Substance Abuse and Addictions

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by Marianne Cook, LICSW, Clinician, Harvard University Mental Health Service

Teen alcohol and drug use remains a significant problem in our society. According to recent nationwide studies, about 43 percent of teenagers report having had at least one alcoholic drink in the past month. The numbers are particularly high among older high school students: about 46 percent of juniors and 51 percent of seniors. Approximately 25 percent of teenagers report binge drinking—i.e. consuming more than five drinks in a row over a short time period—at least once in the past month. About 20 percent of teens report having used marijuana at least once in the past month. In regard to other illicit drugs, about 7 percent of students reported using cocaine at least once in their lifetime; 3 percent for heroin; 12 percent for inhalants (e.g. glue or paint); 9 percent for hallucinogens (e.g. acid): 6 percent for ecstasy; and 6 percent for methamphetamines (e.g. speed or crystal meth). Abuse of prescription medications is on the rise, with about 1 in 5 teenagers reporting that they have used a prescription medication to get high.

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Resource Organizations » Substance Abuse and Addictions

26 listing(s), including 1 with hotlines and 5 offering support groups

In Waltham

Middlesex Human Service Agency, Inc.

www.mhsainc.org
50 Prospect Street
Waltham, MA  02453
781-894-6110
Fax: 781-647-0412
The mission of Middlesex Human Service Agency, Inc. is to improve the quality of life and independent functioning of a wide variety of clients through the delivery of an extensive system of community-based substance abuse and social service programs. Although our programs are many and varied, all emphasize dignity, respect and empowerment.
Programs include shelters and substance abuse recovery homes.

In Massachusetts

Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS)

www2.massgeneral.org/allpsych/ARMS/index.asp
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA  02114
617-643-4699
The Addiction Recovery Management Service, offered by the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO), provides rapid access to information and support combined with outreach and care management for youth aged 15 - 25 and their families suffering from substance-related problems. ARMS supplements the traditional inpatient and outpatient continuum and bridges the gaps in disjointed systems of treatment with leading expertise and high quality care management. Building on the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) medical, clinical, and addiction research resources within the MGH Center for Addiction Medicine, ARMS facilitates comprehensive, research-informed, care maximizing the chances for youth recovery.

Alanon and Alateen

www.ma-al-anon-alateen.org
57 East Main Street
Westborough, MA  01581
MA: 508-366-0556
National Toll Free: 888-425-2666
Alateen and Al-Anon are 12-step support programs that help families and friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of their loved one's addiction. Members meet regularly to learn a better way of life, to find happiness whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not. Alateen offers support to adolescents affected by someone else's alcoholism. The only requirement of membership in Al-Anon and Alateen is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend. Visit the website for a list of meetings in your area.

Alcoholics Anonymous

www.aaemass.org
P.O. Box 51411
Boston, MA  02205
617-426-9444
Alcoholics Anonymous is 12-step support program for recovering alcoholics to share their experience, strength, and hope with each other so that together they may achieve sobriety. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership. Visit the AA website for a list of meetings in your area or www.aaboston.org.

Cambridge and Somerville Program for Alcoholism and Drug Abuses Rehabilitation (CASPAR)

www.casparinc.org
Offers support group(s)
315 Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA  02144
617-628-3850
CASPAR is a nonprofit organization founded in 1970 in response to the need for community-based services for those affected by substance use disorders. Since then CASPAR has built a comprehensive array of outreach, shelter, stabilization, residential, aftercare, education, and prevention services to meet the needs of diverse populations through programs that are safe, accessible, and supportive. CASPAR serves a diverse population of high risk men, women, children and adolescents, most of whom are uninsured and indigent.

Casa Esperanza

www.casaesperanza.org
245 Eustis Street
Roxbury, MA  02119
617-445-1123
Casa Esperanza's mission is to help men, women and families overcome homelessness, recover from alcoholism and drug addiction, gain the skills they need to be self-sufficient, contributing members of society and to repair and strengthen families torn apart by substance abuse.
Casa Esperanza is a recognized leader in developing holistic approaches to substance abuse treatment, with a reputation for having caring, highly skilled substance abuse counselors and other service providers. We now operate a residential treatment facility for 29 men; a residential treatment facility for 20 women and their children; 23 units of Supportive Housing for individuals and families; and a Relapse Prevention and Outpatient Services program, which provides aftercare services for individuals and families in recovery.

