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June 20, 2025: Issue 12
Offering hope and help to those impacted by opioid misuse in
Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region.
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Not All Wounds are Visible
June is PTSD Awareness Month.
The first Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day was established on June 27th, 2010, to recognize and honor National Guard Staff Sergeant Joe Biel, a service member who was diagnosed with PTSD after serving two tours in Iraq. The federal government designated the entire month of June as PTSD Awareness Month in 2014. Since then, many organizations across the country promote and engage in a variety of events and activities to bring awareness to PTSD and to provide resources and highlight treatment options and other supportive services.
PTSD is a mental health condition that can occur in individuals who have lived through a traumatic event or a series of traumatic events. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), roughly 46% of individuals diagnosed with PTSD also meet the criteria for substance use disorder (SUD). Within the population of individuals who suffer from substance use disorder (SUD), it is common to see a co-occurrence of PTSD. PTSD is often associated with military veterans, even though it is neither a veteran nor a civilian issue; it is a human issue. PTSD does not develop due to weakness; it is a natural and normal response to experiencing overwhelming events. It occurs when the nervous system, designed to protect us from danger, gets stuck in a pattern of “fight or flight”.
It is essential to point out that there is a lot of stigma around both PTSD and SUD. Risk factors for SUD and other co-occurring mental health issues overlap. Some of these risk factors include experiences of:
- Exposure to trauma
- Social determinants of health
- Discrimination
- Marginalization
- Lack of access to treatment services
Promoting pathways to recovery needs to include trauma-informed, culturally responsive treatment. Reducing stigma is an essential part of promoting recovery pathways to both PTSD and SUD. There are many treatment options and resources available for individuals struggling with issues related to PTSD and/or SUD. (Read SAMHSA’s publications about implementing a trauma-informed approach here.)
Here are some supportive resources to learn more about PTSD and available treatment options:
There are also a variety of holistic, mindfulness practices available to help individuals who are experiencing PTSD related symptoms. Both meditation and breathing exercises can be powerful tools of recovery and healing. Studies have found that meditation and mindfulness have profound impacts on the brain. Below are some mindfulness techniques that can be used to help manage PTSD related symptoms.
“Healing is like an onion. As you process through one layer of trauma to release pain and heal, a new layer will surface. One layer after another will bring up new issues to focus on. Pace yourself. Only focus on one layer at a time.” - Dana Arcuri.
June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day. You can honor it by sharing a message of support on social media, wearing a teal ribbon, or reaching out to someone you care about who may be struggling.
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Best Regards,
Kristen Cuddy-Pease, Project Associate
Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region
Sources:
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O'Horo, J. C. (2017). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Pediatric). https://core.ac.uk/download/326756944.pdf;
- Kustanti, C., Fang, H. F., Kang, X., Chiou, J. F., Wu, S. C., Yunitri, N., Chu, H., & Chou, K. R. (2021). The Effectiveness of Bereavement Support for Adult Family Caregivers in Palliative Care: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 53(2), 208-217.
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Trauma & Stressor-Related Disorders | Dual Diagnosis. https://www.burningtree.com/dual-diagnosis/trauma-stress-disorders/
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SAMHSA Recognizes Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month | SAMHSA. https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-awareness-month
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Trauma Therapy | Turning Stone Counseling. https://turningstonecounseling.com/trauma-therapy/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK384923/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://behavioralhealthnews.org/substance-use-disorder-prevention-and-treatment-services-a-social-justice-and-health-equity-perspective/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://substanceabusepolicy.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13011-021-00390-x?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/stigma-discrimination?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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UPCOMING EVENTS
See what's happening at OTF this month.
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COVID-19 RESOURCES
Explore OTF's COVID-19 Resource Guide.
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Franklin County/North Quabbin 2024-2025 Winter Response Resources for Unhoused Individuals
Click here
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MASSACHUSETTS SUBSTANCE USE HELPLINE
Hope is here. Get help.
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413Cares
Resources for Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region. Click here.
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NQCC'S Newsletter
Resources and upcoming events in the North Quabbin Region.
Click here.
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CONNECTIONS #90
Find local resources in this issue.
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Emergency Services Resources for Unhoused Individuals
Click here.
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The PACES CONNECTION
Click here for resources
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Grayken Center for Addiction Training & Technical Assistance
Click here to view and/or register for trainings.
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GCC Community Engagement and Workshop Events
Click here to view and/or register for trainings.
