Good morning ~

Has anyone else noticed the prevalence and social acceptance of substance use during social gatherings and celebrations? It seems to me that in our post-COVID world, we can’t go out and enjoy the company of others without having a drink or other substance in hand. We commonly see this issue with alcohol and cannabis, but I have seen it can also be true for stimulants and opioid use. I don’t hear this issue talked about nearly enough, and I believe this is a big problem when it comes to addiction and recovery.

I really started wondering about this issue when my friend was cutting back on her use of cannabis. She told me that it had been “so long since I’ve been sober when hanging out with friends.” While I don’t think occasional use of cannabis or alcohol is inherently a problem when in social settings, I think using it as a crutch or overindulging is. 

While people have always used substances when celebrating a special occasion or when hanging out with friends, I believe that the pandemic really screwed up our “social batteries.” People seem to be getting more fatigued with any level of social interaction than they were before Covid. I have even noticed it in myself. I now have a very short social battery that gets worn out very easily. These short batteries can sometimes lead to using substances like alcohol, opioids, stimulants, and cannabis to help us extend ourselves and cope with the pressures of social situations, and in turn, rely on them to the point of dependence.

I have also noticed people using it in an attempt to fit in or avoid being the odd person out who isn’t indulging. If everyone is using, it creates pressure on those who don’t or can’t use to use again to fit in with the crowd. People sometimes put pressure on someone deciding to stay sober at a gathering by making comments like “Come on, man, have another beer!” and “Hey, try this! It’ll rock your world!” As you can imagine, this creates a difficult social environment for people in recovery or those who want to make changes in how they consume.

I am also aware of the risks involved with using substances of unknown source or ingredients in these types of high-pressure gatherings. It could be very dangerous, even deadly, if a person were unable to say “no” when they see everyone having a great time and being pressured to be one with the crowd and take something with a higher concentration than they are used to, or if it is laced with something like Fentanyl.

It can be very hard to say no in these situations, but I would like to encourage each other. If you witness peers egging on someone to ‘have another drink’ or ‘take this pill’ or ‘smoke a little weed’, step in and be an advocate or sober ally for that person. Even if you’re someone who enjoys letting loose and using substances recreationally, attempt to figure out ways to have fun more often without getting substances involved, or allow others to say no without the pressure to do what you are doing. 

When you become dependent on a substance and are using it to cope with situations like peer pressure, anxiety, stigma, or mental health struggles, it can be very hard to quit. Prolonged use of substances affects the physical parts of our brain and can cause our typical dopamine levels to be lowered dramatically, and can only be boosted temporarily when taking substances. Opioids are particularly powerful because they cause feelings of euphoria and remove pain in a significant way, the exact effect we are looking for when wanting to give ourselves that social boost and avoid feeling uncomfortable around our peers. 

I have learned that finding the right balance between fun and dependence in social situations is important, and knowing your limits may help prevent creating a cycle of addiction that needs to be broken. It is important and necessary for people looking to develop healthy behaviors and social relationships, and even more so for people in recovery, to find new ways of doing the things they enjoy and trying out a new hobby or two. Things like board games and movies with friends are engaging activities that don’t need substances to make them fun. 

In my humble opinion, I think understanding that using substances as your “crutch” for avoiding uncomfortable situations and realizing how much of an effect substances have on your brain and lifestyle can really help people, especially young people, reduce habits that reinforce using and set themselves up for a lifetime of substance-free fun and healthier behaviors. We could all stand to reevaluate the way we do things in this post-pandemic world, especially our relationship with substances. 

Kathleen (Katie) McNeill

Greenfield Community College Summer Intern

Criminal Justice Studies, Westfield State College

UPCOMING EVENTS

See what's happening at OTF this month.

COVID-19 RESOURCES

Explore OTF's COVID-19 Resource Guide.

MASSACHUSETTS SUBSTANCE USE HELPLINE

Hope is here. Get help.

413Cares

Resources for Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region. Click here.

North Quabbin Community Coalition

Resources and upcoming events in the North Quabbin Region.

Click here.

Communities That Care Coalition 

website and resources 

NEED NARCAN?

Click here to email for Narcan.

Emergency Services Resources for Unhoused Individuals

Click here.

The PACES CONNECTION

Click here for resources

Grayken Center for Addiction Training & Technical Assistance

Click here to view and/or register for trainings.

GCC Community Engagement and Workshop Events

Click here to view and/or register for trainings.

Rural SUD Info Center

Click here for resources.

Stone Soup Cafe and the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region are continuing their work in anti-hunger advocacy for western Massachusetts at the state level, joining Gov. Maura Healey’s Anti-Hunger Task Force dedicated to navigating federal cuts to food programs.

The task force was established through an executive order signed by Healey on July 17, bringing together Cabinet secretaries and agency leaders (or their designees), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients, farmers and small business owners, plus leaders of food banks and nonprofits. The panel will also coordinate with existing food security initiatives, including Make Hunger History, which encompasses more than 300 organizations led by Project Bread, according to Healey’s office. “President Trump’s cuts are going to force millions of people — children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities — into hunger. They’re also going to hurt local farmers and retailers who rely on these programs to support their business and create jobs,” Healey said when the task force was formed. “In Massachusetts, we won’t accept that.”