Community Teamwork Inc.

155 Merrimack St. Lowell, MA
Lowell, MA  01852
(978) 459-0551
Mission: CTI's Mission is to assist low-income people to become self-sufficient, to alleviate the effects of poverty, and to assist low-income people to participate in the decisions that affect their lives.
Vision: CTI will be an advocate and catalyst for systemic change on issues that affect low-income people, including education, workforce training, housing, economic development, and civic engagement.

House of Hope

www.hopelowell.org/
812 Merrimack St Lowell, MA
Lowell, MA  01854
(978) 458-2870
House of Hope continuously expands and enriches our community by creating additional housing and support resources, while helping our current residents build self-esteem and regain financial viability. We appreciate your support to fulfill this ever-challenging mission.
Services provided by House of Hope, Lowell:
Emergency food, shelter and clothing for 23 families.
Case Managers work with HOH residents to assess their circumstances and plan for their futures.
Health services are provided by a nurse practitioner who conducts a well-family clinic. Medications are monitored, immunization records initiated, diagnosis explained; and the nurse acts as a liaison/advocate between the family and the doctor.
On-site mental health and substance abuse programming for all mothers.
Employment internship positions are available on-site for adult residents who have little prior success with employment.
Children's services at the House of Hope cover a wide spectrum of outreach and support. Intervention, engagement and love are the operative words when it comes to the kids of House of Hope.

Institute for Health and Recovery

www.healthrecovery.org
349 Broadway
Cambridge, MA  02139
617-661-3991
Toll Free: 866-705-2807
The Institute for Health and Recovery is a statewide service, research, policy, and program development agency. IHR's mission is to develop a comprehensive continuum of care for individuals, youth, and families affected by alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, mental health problems, and violence/trauma.

Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

www.masscompulsivegambling.org
190 High Street, Suite 5
Boston, MA  02110
Helpline: 800-426-1234
617-426-4554
The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling is a private, non-profit health agency dedicated to reducing the social, financial, and emotional costs of problem gambling.
The Council has been instrumental in bringing the issue of problem gambling to the attention of the public and policymakers, offering resources to problem gamblers, their loved ones, and concerned members of the community. The Council offers a toll-free Helpline which provides live confidential caller responses (including treatment referrals) 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program

makesmokinghistory.org
250 Washington Street
4th Floor
Boston, MA  02108
Smokers' Helpline: 800-784-8669
Office: 617-624-5900
More than 9,000 Massachusetts residents die each year from the effects of tobacco - that's one person every hour of every day. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Massachusetts. Many of these tobacco-related illnesses also cause disability and severe pain: cancers of the lung, larynx, throat, esophagus and mouth; heart disease and stroke; and emphysema and other respiratory illnesses. The Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program (MTCP) is dedicated to ending the suffering caused by tobacco use. MTCP continues to work toward an environment where all people in Massachusetts can live tobacco-free. The MTCP website provides online resources for smoking cessation, including an internet-based quitting program called Quit Wizard.

Nar-Anon

www.nar-anon.org
Offers support group(s)
22527 Crenshaw Boulevard
Torrance, CA  90505
Toll Free: 800-477-6291
310-534-8188
Nar-Anon members are relatives and friends who are concerned about the addiction or drug problem of another. Its program of recovery is adapted from Narcotics Anonymous and uses the twelve-step model. Nar-Anon members share their experiences, strength, and hope at weekly meetings. Joining is easy; just attend a meeting. There are no dues or fees. The only requirement for membership is that there is a problem of addiction in a relative or friend. Nar-Anon is not affiliated with any other organization or outside entity. Listings of local meetings as are available on the website.