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Rural SUD Info Center
Click here for resources.
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NELCWIT To Change Name in 5oth Year
Greenfield Recorder
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With a new name, the Greenfield based organization previously known as the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition, or NELCWIT, hopes to be more inclusive of all people who experience domestic or sexual violence.
“In honor of every person who has experienced domestic and sexual violence, and in acknowledging that any person can experience domestic and sexual violence, we’ll be changing our name to be more inclusive of those realities,” Executive Director Amanda Sanderson said, announcing the change during the organization’s 16th annual “Power to Persevere” fundraiser in May. “Our hope is that fewer people will be deterred from our services, and that everyone who is known and loved in NELCWIT will support us in this transformation.”
The new name will be the Resilience Center of Franklin County. Sanderson said the name change, which comes as the organization marks 50 years of providing sexual and domestic violence crisis services for Franklin County and the North Quabbin residents, will happen over the course of months to allow time for people to get used to the change.
Adorning the Terrazza Ristorante dining room, where the annual fundraiser was held, was the Clothesline Project, honoring nearly a dozen women from Franklin County who lost their lives due to domestic violence. Family members
contributed shirts in memory of the deceased.
The event’s keynote speaker, the Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian, spoke to the Resilience Center of Franklin County’s crucial role in the community. Ayvazian, who is founder and director of the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Leadership and an antiracism educator since 1985, said the center has “persevered with power and vision, love and care, strength and tenderness, for five decades.”
In her speech, Ayvazian also pointed to the power of unity and togetherness as the main resource to navigate the country’s tumultuous political landscape. She compared the power of community to that of Armenian lace, a lace made using only a needle and thread, held together by dozens of tiny knots. “Friends, we are the thread. We are certainly strong. We can mend things and we can hold things together, ” she said. “Individually, each one of us as a single thread is vulnerable and we can be fragile and we can break. But knotted together, tied together, connected together, we are strong and mighty.”
Scott Smith, a member of the Mayor’s Task Force Against Domestic Violence and former teacher, participated in the event’s “Honoring Survivors” segment by speaking about his experience growing up in a violent household and participating in a short question-and-answer session. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I look back on the resilience and I think it’s a great term for the organization,” Smith said. “Children are more resilient than we will ever know.”
For more information about the Resilience Center of Franklin County, visit nelcwit.org.
| | | | UPCOMING OTF COMMITTEE & WORKGROUP MEETINGS | | |
Virtual: Education & Prevention Committee
July 8, 2025
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Harm Reduction Workgroup
July 9, 2025
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Joint Treatment & Recovery and Healthcare Solutions Committee
July 11, 2025
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Emergency Services for Unhoused Individuals Task Force
July 14, 2025
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Zoom details here.
Hybrid: Sexual Exploitation & Trafficking Workgroup
July 14, 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Franklin County Reentry Center
106 Main Street, Greenfield
Zoom details here.
Hybrid: Public Safety & Justice Committee
August 4, 2025
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Franklin County Reentry Center
106 Main Street, Greenfield
Zoom details here.
**CANCELED** Virtual: Housing & Workforce Development Committee
August 8, 2025
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Zoom details here.
Virtual: CAM Workgroup
August 12, 2025
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Zoom details here.
**CANCELED** Virtual: Methadone Workgroup
August 14, 2025
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Zoom details here.
Virtual: Building a Resilient Community Workgroup
August 20, 2025
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Zoom details here.
Consult our website or Facebook Page for updates. Please email us with any questions!
| | | FEATURED EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS | |
Senator Markey Wants to Hear from You
Please Click the Link Here
| | Click here for Post-Opioid Overdose Outreach Services | | Time Sensitive Announcements | | June 13 - July 26 GPL Children's Summer Reading Program 2025 | | June 20 Brick House Mural Community Paint Day | | June 20 Queer Family Night | | June 21 Pumpernickel Puppets Performance | | June 21 June Teenth Celebration | | June 22 Erving Public Library Book Club | | June 23 Reusable Bag Workshop | | |
June 23 PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE:
Special Commission on Xylazine
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
SPECIAL COMMISSION ON XYLAZINE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON 02133
Representative Mindy Domb Senator John Velis
House Chair Senate Chair
PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
Date: Monday, June 23, 2025
Time: 12:00pm - 2:30PM
Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams
The first public meeting of the Special Commission on Xylazine, established by Chapter 285 of the Acts of 2024, will take place on Monday, June 23, 2025 from 12:00pm - 2:30pm via Microsoft Teams (virtual).
