"On Mondays, Eddie takes a macroeconomics class at 9:00 a.m. Then at 1:00 p.m., he takes a course on statistics and probability. Eddie also studies French, and exercises daily. Eddie has been living in the Franklin County Jail in Greenfield, Massachusetts, since before the pandemic. His sentence is up in about two years, For privacy reasons, he asked that we not use his last name.
A large part of his day is spent in a shared cell with a bunk bed, desk, toilet and sink. Many of the courses he takes are virtual, and being allowed to use a tablet in this jail is not automatic. It's an earned privilege.
Once a week, in person, Eddie takes guitar lessons. “It gives me something to do,” he said. “And on top of that, music is something that helps a person. They say it enhances our mental capacity and ability.”
Eddie is part of an intermediate group lesson and in the past few weeks has focused on the minor pentatonic scales. James — who also asked to keep his identity private — is using a Fender guitar someone donated to the program.
"I had been dabbling with a guitar for like probably three years, but it wasn't structured,” James said. That was before getting arrested. James has been at the Franklin County Jail for a year and a half, awaiting sentencing. Playing guitar, he said, helps him keep his mind off things.
At the Franklin County Jail in Greenfield,
musician Michael Nix teaches several guitar classes a week. “I think definitely understanding myself and playing guitar go hand in hand,” James said. He wouldn’t talk about why he was arrested. Neither would Eddie.
It’s a topic their guitar teacher Michael Nix, a professional musician, never asks about.
“It’s a personal thing they can share with me if they want,” Nix said, “but I really don't care.”
What Nix does care about, like any music teacher, is that his students practice and learn. But given the setting, Nix said, it's more than that.
“What I care about is forming positive relationships, where as a mentor I can ask people to operate at the same kind of high level that I ask myself to operate at [as a musician]," Nix said. Nix started teaching guitar at the Franklin County Jail in the months before the pandemic shut down in-person activities. Now he meets with about a dozen students — some are long-term, he said, and some he sees once and they don't return. He doesn't always find out why. Guitar lessons are offered only to people who are locked up in a particular unit of the Franklin County Jail. To be able to stay in the unit, James said you have to step up, volunteer and go to regular community meetings.
Franklin County Sheriff Christopher Donelan said the crimes that bring people to his jail come out of childhood trauma and mental health issues. In the last decade, the opioid epidemic has pushed law enforcement to look at what it means to jail someone with addiction.
"The science tells us that addiction is a disease,” Donelan said. “And we're failing ourselves if we think that we can just contain men and women with substance abuse issues in a jail, and then release them and think that anything's going to change or improve.” Not everyone in the U.S. corrections system agrees that men and women convicted of a crime should be able to participate in music lessons or art classes, but Donelan said he thinks most victims of crime are satisfied with the fact that the perpetrator is behind bars.
"The bottom line is, as I tell [employees], it's not our job to punish. That's the judge's job," Donelan said. "The judge sends them to us. Our job is to correct behavior and offer opportunities for a better life of not committing crimes." There was a 27% reduction in recidivism over a three-year cohort from 2015 to 2018," Donelan said, looking at the jail's first cohort in its cognitive behavioral therapy program. (Photo: Courtesy of Nirvani Williams/NEPM)
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"Collaboration is the name of the business game in Franklin County, and the Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast Friday morning highlighted some community partners that can help businesses of any stage and type get their feet underneath them.
Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jessye Deane emphasized the relationships of local businesses at the chamber’s breakfast, which was themed “Let’s Get Technical,” as local organizations shared assistance and lending opportunities for business owners and entrepreneurs in the region.
“I think one of the things that separates Franklin County from a lot of our other markets is how supportive so many of our partnerships are,” Deane said. “I think collaborative partnerships are the spirit of Franklin County. I see it everyday and I am so grateful that is the approach we all take to business here.”
The Franklin County Community Development Corporation, Common Capital Inc. and the Masshire Franklin Hampshire Career Center spoke to the audience about their various programs and initiatives for lending money to businesses that are getting off the ground or needing a cash infusion, diverse hiring practice and employee training resources.