Narcotics Anonymous

www.newenglandna.org
P.O. Box 437
Quincy, MA  02169
866-624-3578
Narcotics Anonymous is a nonprofit 12-step support program for men and women recovering from their addiction to drugs. Members meet regularly to help each other stay clean. Membership is open to all drug addicts, regardless of the particular drug or combination of drugs used. There are no dues or fees for membership. Visit the NA website for a list of meetings in your area.

Nurturing Program for Parents in Recovery, Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts

www.familynurturing.org
200 Bowdoin Street
Dorchester, MA  02122
617-474-1143
Fax: 617-474-1261
For the past several years, the Family Nurturing Center has worked in partnership with The Institute for Health and Recovery to develop programs to support families in recovery. The Institute has field tested and published a specially designed curriculum for teaching nurturing skills to those parents who are struggling with both their own recovery issues and the needs of their children. This curriculum has been distributed nationally and is being used in several residential and day treatment programs across Massachusetts. FNC and the Institute worked together to develop and field test a children's component to the program. This curriculum has been used successfully in a variety of locations.

Step Inc.

www.stepboston.org
Offers support group(s)
131 Beverly Street
Boston, MA  02114
617-720-7837
STEP has provided outreach and recovery support in Boston for people with addictions since 1974. STEP also operates a Recovery Support Center in Roxbury and coordinates services at the Billerica HOC. Services include individual outpatient counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) evaluations for court referrals, crisis intervention, outreach, integrated recovery case management, which includes referral using STEP as a home base, Violence Intervention / Prevention (VIP) Program, and support groups including AA.

The Cambridge Needle Exchange Program (NEP)

www.ccaa.org/needle_exchange.html
17 Sellers Street
Cambridge, MA  02139
Direct Line: 617-599-0219
Drop-In Center: 617-599-0246
The Cambridge Needle Exchange Program (NEP) doesn't just exchange clean needles: our mission is to encourage any positive change. The NEP offers a variety of services to injection drug users, including anonymous HIV counseling and testing, educational groups, an Overdose Prevention and Reversal Program including Narcan distribution, and direct linkages to drug treatment programs, primary health care and other support services. The NEP operates a drop-in center for members of the program where we serve coffee and small meals and provide a safe, comfortable space for people to relax. All NEP services are based in the harm reduction philosophy which encourages personal responsibility in a non-judgmental manner.
Cambridge's Needle Exchange Program is run by AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness

www.namimass.org
400 West Cummings Park
Suite 6650
Woburn, MA  01801
781-938-4048
Toll Free: 800-370-9085
Fax: 781-938-4069
The National Alliance on Mental Illness maintains a helpline for informaion on mental illnesses and referrals to local groups. The local self-help groups have support and adocacy components and offer education and information about community services for families and individuals. For information about the Alliance's affiliates and activities in MA, contact NAMI Massachusetts.

WASA Westford Against Substance Abuse

www.westford.com/wasa/
55 Main Street
Westford, MA  01886
978-399-2528
WASA was organized in 1986-1987 in response to concerns about substance abuse problems, both locally and globally. The ongoing goal of the organization is to educate all members of the Westford community about substance abuse. A long range goal is to assure that programs are in place which will aid in the prevention and treatment of all forms of substance abuse in the community of Westford. A Board of Directors, made up of a cross section of the Westford community, manages the affairs of the group.

Outside Massachusetts

Nineline

www.nineline.org
Hotline: 800-999-9999
TTY Hotline: 800-999-9915
Covenant House Nineline is for kids who need to talk. Crisis counselors are available 24/7 to discuss issues around family, relationships, feelings, suicide, basic needs, abuse, health, sex, drugs and alcohol, and running away. The hotline is free and confidential. The Nineline website has information for young people on a wide range of physical and mental health topics.

Check Your Gambling

www.checkyourgambling.net/
Check Your Gambling is a personalized feedback intervention for problem gamblers. The site presents a series of questions relating to your gambling activities and their consequences, and basic demographic details. Once you have completed the questions (which only takes a few minutes), you are presented with personalized feedback. This feedback includes a comparison of your gambling behavior with normative data; a summary of your overall rating along with a description of what it means (non-problem gambler, low-risk gambler, moderate-risk gambler, problem gambler); and a summary of cognitive distortions about gambling with a summary about the error of each belief. Also included are some suggested techniques that could be used to lower the risk associated with your gambling. The length of the feedback varies depending on your answers, but should take no more than 10 to 20 minutes to read.

