A Letter from Our President: Kurt Isaacson Reflects on 2023
2023 was a year of remarkable progress and achievements at Spectrum Health Systems. We took numerous strides toward our goal of making treatment more accessible for the most vulnerable populations while continuing to look for ways to retain and recruit staff that make it all possible. One of Spectrum’s proudest achievements came in February when ...
Twelve-Step and Non-Twelve-Step Meetings: Which is Right for You?
Twelve-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are some of the most popular formats of addiction recovery meetings. These programs are based on a broad concept of spirituality and encourage members to work through a series of steps to solidify their recovery. While many people have found long-term recovery through twelve-step programs, ...
Congratulations to Athena Haddon on her Salute to Excellence Award
An incredible amount of effort is needed in our mission to provide a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment and recovery supports. That’s why Spectrum Health Systems is proud to employ individuals that are skilled, qualified—and most importantly—passionate about recovery. One employee that embodies these characteristics every day is Athena Haddon. Athena has worked at Spectrum ...
Spectrum’s Ondrea Hilts on Helping People Find Recovery
Before she began working with Spectrum Health Systems, Ondrea Hilts was in college, pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in justice studies. She knew she wanted to help people but hadn’t decided on a specific career path. Soon, though, a family tragedy would shape her plans for the future when she lost her ...
Making a Difference with Stefania Cunningham, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Stefania Cunningham’s tenure at Spectrum began 10 years ago. Originally joining as a per diem nurse, she now works as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner based out of Spectrum’s Weymouth location, providing psychiatric services to clients throughout Massachusetts. In her time with Spectrum, she’s seen many changes and developments, both in the organization and in the ...
Breaking the Addiction Stigma
While cultural awareness around substance and alcohol use disorder have improved in recent years, there is still a substantial amount of stigma surrounding these topics. Despite well-established research identifying addiction as a disease, some still see it as a moral failing instead. The negative attitudes and stereotypes that stem from this belief create barriers to ...
Spectrum Health Systems Unveils Scholarship Program with Assumption University
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment and behavioral health services throughout Massachusetts, announced today its partnership with Assumption University to create a scholarship program for its employees to complete the university’s clinical counseling psychology master’s program. “We continue to see an increased need for both representation and ...
Spectrum Experts Make a Case for Medication-Assisted Treatment in Prisons at Recent Corrections Conference
Earlier this month, our Vice President of Clinical Development Dr. Romas Buivydas and State Director of MA Correctional Services Earl Warren teamed up to present to attendees of the American Correctional Association’s winter conference about the importance of adopting medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in America’s prisons. It’s a hotly debated topic across the country and in ...
Life Expectancy for Americans Decreased for Second Straight Year, Due to the Opioid Epidemic
The Centers for Disease Control recently released a shocking report about the decline in American life expectancy, a rate they haven’t seen since influenza ran rampant in 1962 and 1963, and during the worst of the AIDS epidemic back in 1993. In 2016, the CDC saw a staggering 21 percent death rate fueled by the ...
Spectrum Health Systems’ Residential Substance Abuse Programs Receive 3-Year CARF Accreditation in Georgia
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc. has received another three-year accreditation from CARF International for the organization’s state-wide Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Programs (RSAT) in Georgia. CARF accreditation is awarded to providers who meet state-of-the-art national standards of performance. Providers who seek CARF accreditation must demonstrate a commitment to evidence-based practices and continual quality improvement.
