Xylazine, also referred to as “tranq,” increases the risk of overdose and death when mixed with other sedating drugs like opioids — and it is not affected by the overdose reversal drug naloxone, according to BPHC. But she said it’s also taken her a long time to feel comfortable sharing what she experienced as a child and teenager, which resulted in her own years-long struggle with substance use, incarceration, and instability. In the years that she’s been working in harm reduction, Rivera has shared bits and pieces of her own experiences with addiction, trauma, and violence with those she works with. She’s always been cautious of sharing too much, in part because she’s aware that the people she is helping have their own traumas that they may not be ready to talk about. Mayor Wu and the City of Boston extend their gratitude to the Biden-Harris Administration and HUD for their continued commitment to addressing homelessness and supporting communities nationwide. For more information on the HUD’s FY 2023 Continuum of Care Competition Awards, please visit HUD’s official press release.
Company behind controversial gunshot detection technology fires back at Mass. politicians
Funding for the $3 million renovation was made possible through a blend of funding sources, including a loan of more than $940,000 from the City of Boston’s Housing Boston 2030 housing fund. Additionally, an anonymous foundation donor provided $850,000 for acquisition of the building, and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development provided a loan of more than $940,000. Victory also contributed more than $250,000 to the redevelopment and received a $75,000 grant from Mass Housing. We provide high-quality, evidence-based services based on individual needs, offering flexible, strengths-based solutions to people’s biggest challenges. https://sober-home.org/ operates various programs throughout Boston, all built on our strongly held belief that no person who is struggling should be asked to do the hardest thing first, on their own, before they are offered the fundamental support they truly need.
Short-Term Recovery Services
The Strivers Grant Fund is one of several programs run by the foundation arm of the Fearless Fund, which was founded to address the wide racial disparity in funding for businesses owned by women of color. Less than 1% of venture capital funding goes to businesses owned by Black and Hispanic women, according to the nonprofit advocacy group digitalundivided. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Miami found that Blum was likely to prevail in his lawsuit claiming the grant program violates section 1981 of the 1866 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race when enforcing contracts. The Reconstruction-era law was originally intended to protect formally enslaved people from economic exclusion, but anti-affirmative action activists have been leveraging it to challenge programs intended to benefit minority-owned businesses. Our specialized, short-term treatment programs are for individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder who have additional treatment needs. The Victory Connector, where she is a harm reduction specialist, provides a range of services to women, transgender, and nonbinary individuals who are at high risk of overdose and who are reluctant to engage with other care systems.
Clinical Services
- On the streets, at our Boston Living Center, and across programs, we work to prevent chronic conditions and overdoses.
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support nonprofit organizations providing services to individuals experiencing homelessness.
- The funding is made available through the HUD’s annual Continuum of Care awards, a grant program coordinated by the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH).
- Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Miami found that Blum was likely to prevail in his lawsuit claiming the grant program violates section 1981 of the 1866 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race when enforcing contracts.
- We focus on what a person is doing “well,” with a nurturing effect that fosters continued effort from the first steps toward progress and growth.
- Over the 14 years, Rivera said she found herself constantly wanting to learn more about harm reduction and the ways to help people, like herself, who deal with addiction and recovery.
“If it takes a village to raise a child, it took the entire City of Boston to rebuild this magnificent program. We could not have opened this program so quickly without the full support of the City. It’s a miracle, really.” Join Rockland Recovery’ team of over 200 dedicated and compassionate employees who are committed to helping our community’s most vulnerable individuals and families. Our services range from recovery support groups like AA or Refuge Recovery to wellness and life-skill activities like resume-building workshops or yoga classes; anything that encompasses healthy and safe choices for the mind, body, and soul. Public health officials, including the Boston Public Health Commission, have been warning in particular that xylazine, a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer, has been increasingly detected in street drug samples analyzed in Massachusetts.
Health & Recovery
Over the course of roughly the next 15 years, Rivera continued to deal with instability and the effects of her trauma. “We were always left alone, and the violence that was in the house was not normal,” she said of living with her mother. By the time that she was about 8, her mother moved the family to Springfield, Massachusetts. If you would like to join our mailing list to automatically receive our publications by mail, fill out the form below or email your name and address to We focus on what a person is doing “well,” with a nurturing effect that fosters continued effort from the first steps toward progress and growth.
They make sure people have clean needles and talk to those who are engaged with sex work, asking how they are keeping themselves safe. Remembering her own experiences — of sleeping in cars or under a bridge, of wanting to end her own life — and the moments when people helped, or failed to help, Rivera said she continues to find herself wanting to do more to aid people in similar need. She ended up working as a staff member at Casa Esperanza for almost 12 years, becoming first a peer recovery coach, then a house manager, then a treatment coordinator, a senior treatment coordinator, and a supervisor.
Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation. When individuals and families are safely housed, they’re much more likely to address their health, addictions, and other issues. It’s a “housing first” approach that includes stabilization Rockland Recovery Review services, emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, and case management. Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives.
The challengers argued that if their request is granted, borrowers already enrolled in SAVE (and those who have already gotten loan forgiveness) would not be impacted. And a decision on the preliminary injunction is just the first step of the litigation process; borrowers who have already enrolled in, or benefited from, the SAVE plan could still be at risk from appeals or future rulings as the lawsuit progresses. SAVE — which stands for the Saving on a Valuable Education Plan — is a new income-driven repayment program that can lower monthly payments and lead to eventual student loan forgiveness.
The judge offered few hints about how he would rule, although there was some implicit criticism of state leaders for waiting so long to challenge the SAVE plan, given that the Biden administration first unveiled the program more than six months ago. Such a delay could undercut the argument that they face imminent harm as a result of SAVE’s student loan forgiveness benefits. But now, with 24 years in recovery, the Dorchester resident hopes that by talking about her own experiences, others might be encouraged to speak up.
Boston offers services to homeless individuals by offering wraparound services to those who require the additional level of care. Chronically homeless individuals have barriers that create challenges to remaining housed. These barriers can include physical disabilities, substance use disorders, and mental health challenges. As part of Boston’s plan, the City is committed to a “housing first” approach to homelessness which is based on the belief that everyone should have access to permanent housing. In 2023, Boston housed 2,220 people experiencing homelessness, including 463 family households and 901 adult individuals. Last fall, a dozen City departments and partner agencies transformed how the City cares for unsheltered constituents impacted by substance use disorder, homelessness, and untreated mental illness, with a focus on the ‘Mass and Cass’ / Newmarket neighborhood.