Grief Support Resources
Beyond our own Sun Will Rise grief support groups for loss from overdose, addiction or substance use listed on our Grief Support page, there are other independent grief groups and supports located in Massachusetts that can help as well.
Our partner organization, Support After a Death By Overdose (SADOD) provides resources, information, and assistance to people throughout Massachusetts who have been affected by the death of someone they care about from a substance-use-related cause. Their focus is on increasing the capacity and effectiveness of peer grief support for bereaved people, direct service providers, and people in recovery or struggling with drug use. Support After A Death By Overdose – help for bereaved people (sadod.org)
Team Sharing Inc. is a national organization of parents who have lost a child to Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Through social networking, community activism, grief services and advocacy, TEAM SHARING provides support and friendship to grieving families while working to raise awareness of Substance Use Disorder and its impact on our communities. https://www.teamsharinginc.org/
GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) is a national group with some local chapters. www.grasphelp.org
What’s Your Grief is a great website. Offering general grief information and also two on point articles about overdose grief. https://whatsyourgrief.com/
https://whatsyourgrief.com/the-grief-of-an-overdose-death/
https://whatsyourgrief.com/grief-of-an-overdose-death-part-2/
Helpful Resources
Learn To Cope is a support network that provides education, resources and peer support for people coping with a family members substance use disorder. They also provide Narcan training at their many weekly meetings. http://www.learn2cope.org/
Allies In Recovery is an online-learning platform for families whose loved one struggles with drugs or alcohol. Free for Massachusetts residents, they provide community, guidance, and a scientifically-proven program (CRAFT) to give you the skill-set you’ll need to help your loved one. http://alliesinrecovery.net/
Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has trained counselors ready to help any parent struggling with a child’s drug or alcohol use. Call the Helpline, connect via live chat or email to get help. Their website also has a variety of information regarding prevention. https://drugfree.org/
The Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS) specializes in supporting teenagers and young adults between the ages of 14 and 26 and their parents as they deal with their substance use and related problems. ARMS is an outpatient, dual diagnosis clinic made up of a multidisciplinary team of clinical psychiatrists, psychologists and masters-level social workers who are trained to work with youth and their parents to provide an individualized plan for recovery. http://www.massgeneral.org/psychiatry/services/treatmentprograms.aspx?id=1945
ARMS Services for Parents. These parent services are available regardless of whether your child is enrolled in the ARMS program. 617-643-4699
Parent Orientation Group – 30-minute free group to orient parents to resources for parents at ARMS
Parent Education and Support Group – weekly free group for parents, 8 week clinician led curriculum providing education and skills to parents of youth with substance use problems.
Parent Coaching Group – insurance billed, 6-8 week small parent treatment group providing tailored support for specific issues
Parent Long-term Support Group – free weekly after-care group for parents who have completed the parent education and support group
If you are a Massachusetts parent of an adolescent or young adult struggling with substance use, there is help available. Through a partnership between the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids you can access free help from trained parent support specialists and from parent coaches whose own families have experienced addiction.
The support is either online or over the phone and provides you with in depth, proven strategies that increase the chances of recovery and lead to overall better outcomes for the person struggling with substance use and for the family. In addition, a new web resource provides a full inventory of Massachusetts support services and extensive additional information for parents.
These resources are free and available to anyone in Massachusetts who is concerned about their adolescent or young adult child. Parents and caregivers in Massachusetts can access services and support in the following ways:
Call 844-319-5999 or text HOPEMA to 55753
When you call, you will be connected to a parent specialist who can listen to your challenges and help you develop an action plan to work toward your child’s recovery, including ongoing access to a parent coach. Interpreter phone services are available for those who do not speak English or Spanish as a first language.