Families Anonymous, Inc.

www.familiesanonymous.org
Offers support group(s)
P.O. Box 3475
Culver City, CA  90231
Main Office: 800-736-9805
Local Contact: 617-825-8841
Families Anonymous is a 12-step support group of concerned relatives and friends whose lives have been adversely affected by a loved one's addiction to alcohol or drugs. See the website for a list of local meetings in your area; online meetings are also offered.

Gam-Anon

www.gam-anon.org
P.O. Box 157
Whitestone, NY  11357
718-352-1671
Gam-Anon is a 12-Step, self-help program for the family members, friends, and loved ones of compulsive gamblers. Gam-Anon's purposes are three-fold: To learn acceptance and understanding of the gambling illness; to use the program and its problem solving suggestions as aids in rebuilding our lives and, upon our own recovery, to give assistance to those who suffer.

Gamblers Anonymous

www.gamblersanonymous.org
P.O. Box 17173
Los Angeles, CA  90017
Hotline: 888-424-3577
Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop gambling. There are no dues or fees for Gamblers Anonymous membership. Gamblers Anonymous is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. It neither endorses nor opposes any cause. Its primary purpose is to help compulsive gamblers end their addiction through its 12-step program.

On-line Gamers Anonymous

www.olganon.org
Offers support group(s)
104 Miller Lane
Harrisburg, PA  17110
612-245-1115
On-Line Gamers Anonymous is a self-help fellowship. We share our experience, strengths and hope to assist in recovery from the problems caused by excessive game playing, whether it be computer, video, console, or on-line. Our community includes recovering gamers, family members, loved ones, friends, and concerned others. We know how powerful, cunning, baffling and destructive excessive game playing can be. It can be devastating to the real-world lives of gamers and to those close to them. OLGA/OLG-Anon provides a resource for open discussion, support, education and referrals. We advocate and provide a 12-Step Program of recovery. The OLGA/OLG-Anon website includes a directory of 12-Step meetings (both on-line and face-to-face), a list of relevant reading materials, links to recent media articles, and referrals to professionals in your area who specialize in the treatment of gaming addiction.

Sex Addicts Anonymous

saa-recovery.org
PO Box 70949
Houston, TX  77270
Toll Free: 800-477-8191
713-869-4902
As a fellowship of recovering addicts, Sex Addicts Anonymous offers a message of hope to anyone who suffers from sex addiction. Through long and painful experience, we came to realize that we were powerless over our sexual thoughts and behaviors and that our preoccupation with sex was causing progressively severe adverse consequences for us, our families, and our friends. Despite many failed promises to ourselves and attempts to change, we discovered that we were unable to stop acting out sexually by ourselves. Local meetings provide an environment of acceptance, safety, and encouragement for learning how to apply the Twelve Step Program in our lives. Although each group within SAA is autonomous, meetings typically consist of readings from recovery literature and sharing how the Twelve Steps have led to recovery for us. Meetings also offer opportunities for learning how to reach out and to serve other sex addicts.The only requirement for membership in SAA is the desire to stop addictive sexual behavior. There are no fees or dues. Local groups are self-supporting from voluntary contributions of their members.

SOS Fires: Youth Intervention Programs

www.sosfires.com
22220 SE Heidi Lane
Suite #1
Damascus, OR  97089
503-805-8482
SOS FIRES provides a wide range of training and resources for all disciplines involved in youth firesetting intervention and behavior management. Its website includes information on firesetting for parents, teachers, and professionals, as well as listings of assessment and treatment services across the US.

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Additional Sources of Information

Disclaimer: Material on the Project INTERFACE web site is intended as general information. It is not a recommendation for treatment, nor should it be considered medical or mental health advice. Project INTERFACE urges families to discuss all information and questions related to medical or mental health care with a health care professional.