance use disorder. The regulatory changes will ensure that patients with substance use disorders have the choice to participate in and benefit from new integrated health care models without fear of the risk of adverse consequences. 

HHS welcomes public comment on this proposed rule. To be assured consideration, comments must be received at the address provided below, no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on April 11, 2016.

For more information on how to comment, please click here.
shiny-black-header.gif
New Behavioral Health Publication: Parity of Mental Health and Substance Use Benefits with Other Benefits
This resource guide examines what the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act means for people with employer-sponsored health plans who need treatment for substance abuse or mental illness. 

It discusses key elements of health care legislation particularly as it relates to filing a claim, denial of a claim, and the appeals process. 

Download or order your copy here.
HEADLINES
Dental schools adopt strategy to combat opioid abuse - The three dental schools in Massachusetts have agreed to teach skills in managing pain, prescribing painkillers, and detecting improper use of those drugs, as part of the effort to combat the state's opioid crisis.

Dennis increases funding for overdose prevention - Dennis will be increasing its funding by 50 percent for fiscal year 2017 after implementing the Overdose Intervention Program.

Opioid epidemic unites national drug czar, Massachusetts Congressional delegation and sheriffs on Capitol Hill - ... featured keynote speaker Michael Botticelli, the Obama administration's director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, more commonly known as the White House "Drug Czar." The gathering drew the entire Massachusetts Congressional delegation and members of the Massachusetts Sheriffs' Association.
NEWS FROM MASSTAPP
Free online communications planning toolkit now available
MassTAPP has developed an interactive toolkit to help you to apply communications strategies to your work in prevention. 

This toolkit distills key concepts and evidence-based strategies into short, easy-to-read sections; offers interactive activities to help you to understand how these concepts relate to your community's work in substance abuse prevention; and provides tips, exercises, and worksheets that will guide you to apply what you are learning to the context of your community.

To start using the toolkit now, click here.
FROM THE REGIONAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNCIL
Where We Stand - Addiction on Cape Cod
"Where We Stand - Addiction on Cape Cod" is an information/resource document about the work our community has been doing to address substance use issues on Cape Cod, basic facts about addiction, and links to local resources.
Please share this resource with others who may find it helpful and informative!
 


BARNSTABLE COUNTY REGIONAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNCIL
The next meeting of the Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council is scheduled for:

Thursday, April 7, 2015 - 4:00 - 5:30 PM
Harborview Conference Room in the Barnstable County Complex, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable Village

These meetings are open to the public. Meeting agendas are posted publicly on the Barnstable County website, in front of the Barnstable Superior Courthouse, and are available upon request.
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".
Like us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter
MUTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS
For a downloadable PDF version of the information listed below, please click here.
shiny-black-header.gif 
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 at 
Mashpee Chamber of Commerce, 
5 Bates Road, 
Mashpee, MA
 02649. 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 83 Pearl Street in Hyannis. 

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.  
 
For more information, call 508-366-0556 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.
shiny-black-header.gif
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.

Tuesday 6:00-7:30 PM
Gosnold Counseling Center
1185 Falmouth Road
Centerville, MA 02632		Wednesday 6:00-7:30 PM
Gus Canty Community Center
790 Main Street
Falmouth, MA 02540

Sunday 11:00-12:30 PM
Scituate Senior Center
27 Brook Street
Scituate, MA 02066		Sunday 4:00-5:00 PM
(Educational Group)
Falmouth Hospital - Faxon Center
100 Ter Heun Drive
Falmouth, MA 02540
Monday 6:00-7:30 PM
Harwich Police Department
183 Sisson Road
Harwich, MA 02645
Wednesday 6:00-7:30 PM
(Grief and Addiction)
Gosnold Counseling Center
1185 Falmouth Road
Centerville, MA 02632

For more information, contact Mary Fisher, 844-558-4357,  mfisher@gosnold.org.
shiny-black-header.gif 
Other Resources
Al-Anon - The primary purpose of Al-Anon is to help families and friends of alcoholics. Members of Al-Anon learn to live happily whether the alcoholic continues to drink or not. We learn that alcoholism is a disease and that we are not alone. 

Alcoholics Anonymous - Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem.

Narcotics Anonymous - NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using.
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 

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.