This virtual meeting will be streamed live on the https://malegislature.gov/ webpage.
Meeting Agenda
- Welcome and introductions
- Background information on the Commission and updates
- Listening Session - Testimony by Invitation Only
- Next Steps and Discussion
Please be advised that the schedule, agenda, and format of the meeting are subject to change at the discretion of the Chairs.
You may contact Commission staff with any questions by email at Lily.Stowe-Alekman@mahouse.gov and Gabe.Adams-Keane@masenate.gov.
MINDY DOMB
State Representative, Third Hampshire District
Chair, Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery
Phone/Amherst: 413-335-1362
Pronouns: she, her
| | June 24 Optimizing Brain Health As We Age | | Tuesdays June 24 - August 26 Music on the Patio | | June 25 "Live" Game Shows | | June 25 Painting with the Principal | | June 25 Rights, Advocacy & Immigration | | June 25 WHWHE Dressing Up Veggies (cook with your kids) and June 27 WHWHE Water Dowsing | |
June 26 Community Overdose Prevention and Narcan Training Register Here
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June 26 Nayana LaFond - Portraits in RED:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
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June 26 Local History with Will Quale: The Saga of the
Millers Falls Branch Library
| | June 27 Mobile Outreach Block Party | | June 27 Down by the River Concert: Our Three | | June 27 Summer Concert Series: Farley String Band | | June 28 Meet & Greet Type 1 Diabetes | | June 28 Free Family Fun Day | | June 28 World of Lizards! | | June 28 Carrie Ferguson Family Music Concert | | June 28 The "Foyeur Enjoyment" Series: 2 Car Garage | | June 28 & June 29 Community Tag Sale | | June 29 - August 10 Erving Public Library Summer Reading | | July 1 P.A.R.T. Task Force Ice Cream Social | | Salasin Project Presents Open Art Group on Thursdays Beginning July 3 | |
July 5 Greenfield's Independence Day Fireworks Celebration | | NQHC Postpartum Visiting Program Launching July 7 | | July 10 & 17 Active Parenting: The First Five Years | | July 11 4th Annual GAAMHA Golf Tournament | | July 11 WHWHE Chocolate with a View: Hike with Paula Packard | | July 13 Town of Rowe Summer Social | | July 16 Fire Truck Visit! | | July 17 Gel Plate Printing | | July 29 Arthropod Petting Zoo | | |
| MONTHLY WORKSHOP CALENDRS AND WEEKLY STANDING MEETINGS/EVENTS | | Community Action Family Center | | Franklin County Reentry Center | | Great Falls Discovery Center | |
Greenfield Public Library Children's Programs
| | Hilltown Youth Recovery Theatre | | Montague Public Library Programs | | North Quabbin Recovery Center | | Seeds of Solidarity and Women Healing Women Healing Earth | | The Shelburne Falls Military Band | | Union 28 Community Network for Children Program | | Housing Help With Greenfield Housing Authority | | SNAP Application Assistance | | Always Open! Community Labyrinth in Greenfield | | What's Happening at The NQRC | | Sundays ALT2SU (Alternatives to Suicide) | | All Recovery Meeting at The RECOVER Project | | |
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
The Community Closet at The Franklin County Reentry Center
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Monday - Friday
Movement Group with North Quabbin Recovery Center Peer Leaders
| | Mondays Breathwork Detox-Guided Group Adventure | |
Mondays North Quabbin Patch Parents' Council | | Mondays Breaking Barriers at the Franklin County Reentry Center | | Mondays Art Guild Meetings | | Monday Drug Court Alumni Group - North Quabbin | | Mondays Community Yoga at Wildflower Alliance | | Mondays Creative Community Involvement Group | | Mondays All Recovery Meeting and Drop In Recovery Coach Support | | Mondays CNC Playgroup at the Erving Public Library | | Second Mondays - North Quabbin B.R.R.A.V.V.E. Task Force Meeting | | Mondays Alternatives to Suicide Group | | 2nd and 4th Mondays Parenting Together at the Brick House | | Third Monday Alphabet & Allies | | Third Monday Parenting With Pride | | Mondays and Thursdays Hygiene Supplies Pick Up at the Brick House | | Mondays and Thursdays The Brick House Food Pantry | | Tuesdays April 8 - June 24 Nurturing Fathers | | Tuesdays LGBTQIA+ ALT2SU (Alternatives to Suicide) | | Tuesdays Grandparents' Support Group | |
