Information

 

 

 

 

Join our AREAS Group - Our Recovery Community Education Support Service

 

We have learned that advocacy and reducing stigma begins with offering support to people who fear speaking up because they maybe viewed as "bad" - and feel intimidated by and/or do not know how to get help. So MOAR has set up AREAS, Addiction Recovery Education Access Services, an educational support system for the recovery community. We are providing recovery support education based on requests from the membership. We are building on our pilot projects, and develop peer leadership that reaches out to people in need. The vision is about building a strong recovery community, who help each other help themselves, as we learn to educate the public and policymakers and make the following a reality:Faces and Voices of Recovery:

 

Visible, Vocal, Valuable, Victorious

 

How Does AREAS Work?  We meet weekly and center on a curriculum facilitated by a peer, who has been trained and continues to be coached. 

 

Right now, we hold AREAS groups in Allston, East Boston, and New Bedford.     Springfield and Worcester will resume in the fall. We will be holding facilitator trainings soon.

 

Some of the topics are:

 

• How to Cope with a CORI

• Building a Relationship with Your DCF Worker

• Learning to Navigate the System

• Addressing Housing Issues

• Relapse Prevention Skills

• Building Values in Recovery

• Educating Policymakers

• How to Tell Your Story of Recovery in Sixty Seconds, "MOAR" or Less

 

MOAR Educational Resources for You Created By MOAR members.

 

• A Mini Resource Guide with MOAR to Come Navigating The System: One Page Fact Sheets

• A Detox and Adolescent Services Resource Guide Listing of State Detox and Adolescent Support Resources

• Considering Consequences of Drug Use Resource Guide Lists Drugs, inclusive of alcohol with effects of use

• MOAR on Recovery Capital: An Investment for Society Stories submitted from individuals and families in the recovery process. Lists Peer Parent Support Groups 

 

MOAR Accomplishments

 

• Supporting the establishment of an adolescent treatment facility in Western MA

• 23 years of Recovery Month Celebrations with national attention  Received a SAMHSA Award in 2011.

• 13 Years of Celebrating Alcohol Awareness Month

• Increased availability of Recovery Action Meetings to East Boston, Jamaica Plain, South Boston, Beverly, New Bedford, Lawrence, Springfield, and Worcester. We look forward to doing MOAR!

• Policymaker and Public Education to support services for families and individuals

• Collaboration with Community and Statewide Coalitions to Create Public Awareness

• 20 awards for Community Contributions

• Received Joel Hernandes Advocacy Award from Faces and Voices of Recovery at America Honors Recovery Celebration 2012,

 

Membership

 

What MOAR Members do to create those accomplishments:

 

• Some of our members have helped develop peer to peer recovery education, others have benefited from the service, and are educating others. Others are presenting to peer groups, treatment providers, policymakers and members of the media to address needs of those recovering from addiction.

• Other members make the presence of the recovering community known simply by going to relevant public forums.

• Some members contribute stories and items of interest to our newsletter.

• Members volunteer their time behind the scenes to support informational campaigns, rallies, and conferences and other events that support MOAR's mission. Other opportunities include event planning, preparing print, media and web material, telephone calls, letter writing, administrative, clerical support.

• Some members simply attend MOAR meetings to discuss issues, or to learn about how to inform and educate others regarding addiction and recovery.

 

Membership Benefits

 

• The MOAR Newsletter

• Updates and alerts regarding legislation and budget issues that impact the recovering community

• Information and Resources circulated at meetings

• Coaching and support in maintaining anonymity traditions and in presenting effectively to individuals and groups

• The benefits and satisfactions of making a difference in the lives of others

 

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Membership Application