2020 Recap: Expanding Addiction Treatment in New England
As another year draws to a close, we can’t help but reflect on just how different 2020 has been. It has created many challenges for addiction treatment providers, and we’re proud of the way our centers and employees were able to meet them. Before we enter 2021, we want to ...
Three Things Dax Shepard is Teaching the World About Relapse
Recently, actor Dax Shepard shared a big secret with the world: he had relapsed after sixteen years of sobriety. On his podcast, Armchair Expert, he explained that he had been keeping an “enormous secret,” that he had been prescribed painkillers after a motorcycle accident and ultimately started misusing them. What ...
Spectrum’s COVID-19 Unit Reopens to Meet Second Wave
At the outset of this pandemic, we established a dedicated COVID-19 unit to treat people who had tested positive for the virus, but also needed medical detoxification and clinical stabilization from addiction. Over the summer, the unit enjoyed a brief respite as the number of clients with COVID-19 dwindled down. ...
Finding Community & Support Through Virtual Recovery
National Recovery Month is a time to raise awareness about addiction and celebrate lives in recovery while gathering strength from the community. September 2020 was the culmination of more than half a year living in a global pandemic, a period that was for many the most difficult stage of their ...
How We’re Celebrating National Recovery Month Despite the Pandemic
2020 has been a tough year for everyone, but more so for people in recovery. It’s taken a lot of effort to look past the negative and find the positives. But National Recovery Month is here and it’s time for reflection, observance, and a celebration of how far you have ...
A Look Back: Supporting Communities and Professionals with Training and Education
At Spectrum Heath Systems, we are committed to sharing our knowledge of substance use disorders and addiction treatment with our surrounding communities through our robust training and education program. Lisa Blanchard, Vice President of Clinical Services, has been leading the charge in providing these training sessions even during the pandemic, ...
National Recovery Month: Celebrating Strength and Community
Every September, we observe National Recovery Month, created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to raise awareness and educate people about substance use disorders and the many treatment options available to them. It is also a time to celebrate the advances made in addiction treatment, and ...
Get to Know Spectrum Health Systems’ Internship Program
Since Spectrum Health Systems’ internship program was founded nearly a decade ago, it has continued to grow and expand its relationships with local Massachusetts colleges and universities while giving students incredibly valuable hands-on experience to prepare for careers in the clinical field. We talked with the director of the program ...
An Inside Look at Spectrum Health Systems’ Young Adult Program
Young adulthood is supposed to be a time for fun, finding yourself, and a (relatively) carefree lifestyle. However, one-third of young adults in the U.S. are struggling with addiction and mental illness. In fact, one-in-ten young adults between the age of 18 and 25 have an alcohol-use disorder (AUD) and ...
Client Spotlight: Lou Falcon – Spectrum’s Short-Term Transitional Housing Support Program
Detox, rehabilitation, and other inpatient treatment programs offer strong support and guidance at a time when people need it most. What many people don’t realize is that being ready to leave rehab doesn’t necessarily mean that they are ready to fully reintegrate into society immediately afterward. Leaving the structure and ...
Spectrum in the News: WCVB Profiles COVID-19 Unit
As the COVID-19 pandemic reached Massachusetts, the need for addiction treatment was greater than ever. We sprang into action and, in April, opened a segregated COVID-19 unit specialized for clients undergoing detoxification for drug and/or alcohol addiction who have also tested positive for COVID-19. Recently, the unit was featured on ...
Meet Our New Board Chair: Q&A with Andrew Salmon
Earlier this year we announced Andrew Salmon's appointment to Board Chair. We recently sat down with Andrew to get to know him better and learn about his perspectives on Spectrum as well as his vision for the future. What brought you to Spectrum Health Systems? Spectrum's former CEO Chuck Faris ...
Q&A with Stacy Desnoyers, Program Director of Spectrum Health Systems’ Medication-Assisted Treatment Reentry Initiative
Throughout all of our programs, Spectrum Health Systems has a strong and tightknit workforce. This is especially true for our Recovery Support Navigators, who work directly with inmates as they break through the walls of drug and alcohol addiction and reclaim their lives. Program Director, Stacy Desnoyers, opens up about ...
How We Work with Milford Regional Medical Center to Provide Rapid Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment
People seeking addiction treatment often face barriers to obtaining the help they need, including a simple lack of knowledge about where to go and what treatment options are available. Many find themselves at emergency rooms, and while sometimes this is necessary, it is always better to seek help from addiction ...
Spectrum Celebrates Inaugural Nurse of the Year Awards
2020 has been a whirlwind for all of us, but especially for nurses. In recognition of the incredible work nurses do – and in honor of the 200th anniversary of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale – the World Health Organization has declared 2020 as the International Year of ...
