Why We Administered COVID-19 Vaccines to Local Partner Organizations in Need
It’s been a long and difficult road - COVID-19 hit Massachusetts in February 2020. By mid-March, businesses were shutting down and people were hunkering down at home. At Spectrum Health Systems and the New England Recovery Center, we sprang into action and created a specialized COVID-19 unit designed to treat people suffering from drug and ...
The Importance of Language in Reducing the Stigma Often Associated with Substance Use Disorders
Words matter, especially when we as a society continue to fight the stigma against those struggling with addiction. As we learn more every day about drug and alcohol addiction disorders, we also have to contend with the fact that helpful and educational terms change over time. Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with, ...
Regis College Panel: Addiction Treatment – Pandemic Emergency Response and Beyond
The impact of COVID-19 has been particularly felt by people who struggle with addiction. For those of us who work in the field of addiction treatment, most of this year has been devoted to responding to the pandemic and strengthening our organizations so that we are prepared for future emergencies. Kristin Nolan, our Senior Vice ...
Spectrum’s Guardian Angel: Shana Adams and Masks Made with Love
At Spectrum Health Systems, we’re lucky to have an external network of dedicated individuals who donate their time and effort to help us with our mission. One of those incredible individuals is Shana Adams, founder of Masks Made With Love/MetroWest MA. “Back when the pandemic started here and nobody could get masks, I started a ...
2020 Recap: Expanding Addiction Treatment in New England
As another year draws to a close, we can’t help but reflect on just how different 2020 has been. It has created many challenges for addiction treatment providers, and we’re proud of the way our centers and employees were able to meet them. Before we enter 2021, we want to acknowledge Spectrum’s accomplishments over the ...
Three Things Dax Shepard is Teaching the World About Relapse
Recently, actor Dax Shepard shared a big secret with the world: he had relapsed after sixteen years of sobriety. On his podcast, Armchair Expert, he explained that he had been keeping an “enormous secret,” that he had been prescribed painkillers after a motorcycle accident and ultimately started misusing them. What started out as a prescription ...
