MOAR News at a Glance:
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MOAR Statewide Meeting Outcome
- Taking The Stories to The State House - Should we do a Forum??
Restoring the $6 million plus to Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
What do The BSAS Budget Cuts Mean to You, Your, Family, Community?
You can call Policymakers - 617-722-2000. You can write and visit.
- MOAR Newsletter to take on a New Look with The Pictures of Recovery
Focus: Faces and Voices of Recovery, Families-- A Public Value
Wanted: Your Stories, Concerns, Events, Pictures by March 11th
Upcoming MOAR Meetings;
We can Do MOAR By Working Together to make Positive Change. When?
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Lowell - March 22
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10:30 am
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Lowell House, 555 Merrimack Street
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Springfield - March 28
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5:30 pm
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Phoenix House, 5 Madison Ave
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New Bedford - March 5
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6:00 pm
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Reflections- 497 Belleville Ave
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Boston - March 4
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7:00 pm
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Auditorium- Faulkner Hospital
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Worcester - March 19
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6:30 pm
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PIP Shelter - Main Street
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MOAR Statewide Meeting Outcome
A Plan for an
April Alcohol Awareness Month Training April 20th
"Sharing Our Stories of Recovery: Point; Purpose; Presentation"
9:00 AM - Holiday Inn - Worcester
Continental Breakfast Served
Worcester Accelerates Meetings and Committee Work
Worcester meets almost every Tuesday at 4 PM, PIP Shelter - call 508-753-0103, ext 22.
Housing, Public Policy, Membership Committees await YOU!
Want to Work Towards Improving Adolescent Recovery Services
Meetings are held with parents, providers, government agencies monthly
in Lowell, Florence, Worcester, and Boston. You are wanted.
Boston plans to hold an evening public forum. We want the community's input.
MOAR January 7th and February 19th Statewide Meeting in Review - Community Healthlink
Ninety people came to continue Changing The Conversation about Addiction Recovery (CSAT National Treatment Plan). MOAR thanks Connie Peters (MHSACM), Lisa Clark, Roger Cram, Elaine Appel, John MacIsaac, Diane Kurtz, Dana Moulton, Amos Marshall, Paul Carey, and Jodi Quinn for facilitating Public Policy, Public Awareness, Fundraising, Education and Training Committee discussions. Establishing a Speakers Bureau with the How to reach the Public and Policymakers was the abbreviated outcome. At the February Statewide Committee Meeting to develop strategy- and an all day April Alcohol Awareness Month Training Day, maybe State House Forum with a Real Recovery Newsletter.
Recovery Advocacy Excerpts from MOAR Regional Meetings
MOAR Boston - January 28th: The Boston regional meeting had its questions and concerns about the recent state budget cuts addressed by the some of the most knowledgeable people in the state at its January 28th meeting at the Faulkner Hospital. Joining the Boston group in its largest turnout to date were Matt Cornish, Financial managerr for the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, John Auerbach of the Boston Public Health Commission, and State Representative Marty Walsh from Dorchester.
Matt Cornish explained that the Bureau tried to maximize the services that they provide while laboring under a cut of $3 million dollars to the BSAS Budget as well as, approximately $3million from the AIDS related Budget. Matt explained in detail the process and that services are tremendously impacted. We are looking forward to the possibility of even darker days to come in fiscal year 2003 and 2004. The Bureau will be applying for waivers in attempt to head off the deepening crisis but the overall picture is grim . The detox services are already seriously under funded. Matt explained one of main budget readjustment goal was to try to avoid cutting funds for beds that already exist. Unfortunately, treatment "beds" - services are to be cut. Treatment agencies may be forced to cut treatment in order to stay alive. Monies for outreach programs, research, training and evaluation have been cut dramatically. Funding for CHINS (Children in Need of Services) has been reduced and will be gone altogether at the end of the year. BSAS will be sending letters to state legislators to explain the impact of the budget cuts to each individual legislative district.
What MOAR can we do:
MOAR believes is important that we, and as individuals, educate our legislators about the impact of the budget cuts to real people. Treatment is often the first step and the cornerstone of recovery. MOAR believes that the recovery community, inclusive of families, are valuable to our communities and must make our voices heard.
