Welcome to the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse website
Thank you for coming to see RCASA - slides are under Presentations @ Community Education
RESPOND INC. and Reading Police to Host Teen Dating Violence Awareness Workshop
RESPOND Inc. and Reading Police invite you to attend a Teen Dating Violence Prevention workshop geared towards parents and caregivers of pre-teens and adolescents on Thurs, Feb 28th form 7:00 - 8:30 at the Reading Police Department, 15 Union Street. Light refreshments will be ser… Continue
READING TO PROVIDE PARENTS WITH TOOLS TO ADDRESS YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE
Seven cities and towns in the Mystic Valley Public Health Coalition (MVPHC), including RCASA, are banding together to launch a social marketing campaign aimed at preventing underage drinking and substance use among middle school-aged youth. Learn more in our Press release.
BEAUTIFUL BOY Film: A Discussion Guide for Families
“Beautiful Boy” is a powerful, poignant and heartbreaking film, combining the memoirs of David Sheff and his son, Nic Sheff. A story of addiction told through the eyes of a father, a family’s struggle driven by fear, heartache, determination, hope and unconditional love. If you… Continue
Boston's HUB Week Featured Experts on the changing landscape of Marijuana in Massachusetts
The RCASA Director attended two events focused on understanding the changing landscape. Learn more about the experts that shared their insights and research. Dr. Jodi Gilman https://scholar.harvard.edu/jodigilman/home Dr. Gene Beresin https://www.mghclaycenter.org/about-us/our-t… Continue
RCASA 12th Annual Coalition Meeting On Sept 27, 2018
Thank you to everyone that participated in our annual coalition meeting. This event featured coalition highlights from the past year. Sherri VandenAkker, RCASA Board of Directors, delivered the keynote entitled “What I Wish I Knew: When Someone You Love Suffers From A Substance U… Continue
Hidden in Plain Sight Attended by 80 Adults @ Reading Police Department
Thank you to all 80 adults who visited the Hidden in Plain Sight exhibit this September.The initiative uses an educational display of a teenager’s bedroom to test parents’ knowledge of common household items that can be substance abuse warning signs. The display was designed to e… Continue
Erica McNamara returns as RCASA Director
Erica McNamara resumed her full time role as the Director of RCASA on October 1. Thank you to everyone for their support!
RCASA Accepts National Recovery Month Award in Washington D.C.
A photo of Sherri VandenAkker, RCASA Board Member accepting the Reading Unites for Recovery National Recovery Month Award from Chideha M. Ohuoha, M.D., M.P.H., CAPT (USPHS), Director, SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the annual luncheon in Washington, D.C. on Septem… Continue
The Beat Heart Foundation Presents the 2nd Annual Jams for Jake
RCASA participated in the 2nd annual celebration of music and community on Sunday August 5th. More details on the event can be found at
The New Look of Nicotine Addiction
The state just launched its new campaign to spread the word that high-tech vaping products are harmful, that they contain nicotine which can damage a teenager’s developing brain and lead to addiction.
Regional Recovery Celebration & Remembrance Vigil
This special event, coordinated by the Mystic Valley Public Health Coalition, will be held on the Stoneham Town Common on September 18, 2018 from 6-7:30pm. More details to follow. Previous celebrations were held in Reading, Medford and Wakefield.
The personal impact of opioids
This ad is 1 of 4 in a multi-channel campaign from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP),the Ad Council and Truth Initiative that focuses on preventing and reducing the misuse of opioids among youth and young adult.
Kudos to our RCASA/RMHS/SADD Student-Led Outreach Team
We had a team of students present at Parker today on Vaping Prevention. Leaders are Matt Segalla, Sarah Murphy, Molly Hamlin, Katie Kneeland, Autumn Hendrickson, & Mason Haynes. Special thanks to SRO Lewis for serving as a Co-Advisor on this pop-up activity.
CALLING RMHS Alumni- Participate in Dear 13 year old me
RCASA is accepting written submissions from Reading Public School teachers from grades 6-12, current high school students, and RMHS alumni on what they would tell their 13-year-old selves. The writing prompt is “Share a sentence or brief statement that address the struggles you m… Continue
Thurs April 5th- Alex's Story Featured at Reading Memorial High School
Students in 11th and 12th grade had the opportunity to view a unique presentation from Plymouth State University's TIGER Program on the issue of opioid awareness. Students learned about the impact of substance abuse and had the opportunity to ask questions.