Tuesdays Nurturing Program for Families in Recovery | | Tuesdays Peer-Led Grief and Loss Circle | | Every Other Tuesday - Housing Support Drop In Hours | | First Tuesday - Dads' Group | | Tuesday Tea Time & Community Resource Drop-In | | Tuesdays North Quabbin Recovery Center Coffee Hour | | Tuesdays Greenfield Suicide Loss Group | | First Tuesday - P.A.R.T. Task Force | | Tuesdays Drop-In Knitting & Sewing Sessions | | Tuesday & Thursdays Weekly Reentry Groups | |
Tuesday Men's Anger Management Group
Wednesday Women's Anger Management Group
| | Wednesdays BIPOC ALT2SU (Alternatives to Suicide) | | Wednesdays - Wendell Library Playgroup with Sylvia | | Wednesdays - Playgroup at the Leverett Library with Gillian | | Wednesdays HEROES Study Hub at GCC | | Wednesdays Health Connector & Mass Health Navigator Drop In Hours | | Every Other Wednesday (beginning March 5) Salasin Project Housing Support | | First Wednesday Gentle Yoga and Breathwork with Jennifer | | First Wednesday - Money Wise Financial Education Sessions | | Second Wednesday - Whatever Wednesday's | | Third Wednesday - Fatherhood Meetup | | Last Wednesday - Office Hours With An Attorney | | Wednesdays and 2nd Saturdays The Nest Community Closet | |
First Thursdays June - November Ukulele Monthly Class
with Julie Stepanek
| | First & Third Thursdays Parent Support Group | | Thursdays Music Tween Goup | | Thursdays Coffee Hour at the Brick House | | Thursdays Beyond Trauma Group in Spanish | | Thursdays Windows and Mirrors Playgroup | | Second Thursdays -Peer Grief Support After Overdose Death | | Second Thursdays North Quabbin Housing Task Force | | Third Thursdays Court Service Center Walk-in Days at the North Quabbin Patch | | Fridays FreeWrite of Franklin County | | Friday All Recovery Meeting and Drop In Recovery Coach Support | | RECOVER Project Friday Nights | |
MassHealth Navigation Support
First Friday from 9am-12pm and Third Friday from 1pm - 3pm
| | First & Third Friday Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group | | Second Friday Wound Care Clinic with Amy Pierno | | FCRN - Resources Available for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren | | |
In February, FCRN partnered with The United Arc and the Offices of Representative Natalie Blais and Congressman Jim McGovern to host representatives from the Social Security Administration, the Department of Children and Families, and the Child Advocate for the Commonwealth Maria Mossaides for a discussion with grandparents raising grandchildren in Franklin County.
Below please find more information about programs covered at the event, as well as some key links and contact information for the representatives for state and federal agencies and legislative offices that were present.
Office of the Child Advocate: The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is an independent executive branch agency with oversight and ombudsperson responsibilities, established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2008.
The best way to get in touch with the OCA is through the Complaint Line: https://www.mass.gov/guides/oca-complaint-line
Maria Mossaides, Child Advocate
Department of Children and Families
Regional DCF team:
DCF’s Kinship Navigator : Kinship Navigator is a program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that assists all kinship caregivers (grandparents and other relatives) with accessing services for themselves and the children they are raising.
Kinshipnavigator@mass.gov 1(844) 924-4KIN Online referral: https://formstack.io/CF361
Jennifer Kitchenham, Jennifer.S.Kitchenham@mass.gov
Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: The purpose of this Commission is to be a resource to the Commonwealth on issues affecting grandparents raising grandchildren, and relatives, other than parents, raising kin.
On July 8, 2008, the Child Advocate bill was signed into law which included the establishment of the Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. This legislation calls for a permanent commission on the status of grandparents raising grandchildren which consists of 15 individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to grandparents.
617-748-2454 massgrg@mass.gov Colleen Pritoni, colleen.pritoni@mass.gov
Family Resource Centers: Supported by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, a Family Resource Center is located in each of the 14 Massachusetts counties. There are currently 33 FRCs.