John Waite, the CDC’s executive director, explained they provide technical assistance and “flexible financing” of loans for start-up, fledgling and established businesses that can use the help. Pioneer Valley Grows Investment Fund, which allows community investors to fund farms and other food businesses, such as Many Graces Farm in Hadley. “It’s very unique and innovative … PV Grows Investment Fund is something that we’re growing, and the farmers love it.”
Joining Waite from the CDC was Racial Justice and Community Engagement Lead Traci Talbert, who works with businesses to address unintentional biases in hiring and lending practices.
Following Waite and Talbert was Common Capital, a non-profit community development institution, and its president, Raymond Lanza-Weil, who talked about how his business and the CDC can help fill the gaps in funding that bank loans often don’t cover.
The breakfast closed out with Penni Menard and Jennifer Droesch of the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center, who shared the
agency’s resources for employee training and retention services.
“We are a vast area with relatively limited resources, which is why we really value building relationships and establishing new connections in our collaborations,” Droesch said.
Prior to the presentations, Deane honored Greenfield’s outgoing community and economic development director, MJ Adams, who is retiring on May 6 after spending five years in the role. Adams received an extended standing ovation from the audience.
“MJ’s vision and expertise have advanced the downtown revitalization efforts, helped Greenfield businesses navigate a pandemic and progress many of Greenfield’s most treasured assets, including the Wilsons redevelopment and the expansion of the Greenfield Industrial Park,” Deane said. “She’s been an invaluable resource to me and I know to many in this room.” (Photo: Courtesy of Paul Franz)
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Upcoming OTF Committee Meetings/Trainings |
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Virtual: Building a Resilient Community Workgroup
May 17, 2023
11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Virtual: HEALing Communities Study Committee
May 17, 2023
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Virtual: Healthcare Solutions Committee
May 19, 2023
10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Virtual: Franklin County/North Quabbin Emergency Services for Unhoused Individuals Task Force
May 22, 2023
9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Virtual: Treatment & Recovery Committee
June 2, 2023
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Virtual: Public Safety & Justice Committee (Hybrid)
June 5, 2023
1:00 - 2:30 PM at Franklin County Reentry Center, 106 Main Street, Gfld
Virtual: Harm Reduction Workgroup
June 7, 2023
11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Virtual: Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Workgroup
June 12, 2023
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Virtual: CAM Workgroup
June 13, 2023
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Virtual: Education & Prevention Committee
July 11, 2023
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
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FEATURED EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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CONNECT: Post-Opioid Overdose Outreach Services |
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CONNECT is hiring! Join the award-winning Opioid Task Force and the CONNECT team as we look for an Operations Coordinator. This position is integral to CONNECT's post-overdose outreach and community follow-up efforts across the 30 rural communities we serve.
One can view the complete job description here.
The deadline to apply is Monday, May 15, 2023. Help us spread the word!
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Let's End STIGMA - Words Matter! |
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Updated Emergency Resources for
Unhoused Individuals
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Franklin County/North Quabbin HEALing Communities Study Updates |
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The Franklin County/North Quabbin HEALing Communities Study is underway! The Action Plan has been submitted and is currently under review. Learn more about the next steps at our next meeting, scheduled on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, as we look toward implementing the strategies. Zoom details here!
Also, the workgroups have formed and are meeting regularly to help identify and implement strategies.
We continue to need your assistance to reduce the number of opioid-related fatalities in our rural region.
Your input is desired to help us:
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Participate in a workgroup
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Support our social media efforts
Want to get involved? Contact Tiarra Fisher, HEALing Communities Study Community Coordinator at tiarra@opioidtaskforce.org for more info!
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Please support our HEALing Communities Study efforts on social media by following, liking, and sharing these pages with your networks so our communities have access to these resources and increase the reach of information shared on these pages!