Learn about prevention coalitions in Massachusetts
RCASA partners with many other coalitions in our region to share info, exchange resources, and co-host events. If you want to learn more about coalitions in other communities. There are coalitions that focus on a wide variety of health initiatives. Click the link below to searc… ContinuePast events
Jams was Jake was hosted on 11/12/17 by 'FRIENDS OF JAKE' with support from RCASA and community partners. Check out Community Education
See below for some of the amazing posts from friends and family and highlights of the day from PicBear
"From Tim O with a pic of art of Caitlin Beckman...Earlier this year I lost one of my friends Jake to drug overdose. Sending love to all of my friends in the States for the amazing event they have put their heart to today. Of all the days I have spent in India today is the one I wish I could spend in the States because this event means so much. Music more than anything I know brings people together, this is as Jake would of wanted. #livemusic#livingabroad #jamsforjake #reading #01867#endthestigma #drugawareness#sendinglove #music #musicfestivial #India#BostonBreed #love #charity #Jake
"Pat B., Friends of Jake Co-Organizer and Musician enjoys the day in memory of Jake @ Jams for Jake, 11/12/17. Benefit concert/community gathering to honor the music and life of Jake Czuczwa. I cant imagine how much work @wildgrownyogi and @___john__oliver___ and all the musicians, friends, family, and volunteers put into this, but they did an amazing job and I think they even ended up exceeding fundraising goals and expectations for turnout, too. Big ups you guys! #jfj#jamsforjake"
"From John O, Jake, we had a beautiful day today. Everyone who played music, everyone who helped out, everyone who came out to be together was directly touched by you and your powerful heart. I hope you were watching down on us, listening to your beautiful songs. Love you buddy. #jfj #jamsforjake #erasethestigma"
From Lauren A., Friends of Jake Co-Organizer, Yesterday, two sweet older women called me over to talk to them. They explained they knew Jake from when he worked at Starbucks. "He was OUR barista" they said. They were both nearly in tears with how touched they were to see his friends hosting this event in his honor, and perfectly expressed one of the things that made Jake so special... "Even from short conversations every morning, we felt like we knew him. He was just such an open person with a big heart." I am not surprised at the huge success that was the 1st annual #jamsforjake, for that exact reason. Feeling thankful for everyone that helped pull this thing off, for everyone that played, and for everyone who came out to celebrate Jake and his music. Love and miss you, Jake. I treasure the many memories I have with you, and hope we kept your spirit alive yesterday. Even your Starbucks regulars came out to share how much they loved you. 24 years and yet your legacy is one of profound love and openness, and !awesome music. Still feeling inspired.#jfj #endthestigma #missyoufriend #livemusic #artauction #youguysrock #comebacknextyear
See more pics at http://www.picbear.eu/tag.php?tag=jamsforjake
Press about the event
Press_Release_-_11.12.17_rescheduled_Jams_for_Jake.pdf
Jams For Jake Honors a Memory, Continues a Discussion
https://patch.com/massachusetts/reading/jams-jake-honors-memory-continues-discussion
Watch the RCTV Broadcast of Dr. Potee's presentation in Reading @ RCASA Annual Meeting https://youtu.be/UrNfyaL3Bv8?t=45m43s
Watch the full RCASA Annual Meeting, which includes DA Marian Ryan and Dr. Potee https://youtu.be/UrNfyaL3Bv8
As promised, Dr. Potee has allowed us to share her presentation from the 11th Annual RCASA Meeting. Thank you to all that attended and to Dr. Potee for her insight and knowledge.
Dr._Potee_Community_Talk_2017-2018.pdf
Dr. Ruth Potee is board certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine, she is a physician with Valley Medical Group in Greenfield, providing a full scope of family medicine with special interests in women’s health, pediatrics, addiction treatment, psychiatric illness, and pain management. Dr. Potee is nationally recognized for her public speaking style that skillfully blends scientific research with an understanding of the challenges of raising healthy teens. She is an extremely dynamic and sought after speaker who, in response to the ongoing opioid epidemic, has made it her mission to educate the public about the nature of addiction and why it is the only brain disease that is 100% preventable…“It’s chemistry, not character”.
Learn more about Dr. Potee's work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjyvRQFbseQ
More recovery month events at Community Education
Lynn Lyons, Author and Therapist presented an insightful workshop to an audience of 300 adults, including parents and school staff on October 17, 2017 from 6-8 p.m. Lynn addressed the "Worry Cycle" including strategies for teens and their parents on managing anxiety.
Visit www.lynnlyonsnh.com
Learn more about her books, DVDs, and online resources
http://www.lynnlyonsnh.com/books-videos/
Book Titles co-authored by Lynn Lyons and mentioned at the event:
ANXIOUS KIDS, ANXIOUS PARENTS:7 WAYS TO STOP THE WORRY CYCLE AND
RAISE COURAGEOUS & INDEPENDENT CHILDREN
PLAYING WITH ANXIETY:CASEY’S GUIDE FOR TEENS AND KIDS
Event materials
Learn more about the service at Interface_Reading_and_What_to_Expect_When_You_Call.pdf