John Auerbach followed Matt in conversation with MOAR members. John noted that heroin use is up dramatically as is the purity of the drug on the streets. During these times of financial crisis, it is always the most vulnerable who are hurt the most. In short, people in need of substance abuse services - get cut. John emphasized the importance of educating our legislators, now
Representative Marty Walsh drove that point home as he explained the legislative process that produces the budget. He said recovery and treatment has many friends on Beacon Hill. However, we must make our voices heard to give the legislators the support they need to speak out for treatment and recovery. AIDS, Mental Health and adult literacy funding was partially or fully restored because legislators are continuously receiving educational information from these groups. He offered to help MOAR Boston
plan a policymaker education forum soon. Representative Walsh let people know
state house policymakers can be reached by calling 617-722-2000. If, by chance,
you do not know your state legislators name. Call your city hall.
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W MA Parent Support Group Invite MOAR to a February 6th Forum
More than 20 parents told state lawmakers - Senator Brian Lees, Representative Paul Caron, and Representative Mary Rogeness that in addition to more residential treatment beds, there is a need for increased knowledge among educators and health providers about youth substance abuse. The parents, who are members of the Western Massachusetts Parent Support Group, gathered at a Phoenix House facility on Mulberry Street, where there is an after-school program for teen-age drug abusers.
Robert J. Pisani, director of Phoenix Academy adolescent programs said that the facility has space for 19 boys and girls, ages 14 to 18. He emphasized state budget constraints have kept the center open to only about 10 youths at a time.
Pisani said because services are lacking for young substance abusers, many are suffering drug overdoses, quitting school, committing crimes and even dying. "We're losing these kids," he said. The parents told a range of personal anecdotes about their difficulties in obtaining adequate service for their children's substance abuse problems from hospitals, schools, police and crisis intervention teams.
The legislators each urged the parents to press their government officials about their concerns and to provide information to them as well. Rogeness, citing cuts in previous levels of state funding, told the parents to try to bring their knowledge and expertise to bear on how lawmakers might stretch the dollars that are available. These parents
are not going away!!!
MOAR member Pierre Descoteaux (Lowell House) Facilitates SA Coalition
Pierre is helping to spearhead a coalition of providers, government agencies, and the
recovery community. The purpose is to make MOAR visible - the value of quality
resources supportive of recovery. …. to all community sectors affected by addiction.
MOAR New Bedford working with Community to support Treatment
As across the state - MOAR New Bedford (2/5 and 2/15) shared concern about
slashes to publicly funded treatment resources. People expressed issues from detox to
safe housing. A public forum is being planned - providers are encouraged to provide
factual data of harm, and the recovery community - to share the harm on a personal level.
Goal is to demonstrate that continuum of care is a valuable commodity to the state.
And….Lisa Clark at the February 22nd Lowell Meeting urged MOAR, en masse, to educate lawmakers by taking this data to the State House!
MOAR Congratulates Boston Consortium of Families in Recovery-
Valentines Day State House Celebration Packed with Recovery
Hortensia Amaro, PhD, Consortium Director, facilitated this huge celebration
enhanced by the voices of mothers in recovery. Speaking of Voices _ Judah
Abdul Dorrington - revealed a singing voice that warmed the faces of recovery-
as well as policymakers!
MOAR Worcester Members Visit District Legislators on Valentines Day!
Worcester helped to pack the Valentines Day Celebration. MOAR Worcester members
visited legislators after the celebration. They shared concern about losing and potential loss of counseling for AIDS-HIV, recovery support, vocational education. They noted that addiction treatment was the first supportive structure received in their lives. For the first time, they are learning how to make positive decisions, change their way of life to live in recovery. They asked the legislators to consider these issues of real life needs - as they make decisions concerning addiction treatment. The energy of the Worcester group- will not end- as they plan to invite the local legislators to a forum on recovery.
So Don't Miss Worcester ShowCase of Women in Recovery, March 8th,
Community Healthlink, 6 pm! This is one event during Women's Recovery
Awareness Week.
You, too can do MOAR!
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MOAR Sincerely,
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Maryanne Frangules
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MOAR Executive Director
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617-423-6627
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Email MOARfran@aol.com
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MOAR Newsletter - 2/15/02- printed from MOAR, Inc. membership funding and contributions
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