i NEAAR Public Policy Conference: January 20^th ~ Please Come

i MOAR /MAADAC/Lowell House "Recovery & Disabilities" ~ Great!

i MOAR Attends CSAT Grantee Meeting ~ Skills for Sustainability

i MOAR Members Activate Direction for Sustainability

i Glenna Sheehan House "Putting a Face on Recovery" ~ January 5^th ~ All Invited!

i Springfield ~ Thursday, December 28, 5:30, Phoenix Academy, 5 Madison Ave i Lowell ~ Friday, January 5, at Glenna Sheehan House, 12 Noon- Tewksbury

i Boston ~ Wednesday, January 10, 3:30, Atrium II, Faulkner Hospital

i New Bedford ~ NEW ~Introductory Meeting

Wednesday, January 24, 3:15, Prevention Partners, 360 Coggeshall St

This conference is an opportunity for policymakers, government agencies, providers, and the recovery community to engage in panel discussion and dialogue about the "problems" of homelessness, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence and addiction. "The Solution" involves the recovery process, and that involves the recovery community.

On Inauguration Day 2001- exercise your citizen rights- and participate – listen, respond, strategize- whatever works for you! So- this January 20^th, a Saturday, Merrimack College, North Andover, 9 to 4 PM, suggested fourteen dollar contribution with limited scholarship funds for travel and hotel stay- is an offer not to be refused.

"Alcohol and Other Drug Addiction Recovery and Disabilities" was great. If we are to live up to our MOAR and NEAAR mission to welcome anyone concerned about reducing the stigma of the addiction recovery process, which includes persons in addiction recovery, coping with disabilities, psychiatric illness, HIV, mental retardation ~name it-, we need to better understand what is it is like to have a dual relationship.Thus, Moe Armstrong (Vinfen), Ralph Edwards ( The Department of Mental Retardation), Tricia Camire ( MA Prevention) Martha Schmidt,Ph.D (McLean Hospital), Sara Dubik –Unruh, MA, Clinical Psychologist emphasized sensitivity and respect as the essential welcome format. We thank Pierre Descoteaux, Lowell House, for leading this effort.

.

i MOAR Attends CSAT RCSP Grantee Meeting ~ Skills for Sustainability

MOAR attended, with other NEAAR grantee affiliates, the SAMHSA- Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration- CSAT –Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Recovery Community Support Grantee Meetings December 13-15. Focus- grant writing, fundraising, messaging, and organizing skills necessary to "sustain " our recovery community future. There’s MOAR – such as action plans for an organized national recovery movement, that speaks for and by the faces and voices of recovery, inclusive of family and friends. Interested! Please come to a MOAR meeting, as members are

developing recovery community action plans.

November 30th Springfield MOAR meeting attendees –

Diane Kurtz, Karen Sullivan, Bob Pisani, Diane Teta, Diane Gahres, Pete Crumb and Bill Sciturro reviewed the suggested changes to the MOAR Brochure. Putting a big question mark on the front cover- as Why MOAR?---(catchy), less words- "Less is MOAR"- omit term –"application"- not welcoming-, place "suggested fees" in a less "in your face " location. To give MOAR membership a face for the press, Diane Gahres, will renew her efforts to make contact with a local television reporter. Members agreed to assist in looking for NEAAR conference space with a "Families for Recovery" accent.

December 6th Boston attendees- Greg Arsenault, Amos Marshall, Ray Hoitt, Susan DeColaines, Greg Arsenault, John Frazier, Jim Carroll, Kate Carney, Dan Heenan, and Louise Sutherland were informed by DPH Consultant, Arthur Friedman, about the Department of Social Services Strategic plan to integrate substance abuse education and awareness. The plan has begun with the hiring of a substance abuse services coordinator, a position which is clearly interagency, as it is DPH and DSS funded. The issue is of importance to MOAR, as members want to learn what government agencies are doing to learn how alcohol and drugs are affecting their clients, and how MOAR might assist in that education. This led to a pragmatic concern- of developing action plans for MOAR’s education and training, grant writing and fundraising, membership, and public policy committees. ---beginning this February.

December 1^st Lowell attendees-Pierre Descoteaux, Janice Archer, Nicole Walsh,

Lona Demers, Ivelisse Alvarado, Victoria Buckley, Jerry Cormier, Carol Wright, Maryanne Frangules and Kim Fontes reviewed the educational workshop about recovery and disabilities—with a general theme of sensitivity and understanding as key to any welcoming format. Members looked at ways to welcome new people. People agreed to revisit enhancing the mission and vision statements, and assist Springfield with redesigning the brochure by the next meeting - which just happens to be during Glenna Sheehan House ‘s "Putting a Face on Recovery Celebration"- January 5^th !

You are MOAR invited -

MOAR Sincerely, Maryanne Frangules, MOAR Project Coordinator, 617-423-6627