Every September, we observe National Recovery Month. Hosted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Recovery Month aims to increase awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders, while promoting professional services that help people in need.
Blog: News & Views from the Field
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Spectrum Health Systems was founded 50 years ago, and in that time, we’ve seen extensive strides taken in drug and alcohol addiction treatment. Much has changed, and much has stayed the same – some treatments still in use today were introduced as early as the 1960s. Before we jump into changes in treatment over time, let’s start by discussing the issue itself – addiction.
We’re eagerly preparing for Spectrum’s 18th Annual Charity Golf Tournament – our largest fundraiser of the year! On Monday, September 30th, Spectrum will take over the links at the Worcester Country Club in Worcester, MA to raise money in support of our mission to improve the lives of individuals impacted by addiction.
At Spectrum Health Systems, we attribute our success to our incredible staff. In order to attract and retain talented individuals who share our mission of providing the highest quality of addiction treatment, we offer a robust Educational Assistance program which supports all employees in their professional development. This year alone, we’ve provided more than $200,000 to support our staff in continuing their education. Clients ultimately benefit from having highly trained staff committed to enhancing their skills and knowledge.
Recently, our peer recovery centers received a home makeover! As we celebrate our 50th anniversary of serving those struggling with addiction throughout Massachusetts and beyond, we thought it was time for some new digs.
Working in addiction treatment can be tough, but our incredible staff love their jobs. This week, we’re talking with one of our Master’s level clinicians, Shannon Coolahan, who has worked in our outpatient treatment center located in Waltham, Massachusetts for the past two years.
As you may have heard, Spectrum Health Systems has been celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! We’ve come a long way since the company’s founding in 1969. As substance abuse has changed over the past 50 years, so too has Spectrum – in order to better treat individuals impacted by substance use disorders.
Many believe that addiction only affects the unemployed and homeless when, in reality, most are employed. In fact, of the estimated 96 million adults reported to have a substance use disorder, 72 percent are employed.
Back in 2010, Senator Kent Conrad spearheaded a campaign to create an official form of recognition of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through a “day of awareness.” Senator Conrad was passionate about the creation of an awareness day as a tribute to North Dakota National Guard serviceman, Staff Sergeant Joe Biel, who took his own life in 2007 following two tours in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Biel’s birthday was June 27th, thus its selection as National PTSD Awareness Day. In 2014, the entire month of June was designated as National PTSD Awareness month.
Pride Month is here! The month-long celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community is a time for fun, raising awareness and reflection. The LGBTQ community faces many hardships, from accepting their own identities to coming out to facing social and political adversity.
