"With the approval of its special permit application Thursday night, the community behavioral health agency Clinical & Support Options can move forward with its plans for the $23 million transformation of the emergency shelter at 60 Wells St.
The agency’s proposed design includes a renovation of the existing building and construction of a new, three-story structure, expanding shelter capacity from 30 to 40 beds and creating 36 studio apartments aimed at “extremely low-income,” formerly homeless individuals.
“We took over operations of the shelter itself as of April 1,” CSO’s Vice President of Housing and Shelter Bill Miller told the Zoning Board of Appeals Thursday night. “Behind the scenes, we’ve been developing this design with our team with consult from the city. … We came up with a design that combines shelter but also housing. Our goal with people in shelter is housing.”
Included in the design plans are provisions for laundry services, a cafeteria, a nursing office and a resource area, [Alyssa] LaRose said. The building, located within walking distance of several social service agencies, will be staffed 24/7.
Miller previously explained there are about 10 different funding sources for the project — including the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) — that are funneled through the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
To bring the construction project to fruition, CSO is partnering with Rural Development Inc., the non-profit affordable housing development arm of the Turners Falls-based Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Authority, as well as Valley Housing Consultants, Jones Whitsett
Architects and Berkshire Design Group.
“Our goal is to get people in and off the streets,” Miller said. “It takes time, but we’ve really reduced the number of people living outdoors in Springfield. … It’s ebbed and flowed here in Greenfield. We don’t need to fill every bed but we want to make sure we have enough flexibility so we can meet the needs of the city.” (Photo: Courtesy of the Greenfield Recorder)
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"Tanisha Sullivan, a former candidate for secretary of state, is the keynote speaker for NELCWIT’s annual celebration and fundraiser.
After several years of taking place virtually, the annual celebration and fundraiser for the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition (NELCWIT) will be back in person next month.
“They continue to do amazing work,” Mary Kociela, a member of Friends of NELCWIT, said of the Greenfield-based social service agency that provides sexual and domestic violence crisis services for Franklin County and the North Quabbin region. “It’s been over 40 years in the community that they’ve been helping survivors of domestic violence. I’m really proud to be a member of the Friends and help put this on.”
The “Power to Persevere” event — which will feature former candidate for Secretary of State Tanisha Sullivan as a keynote speaker; Voices From Inside, a spoken presentation of writings by currently or formerly incarcerated women; and a musical performance by the local band She Said — will take place at Greenfield Community College on Thursday, May 4, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. There will be a buffet and cash bar.
“One of the things I always take away [from this event] is the support in the community that NELCWIT has,” Kociela said. “I hope that people can go there and feel that sense of community … and that the NELCWIT staff will know the community is supporting them.”
She also hopes the event serves as a reminder to sexual and domestic violence survivors that they are supported, too.
“There’s somebody here, a voice for them if they need help,” Kociela said.
Registration is free, but all attendees are asked to provide a donation. All donations, Kociela said, go directly toward assisting the families NELCWIT serves.
“We promise a very exciting event,” she said. "
(Photo: Courtesy of the Greenfield Recorder)
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Upcoming OTF Committee Meetings/Trainings |
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Virtual: Harm Reduction Workgroup
May 3, 2023
11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Virtual: Treatment & Recovery Committee
May 5, 2023
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Virtual: Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Workgroup
May 8, 2023
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Virtual: Education & Prevention Committee
May 9, 2023
9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
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: Public Safety & Justice Committee (Hybrid)
June 5, 2023
1:00 - 2:30 PM at Franklin County Reentry Center, 106 Main Street, Gfld
Virtual: CAM Workgroup
June 13, 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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March 29 - May 3 Dining Together Series |
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April 26 - June 14th - Wednesdays
Cooperative Co-Parenting Through Separation or Divorce
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April 28 Seal Your Criminal Record CORI Sealing Clinic |
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April 28 Gardening in Recovery |
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April 28 Hope and Healing
1st Annual Children's Art Show Sponsored by the Children's Advocacy Center
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April 28 All Recovery Meeting |
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April 29 Stone Soup Cafe Menu |
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April 29 Spanish Hour at the Stone Soup Cafe |
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April 29 35th Anniversary Concert with Fiery Hope to support Stone Soup Cafe |
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April 30 Women Healing Women Healing Earth - Workshops at Seeds of Solidarity |
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April 30 Spring Cleaning at the Grapevine |
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May 3 Transition Resource Fair: Unveiling the Future - A Peek at What Comes After High School |
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May 3 Peer Support in the New England States |
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May 3 Protecting Our Kids Online |
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May 3 & May 24: The RECOVER project will be closed for mandatory staff training. |
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May 4 Info Session - 413CARES: A Primer |
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May 4 Event Friends of NELCWIT: The Power to Persevere! |
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May 4 2nd Annual Umbrella of Wellness Fair |
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May 5 - June 9 Walking Crew |
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May 6 CPR + First Aid Class |
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May 7 Literacy Project 5K
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May 10 Munch and Move at Athol High School |
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May 10 Food Safety 3-in-1 Certification Class |
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May 10 The Wisdom of Trauma - Community Screening |
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May 11 Children's Mental Health Acceptance Week Dinner |
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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 20 Spring Festival and Seedling Sale |
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May 22 Emergency Services for Unhoused Individuals Task Force Meeting |
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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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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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April at The Brick House Teen Center |
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April RECOVER Project Calendar |
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May North Quabbin Recovery Center Calendar |
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April 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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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 - 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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Our Words Matter
David Eidelman, MDCM, FRCPC, FACP, FCAHS
Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) and Dean / Vice-principal talks about why words matter.
Educational objectives:
What is meant by learner mistreatment?
How does our situation compare with the literature?
What can be done to improve?
McGill University Department of Surgery - February 23, 2023
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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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