The Referral Network
This type of group-living environment provides a structured, alcohol and drug-free environment for individuals transitioning out of intensive addiction treatment.
What is sober living home?
This comprehensive Massachusetts public health insurance program covers vital addiction client services, including detoxification, outpatient therapy, and medicated assisted treatment.
What is MassHealth?
These small paper strips allow individuals to test their illicit substances for the presence of a highly potent synthetic opioid before consumption.
What are fentanyl strips?
This highly personalized document outlines an individual's specific triggers, coping strategies, and emergency contacts to utilize during a mental health or substance use crisis.
What is a Safety Plan/Relapse Prevention Plan?
This level of care, often the first step down from residential treatment, requires clients to attend clinical sessions for 5 to 7 days a week, typically lasting 4 to 6 hours per day.
What is PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program)?
Referral networks often connect clients to this 12-step community resource, founded in 1935, which utilizes a fellowship of peers to maintain sobriety.
What is Alcoholics Anonymous?
To significantly reduce opioid overdose deaths, this life-saving medication is available over-the-counter without a prescription at all Massachusetts pharmacies, and for free at select community hubs.
What is Naloxone/Narcan?
Providing sterile injection equipment primarily aims to prevent the transmission of these two bloodborne viruses.
What are HIV and Hepatitis C?
Because a period of abstinence drastically reduces a person's physical tolerance, a return to use carries a highly elevated risk for this life-threatening medical emergency.
What is overdose?
Unlike residential treatment where clients live at the facility, clients in a PHP return to this type of environment at the end of the day to practice their real-world sober living skills.
What is a sober living facility?
When a network refers a client to an outside agency for "MAT", they are seeking this type of evidence-based care that combines behavioral therapy with medications like buprenorphine or naltrexone.
What is Medication Assisted Treatment?
This state-administered, federally funded program provides low-income clients in addiction treatment with EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards to purchase nutritious groceries.
What is SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)?
This long-acting opioid agonist is tightly regulated and must typically be dispensed through specialized daily clinics to treat opioid use disorder.
What is methadone?
These internal or external stimuli--such as high-stress situations, certain environments, or old acquaintances--can increase an individual's craving to use substances.
What are triggers?
This level of care is a step down from PHP and typically requires clients to attend treatment 3 to 5 days a week for about 9 to 15 hours total per week.
What is an IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program)?
Unlike inpatient care, this 3-letter acronym describes a structured treatment program where patients attend therapy sessions for several hours a day, multiple days a week, but return home each night.
What is IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program)?
This short-term emergency financial assistance program provides eligible low-income households with up to $7000 per year to cover rent arrears, utility bills, or move-in costs during a housing crisis.
What is RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition)?
These legal statutes protect individuals from prosecution for drug possession when they call 911 to report a medical emergency or overdose.
What are Good Samaritan laws?
In a safety plan, identifying this specific type of individual--someone who provides accountability without judgement--is crucial for immediate outreach during a craving.
Who is a support person/sponsor/sober peer?
This lowest level of professional treatment structure typically involves just 1 to 2 hours of individual or group therapy per week.
What is OP (Outpatient Care)?
This free, confidential, 24/7/365 federal hotline operated by SAMHSA, provides treatment referrals and information for individuals and families facing mental health or substance use disorders.
What is the National Helpline?
If a client receives SNAP or MassHealth benefits, they are eligible for discounted rates on electricity and home heating fuel through this state-mandated program.
What is the Massachusetts Utility Discount Rate Program?
This core service of Syringe Exchange Programs ensures that used needles are safely discarded to protect both the individual and the community.
What is safe sharps disposal?
This term describes a well-intentioned but counterproductive behavior where family members shield a loved one from the negative consequences of their substance use, inadvertently making it easier for the condition to continue.
What is enabling?
This phrase describes the seamless transition of a client through lighter levels of treatment without gaps, which significantly reduces the risk of relapse.
What is Continuum of Care?