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The ARISE Initiative Update |
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MA Opioid Treatment Services Disruption:
Recovery Connection Centers of America
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Time Sensitive Announcements |
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April 26 - June 14th - Wednesdays
Cooperative Co-Parenting Through Separation or Divorce
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May 5 - June 9 Walking Crew |
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May 13 Stone Soup Cafe Menu |
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May 17 21st Annual Mental Health & Wellness Fair |
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May 17 HEALing Communities Study Meeting |
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May 17 - 18 22nd Annual Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Conference |
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May 18 Family Center Pajama Party |
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May 18, 20, 26 PMP Spring Garden Days |
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May 20 Spring Festival and Seedling Sale |
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May 22 & May 25 Keeping Kids Safe - Parent Training - 2 Session Series |
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May 22 Emergency Services for Unhoused Individuals Task Force Meeting |
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May 24: The RECOVER project will be closed for mandatory staff training. |
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May 25 Women Healing Women Healing Earth - Workshops at Seeds of Solidarity |
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May 25 Cooking Local at the Family Center with Stone Soup Cafe |
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May 26 Train-the-Trainer Narcan Training - Learn & Teach Others to Reverse Opioid Overdose |
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May 26 Gardening in Recovery |
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June 1 Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in Our Community: Franklin County Forum |
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June 2 Open Mic! at Stone Soup Cafe |
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June 9 Second Chances: Building Recovery Friendly Workplaces in Franklin County & North Quabbin |
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June 10 Deadline for Summer Camp Scholarships |
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MONTHLY/WORKSHOP CALENDERS AND WEEKLY STANDING MEETINGS/EVENTS
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Improving Housing to Improve Health News |
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May at The Brick House Teen Center |
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May North Quabbin Recovery Center Calendar |
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May Community Action Family Center Events |
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Seeds of Solidarity Calendar of Events 2023 |
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Salasin Weekly Watercolor - May |
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Healthy Living 2023 Spring Workshops at LifePath |
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Always Open! Community Labyrinth in Greenfield |
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Weekdays All Recovery Meeting at
The RECOVER Project
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Monday - Friday
Movement Group with North Quabbin Recovery Center Peer Leaders
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Mondays Art Guild Meetings |
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Mondays Advanced Manufacturing Info Sessions |
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Monday Drug Court Alumni Group - North Quabbin |
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Second Mondays of the Month - North Quabbin B.R.A.V.E. Task Force Meetings |
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Mondays Alternatives to Suicide Group |
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2nd and 4th Mondays
Parenting Together at the Brick House
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Mondays and Wednesdays
Restless, Irritable, and Discontent: Your Brain in Recovery
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Tuesday Virtual Parenting Series
Beginning May 16 for 12 Weeks
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Second & Fourth Tuesdays
Peer-Led Grief and Loss Circle
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First Tuesday - Dads' Group at Valuing Our Children |
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Tuesdays North Quabbin Recovery Center Coffee Hour |
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Tuesdays 6p-8p Nurturing Fathers
Workgroup ends July 4th
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Tuesdays Greenfield Suicide Loss Group |
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Tuesdays Drop-In Knitting & Sewing Sessions |
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2nd Tuesdays New Member Orientation at the RECOVER Project |
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Wednesdays HEROES Study Hub at GCC |
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Wednesdays Men's Support Group:
Keep Moving Forward
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First & Third Thursdays Parent Support Group |
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Thursdays Coffee Hour at the Brick House
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Thursdays Beyond Trauma Group in Spanish |
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Second Thursdays Every Month, Peer Grief Support |
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Fridays - Freedom Yoga in the RPX |
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Fridays - The Garden Committee Meetings |
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Every Third Friday: Karaoke at The RECOVER Project |
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Last Friday of the Month: Gardening in Recovery |
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HomeShare Program with LifePath |
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Covid Testing in Franklin County |
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Act Now to Stay Covered with MassHealth |
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CHCFC OBAT Same Day & Tele-Health Appointment Information |
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Free Meals and Essentials
Saints James and Andrews Parish Hall
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Come Cook with Franklin County
Community Meals Program
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CONNECTIONS -
A Residential Program of Behavioral Health Network
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Orange Food Pantry Seeking Non-Food Donations |
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When people think of donating to our agency and food pantry, they often think of food- however, that's easier for us to obtain with local partnerships with farms and retailers. What we struggle to keep stocked are hygienic & household products, such as:
- Adult pull-ups size Medium, Large, & XL
- Menstrual products
- Bath products- bath wash or bar soap, shampoo, conditioner
- Deodorant
- Floss
- Mouthwash
- Toothpaste (we have plenty of toothbrushes currently!)