Stone Soup Cafe, which operates out of All Souls Church in Greenfield, offers pay-what-you-can community meals, a community store where people in need can access free groceries and produce, and a culinary institute program. The organization was invited to join the Anti-Hunger Task Force by Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle, who is a native of Deerfield. Stone Soup Cafe Executive Director and Chef Kirsten Levitt said it’s an “honor” to be asked to be part of the task force. “When the state asks you to give of your time in this kind of capacity to do greater good, you really find it in yourself to say, ‘Yes,'” she said. Levitt said Stone Soup Cafe was invited to join one of the three working groups — increasing accessibility, rural resiliency and philanthropy — that were established to discuss the conditions of the communities these members represent and help brainstorm policy recommendations that the full task force will present to Healey.

Randle said the decision to ask Stone Soup Cafe to join the task force comes from its operations model, which could potentially be mirrored in other areas of the state. “They were a perfect fit because of their experiences, because of Kirsten’s leadership and the team that comes together to make it happen,” Randle said. “I think that’s a good example, as we look across the state for potential long-term solutions and models that do have a significant impact in times of need, and help to address food insecurity.”Stone Soup Cafe will be part of the task force’s philanthropy working group, furthering advocacy for funding solutions to curb food insecurity.

...Similarly, the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region was invited to the table to represent western Massachusetts by Kristen Elechko, western Massachusetts director for Healey’s office. United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region Executive Director Geoff Naunheim joined the task force as the nonprofit’s representative. “We’re always engaged with anti-hunger work to some degree, but with inflation and the increased cost of living in Massachusetts over the past few years, this became a focus area of ours,” Naunheim said about the work the United Way has been prioritizing in collaborations with local survival centers and food access organizations. “We’re really excited to participate in this task force and to try to make a real impact in Franklin and Hampshire counties.”

Both Levitt and Naunheim feel they have an opportunity to share the unique experiences of those living in western Massachusetts with state leadership. For one, Naunheim pointed out the “irony” that exists, with the Pioneer Valley being home to the majority of the state’s food producers while also facing limited accessibility to food given the spread-out nature of the towns and a lack of available transportation.

...In preparing for the task force to start meeting, Levitt said she spent time listening and sharing as part of her continued work at Stone Soup Cafe. “My prep work is actually the experience of running the organization every day,” Levitt said. “I don’t have to gather data. I’m living it.”

This sort of lived experience, Levitt said, is not only what she hopes to share with others, but she also plans to use her role on the task force to gather information and resources from other areas of the state. She feels it’ll be an opportunity to see how other communities combat food insecurity and what successful solutions might be worth expanding to other regions.

“Some of my assumptions could be incorrect, that other parts of the state are much better resourced than we are. My assumption is that they are, and maybe my assumption will be validated,” she said. “And if it is validated, then maybe one of the action plans we’ll figure out is a more equitable distribution of resources across the state.”

Staff File Photo/Paul Franz

UPCOMING OTF COMMITTEE & WORKGROUP MEETINGS

FEATURED EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

September 8 Dental Clinic at The Brick House

MONTHLY WORKSHOP CALENDRS AND WEEKLY STANDING MEETINGS/EVENTS

Franklin County Reentry Center

Always Open! Community Labyrinth in Greenfield

All Recovery Meeting at The RECOVER Project

Mondays Art Guild Meetings

Second Mondays - North Quabbin B.R.R.A.V.V.E. Task Force Meeting

Tuesdays Peer-Led Grief and Loss Circle

First Tuesday - Dads' Group

Tuesdays Drop-In Knitting & Sewing Sessions

Wednesdays HEROES Study Hub at GCC

First & Third Thursdays Parent Support Group

Thursdays Coffee Hour at the Brick House

Thursdays Beyond Trauma Group in Spanish

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:

• Laurie Sullivan, (DCF Western Regional Director) laurie.sullivan@mass.gov 
• Paula Teixeira, (DCF Greenfield Area Office) paula.teixeira@mass.gov 

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 

• https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ 
• A full FAQ page is available here: https://www.ssa.gov/faqs/en/ 
• More information about scheduling an appointment with SSA can be found here: https://www.ssa.gov/faqs/en/questions/KA-02771.html 

SSA representatives in Boston office: 

• Kevin Reino (Senior Public Affairs Specialist) bos.rcd@ssa.gov
• Sabrina Feliciano (Public Affairs Specialist) Sabrina.Feliciano@ssa.gov 

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

• Senator Comerford (jo.comerford@masenate.gov) 
• Elena Cohen (elena.cohen@masenate.gov)
• Jessie Cooley (jessie.cooley@masenate.gov) 

Representative Blais’s office

• Representative Blais (natalie.blais@mahouse.gov) 
• Corinne Coryat (corinne.coryat@mahouse.gov)

Congressman McGovern’s office

• Koby Gardner-Levine (Koby.Gardner-Levine@mail.house.gov) 

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

Free English Classes

Free Meals and Essentials at Saints James and Andrews Parish Hall

Come Cook with Franklin County Community Meals Program

Family Self-Sufficiency Program Available

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program

Eviction Self-Help Booklets Available in Multiple Languages

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.

Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region www.opioidtaskforce.org