The Family Restored is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving families whose loved ones are suffering from the disease of addiction. https://www.thefamilyrestored.org/forum/
Gosnold provides weekly family education and support groups for families seeking answers and resources. The family education sessions and support groups are facilitated by Gosnold’s certified clinicians and are no cost to attend. https://gosnold.org/for-families/
The Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline is a Massachusetts resource that provides information on over 600 programs that can be accessed 24 hours through the Helpline website or by calling the Helpline Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm to talk with a referral specialist. Helpline services are anonymous and free. Contact the Helpline at : 800-327-5050 http://helpline-online.com/
Massachusetts Organization For Addiction Recovery (MOAR) provides support to the recovery community, addresses the negative stigma of addiction and educates policy makers and the general public. They have a very comprehensive "Resources for Recovery Guide" that lists prevention and treatment resources, parent support group lists and other helpful information. This excellent guide includes an array of "how to and where to go for help" fact sheets to support individuals and families in the recovery process that you can access here: http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/8256b8_5e9737b473044491acbe3a1f931bf87a.pdf
The PAATHS (Providing Access to Addictions Treatment, Hope and Support) program helps individuals, families, community partners, and other treatment providers. For those who are looking for information about or access to treatment, they offer phone support, community support, and walk-in services. https://www.boston.gov/departments/recovery-services/find-your-path-recovery
Manet Community Health Center serves South Shore communities with a free program to distribute Narcan, a drug that has the potential to reverse overdoses and save lives. Manet’s effort is part of an initiative by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Opioid Prevention and Reversal Project. Manet's Prevention Team provides free training for area residents and organizations about nasal naloxone (Narcan) and distributes Narcan to those who complete the training. Anyone can receive the free training, whether or not they are a Manet patient. Appointments, walk-in and evening hours are available. Call 857-939-4108 for more information. http://www.manetchc.org/
The Cope Center provides drop-in services that include: Overdose Education and distribution of Nasal Narcan; Needle Exchange Services including syringe disposal; Referrals for substance abuse treatment. The C.O.P.E. Center is located at 81 Pleasant Street in Brockton. Monday – Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm https://www.bamsi.org/program/community-outreach-prevention-and-education/
Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey's office has a helpful substance use prevention resource page. It includes items such as where to get and how to use Narcan, where to drop off unused medications, and links for many other guides. Take a minute to review their page. http://www.nfkda.co/substance_use_resources.html
As a last resort if you are concerned that a family member is a harm to themselves you can attempt to have them involuntarily committed under section 35. Help line Info. https://www.mass.gov/section-35
Magnolia New Beginnings advocates for those affected by Substance Use Disorder, as well as their families by providing educational information and peer support. Magnolia Addiction Support -Massachusetts Chapter http://www.magnolianewbeginnings.org
Resources For Recovery
Recovery High Schools. Students with substance use disorder may be eligible to attend a year-round recovery program. https://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/rhs/
A New Way Recovery Center In Quincy MA offers peer support, access to community connections, educational resources, a variety of meetings, sober activities and more. http://anewwayrecoveryctr.org/
The South Shore Peer Recovery Initiative in Scituate MA organizes people in recovery from all addictions, their family members, friends and allies, to put a positive face on recovery. SSPRI provides support services, education, and advocacy: working to remove barriers to recovery. http://www.southshorepeerrecovery.com/
Smart Recovery is a self-empowering addiction recovery support group. Participants learn tools for addiction recovery based on the latest scientific research and participate in a world-wide community which includes free, self-empowering, science-based mutual help groups. http://www.smartrecovery.org/
Recovery Research Institute: Enhancing recovery through science: https://www.recoveryanswers.org/
12 Triggers to Relapse. A helpful list of things that may serve as triggers. http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/assess/relapse.htm
Drop-In Resource Information
Check before attending…covid has disrupted some drop-in schedules.
EB HOPE Outreach Drop-In Center 1st & 3rd Thursdays Community Covenant Church 400 Pleasant Street
East Bridgewater, MA 02333.
2 & 4th Tuesdays ( Following Week of E Bridgewater Drop-In) New Hope Chapel of Plymouth 89 Court St. Plymouth, MA 5-8:30pm(504) 800-0942 http://ebhopes.net/
Other Information
An important video from Wait 21, "Addiction As A Disease" is a must see for a basic understanding of why prevention and delay of use is so important for our children. Watch video here.
Recognizing an Overdose: Learn about the signs and what to do here: http://harmreduction.org/issues/overdose-prevention/overview/overdose-basics/recognizing-opioid-overdose/ Remember if you do not have Narcan, call 911 and do rescue breathing until help arrives.
Narcan aka Naloxone information can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/stop-an-overdose-with-narcanr. Most pharmacies have a standing order for Narcan. This means you can walk in without a prescription and purchase Narcan. https://www.mass.gov/service-details/how-to-get-naloxone .You can also get Narcan at a Learn to Cope meeting or from Manet Community Health.
Do not become an unwitting drug dealer! Take the following preventative steps to keep your medication out of the wrong hands:
Remove drugs from your medicine cabinet and lock them up! Buy a combination lock box.
Safeguard all medicines that have to remain at home by monitoring quantities and controlling access.
Take inventory by writing down the names and amounts of medications you currently have and regularly check to see if anything is missing.
If your child is on prescribed medication, monitor the dosages and refills. Set clear rules, such as, not sharing and always following proper dosages.
Warn your youngsters that taking prescription or OTC drugs without a doctor’s supervision can be just as dangerous and potentially lethal as taking street drugs.
Supervise your child’s Internet use: many pharmacy sites are not regulated and will sell your child medications without prescriptions.
Properly dispose of old, expired or unused medicines. You can drop them off at police station medication kiosks in MA 24 hours a day. Or use this finder : https://www.mass.gov/service-details/find-a-waste-medication-kiosk DO NOT flush medications down the drain or toilet, unless the label indicates it is safe to do so.
Purchase a Deterra bag and instantly neutralize unused medication. http://deterrasystem.com/
This pdf has proper needle and syringe use, disposal and exchange information. http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/environmental/sanitation/medical-waste/needles-syringes-disposal.pdf You can also get clean needles from Manet Community Health.
Never Use Alone: If you have no choice but to use alone, call this number You will be asked for your first name, exact location, county, and the number you're calling from. An operator will then stay on the line with you while you use. If you do not respond after a set amount of time after you’ve used, the operator will notify emergency services of an "unresponsive person" at your location. If you call, and cannot connect with an operator, please call (931)304-9452 Never Use Alone – Meeting people where they are, on the other end of the line, one human connection at a time.