- Paper Towels
- Toilet Paper
- Laundry Detergent
- Dish Soap
- Household cleaners- Windex, multi-surface, floor cleaner, etc.
Dozen-sized egg cartons for repackaging the hundreds of eggs we receive weekly from retailers are also needed.
Please share this list amongst your networks! Donations can be dropped off at 324 Wells Street (the Franklin County Community Distribution Center) at our office, or if donating a large amount, drop-off can be coordinated via donate@fccmp.org. (Image credit: Pixabay)
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Family Self-Sufficiency Program Available |
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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.
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Changes at the Quabbin Retreat as of 12/23/22 |
Date: Fri, Dec 23, 2022 at 8:25 PM
Subject: Relocation of Dana Day Program
Dear Community Partner:
Due to low patient volume and limited staffing, I am writing to inform you that the services provided by Heywood Healthcare, at the Quabbin Retreat Dana Day Program, have been relocated to the Damon building, on the Heywood Hospital Campus. There will be no interruption of services for those in need of treatment for substance use disorder and mental health services.
Referrals may be made to Tammy Broeckel, at 978-630-6826.
Thank you for your understanding as we work to ensure access to critical services for our community.
Nora Salovardo, MSN, RN
Vice President of Patient Care Services
Chief Nursing Officer
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Look 4 Help Website Shutting Down as of 2/28/23 |
Date: Fri, Jan 20, 2023 at 10:55 AM
Subject: [FCResourceNet] Farewell, Look 4 Help!
Hi everyone,
Our resource website, Look 4 Help will be shutting down at the end of February.
Community Action Pioneer Valley’s strengths are in connecting people and building community, not building technology platforms. We were able to sustain Look 4 Help with mostly our own resources for the last five years, but due to pandemic-era funding ending and other pressures on agency resources, we are not able to continue to fund the project.
In its place, we encourage people to use 413Cares, another website with local resources. We will be offering trainings to help people learn how to use 413Cares, similar to the ones we offered for Look4Help.
We don't regret having set up and run Look4Help for the past five years; it was a great experiment in how to manage information and get it to people who needed it. Unfortunately, we don't have the support we need to keep it going, and we think 413Cares will be a good alternative for those looking for local resources.
Dane Kuttler
she/her/hers
Hampshire County Collaborations Coordinator
Notary Public
Community Action Pioneer Valley
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Update! Greenfield CSC New Hybrid Operations Change |
The Greenfield Court Service Center is located at 43 Hope St., 1st Floor, Greenfield, MA.
They offer in-person services on Tuesdays & Thursdays, ONLY, from 8:30 am-1 pm, and 2 pm-4 pm. Remote services (email, phone, Zoom) are available on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.
For an intake, contact the Virtual Court Service Center, Mon. thru Fri. 9 am-12 pm by telephone: 1-646-828-7666, press #, #, then enter meeting ID: 161 526 1140 or by video: www.zoomgov.com/j/1615261140.
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How we connect: friendships | Children's Mental Health Week 2023
In exclusive interviews with Place2Be Ambassador, podcaster and journalist, Josh Smith, young people talk about friendships, and how they cope with disconnection from friends.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY/NORTH QUABBIN RESOURCES |
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Free Training Opportunities
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Free ServSafe Classes - March Through June 2023 |
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Join the 2023-2024 DIAL/SELF AmeriCorps Team
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Musica Franklin AmeriCorps Opportunity |
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BHN - Open Positions in Greenfield and Orange |
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Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority: Housing Development Rehabilitation Coordinator Position |
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COMMUNITY JOB OPPORTUNITIES |
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Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region www.opioidtaskforce.org
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