Here are some of the ways FRCs help families:
- Bring people together for friendship and mutual support
- Strengthen parenting skills
- Respond to family crises
- Link families to services and opportunities
- Help children develop social and emotional skills
- Observe and respond to early warning signs of child abuse and neglect
- Value and support parents
Community Action Family Center 90, Federal Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 (413) 475-1555
Jolanta Rumierz, jolanta.rumierz@mass.gov
Social Security Administration - Boston Region Office
SSA representatives in Boston office:
Federation for Children with Special Needs
Caregiver to Caregiver Respite Network: https://fcsn.org/c2c/
Mary-Beth Landy, Senior Trainer & Family Engagement Manager, mlandy@fcsn.org
Below is the information for all of the legislative offices that were present:
Senator Comerford’s office
Representative Blais’s office
Congressman McGovern’s office
Kinship Navigator Brochure
Foster Parent Flyer
Adoption Journeys Brochure
UMASS Brochure - Family Resources Center
Kid's Net Brochure
Mental Health Advocacy Program - FAQs
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Resources
| | Respite Care and/or Funding for Respite Care | | Psychological Testing & Evaluation at Gandara Center | | Community Support Program & Recovery Support Navigator at Gandara Center | | Gandara Center Outpatient Services | | Free Hypnosis Sessions With Certified Hypnotist Jenn Avery | | Re-entry Workforce Program | | Homeshare Program with LifePath | | Pathways to Advanced Manufacturing | | Specialized HVAC Training | | Specialized Information Technology Training | | |
Support & Resources After the HEALing Communities Study
| | SafeSpot Virtual Overdose Spotting Hotline | | CHCFC OBAT Same Day & Tele-Health Appointment Information | | Free Meals and Essentials at Saints James and Andrews Parish Hall | | Come Cook with Franklin County Community Meals Program | | Family Self-Sufficiency Program Available | | Eviction Self-Help Booklets Available in Multiple Languages | |
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MLRI has recently updated and translated some of our self-help booklets for unrepresented tenants facing eviction. While we still recommend tenants facing eviction seek legal help, we know resources are limited and many tenants have to represent themselves. We hope these booklets can be helpful to pro se tenants and their advocates.
You can see the full list of booklets below, or at MassLegalHelp. The booklets can help tenants prepare for court, outline their legal claims, and file court forms. There is also a booklet to help public housing tenants navigate the Grievance process.
Please reach out if you have any questions about the booklets and how they can be used.
What steps to take before going to court and what to bring to court.
An easy-to-use checklist that tells you what conditions violate the State Sanitary Code. You can also use the free self-help guided interview, MADE: Up To Code.
The Answer is a court form that tenants facing evictions can file with the court to outline your legal claims and tell the court your side of the story. You can also use Greater Boston Legal Services’ free self-help guided interview, MADE.
How to ask the court to accept your Answer and Discovery forms late. You can also use Greater Boston Legal Services’ free self-help guided interview, MADE.
A form with instructions for tenants facing eviction to get information to prepare for their trial.
A form with instructions for tenants in foreclosed properties to get information to prepare their case.
A form you can file to transfer your eviction case from a District Court to a Housing Court.
How to get a new court date if you missed your court date.
If you lost your eviction trial and think you have a good case, you may appeal. This document tells you which Appeal form to use.
How to file an appeal from a case in Housing Court.
How to file an appeal from a case in District Court.
How to get time to stay in your home if you lost your case.
How to ask the court to pay for court costs.
How to think through the terms you want in an agreement. Includes a worksheet and stipulation forms to use when you go to court. Read this booklet as webpages and watch the videos!
How to correct errors on your online court records. The Booklet includes the court form you can save to your computer, fill out, save again and print when ready.
A booklet for tenants in Mass. about the grievance process, including worksheets to help you prepare for a grievance hearing.
| | Update! Greenfield CSC New Hybrid Operations Change | |
Beginning Tuesday, 9.3.24, the Greenfield Court Service Center (CSC)services will be in-person and remote: Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-1pm; 2pm-4:30 pm, and Fridays, 8:30-1pm.
For ANY/ALL REMOTE REQUESTS, please contact the Virtual Court Service Center, M-F 9am -2pm, if you do not have an emergency. You can reach them for an intake, Monday-Friday, 9am to 2pm, by Zoom video or telephone as outlined below:
https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1615261140 or Dial (646) 828-7666. Enter the Meeting ID number 1615261140 and then press # #.
If you have an emergency, and still need remote services, have the court department reach out directly to Greenfield CSC office by email for assistance at greenfieldcsc@jud.state.ma.us.
| | COMMUNITY JOB OPPORTUNITIES | | |
Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region www.opioidtaskforce.org | |
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