Addiction Policy Forum Launches Statewide Resource to Address the Addiction Crisis in Massachusetts

Residents in Massachusetts Can Now Find Local Addiction Resources by County

Mansfield, MA, Oct. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addiction Policy Forum, a leading addiction nonprofit, has expanded its Addiction Resource Center (ARC) to include a database of treatment resources, facilities, and healthcare providers specific to Massachusetts.

“According to preliminary CDC overdose data, over 2,393 people in Massachusetts lost their lives to substance use disorder last year. This new database of treatment centers and healthcare facilities in Massachusetts gives families and people concerned about substance use a way to find trustworthy help quickly in their moments of crisis, which we hope will save more lives in the state,” says Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Addiction Policy Forum Founder.

The ARC includes a comprehensive, interactive website to help individuals and families struggling with addiction learn about substance use disorders and access critical resources. This platform dispels harmful myths about addiction by presenting the science behind the disease in easy-to-read formats, guiding concerned individuals through a self-assessment tool, helping to develop an action plan and providing a database of local treatment providers. The ARC also includes a resource line staffed by addiction counselors and licensed social workers that provide callers with substance use disorder information, education on treatment options, and telehealth support. Massachusetts residents can call the line at 1-833-301-HELP (4357), Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM EST.

“I lost my son Emmett to overdose when he was only twenty years old,” says Aimee Manzoni-D’Arpino, Addiction Policy Forum Director of Community Engagement. “Having a resource like the ARC database that shows a researched, easy to use list of healthcare providers and treatment centers in our area would have been an extremely helpful tool when we didn’t know where to turn as we struggled to help Emmett with his addiction.”

Addiction Policy Forum, which has chapters in 42 states and a national office in Washington, D.C., plans to continue adding state-specific resources to its database throughout 2018. In addition to addressing addiction through community resources, APF is committed to affecting policy change at the local, state and national levels and raising awareness of the nationwide addiction crisis.

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About Addiction Policy Forum

Addiction Policy Forum is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2015 as a diverse partnership of organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to working together to elevate awareness around addiction, and to improve programs and policy through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery, and criminal justice reform. Jessica Hulsey Nickel, whose own family was devastated by addiction, is the founder of a coalition of 1,700 families impacted by substance use disorders and is available for further explanation and interviews by media.

More information on our mission and projects is available at http://addictionpolicy.org.

Casey Elliott
                    Addiction Policy Forum
                    3128605353
                    celliott@addictionpolicy.org

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