Substance Use
Substance use in a family can create emotional stress, financial problems, and instability that disrupt daily routines and strain relationships. School-aged children often experience anxiety, behavioral issues, and difficulty concentrating, which can lead to academic struggles and social challenges. They may take on adult responsibilities, face neglect, or feel unsafe at home, all of which can harm their emotional and physical well-being. If substance use is affecting your family, it's important to get help.
Substance use in a family can create emotional stress, financial problems, and instability that disrupt daily routines and strain relationships. School-aged children often experience anxiety, behavioral issues, and difficulty concentrating, which can lead to academic struggles and social challenges. They may take on adult responsibilities, face neglect, or feel unsafe at home, all of which can harm their emotional and physical well-being. If substance use is affecting your family, it's important to get help.
NEW!!!: iCARE is a new, free program for caregivers looking for self-paced education and tips about navigating adolescent substance use. This program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and can be completed on a computer/tablet or phone by creating a free, individual learner account on the Dr. Katz app, a healthcare knowledge platform. Click below for information.
CLICK FOR INFORMATION
Wakefield Prevention & Wellness Staff
Recovery and Support in Wakefield
The Health Department supports residents’ goals as they relate to living healthy lifestyles. From local initiatives, like the Wake-up Coalition, to partnerships with Eliot Community Services, we are proud to provide resources relating to behavioral and mental health.
Recovery Coaching
Vaneza Burgos, Wakefield's recovery coach is available to those in need of assistance with substance-use issues. Vaneza helps individuals and their families navigate the care system by building a relationship with each individual, and helping to support behavior changes in their journey toward recovery. She can be reached at 339-219-4626.
Resources
Family & Support Networks
Wake-Up
Wake-Up (Wakefield Unified Prevention Coalition) is a group of concerned community members, providers, public officials, youth, and parents. The group uses proven strategies to address and reduce the unique community factors that contribute to high-risk behavior in youth and promotes the development of healthy Wakefield youth and families.
The Health Department supports residents’ goals as they relate to living healthy lifestyles. From local initiatives, like the Wake-up Coalition, to partnerships with Eliot Community Services, we are proud to provide resources relating to behavioral and mental health.
Recovery Coaching
Vaneza Burgos, Wakefield's recovery coach is available to those in need of assistance with substance-use issues. Vaneza helps individuals and their families navigate the care system by building a relationship with each individual, and helping to support behavior changes in their journey toward recovery. She can be reached at 339-219-4626.
Resources
- Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline: A public resource for finding licensed and approved substance use treatment and recovery services. Call 800-327-5050.
- Alcoholics Anonymous Online Intergroup: Directory of online audio/video meetings 7 days per week.
- Narcotics Anonymous: Online meetings in various time zones using multiple platforms.
- Herren Project Live: Online support groups and recovery meetings moderated by trained clinicians.
- In The Rooms: Free weekly online meetings for those recovering from addiction and related issues.
Family & Support Networks
- Al-Anon Family Groups: Electronic meetings for anyone affected by alcoholism in a family member or friend.
- Learn to Cope: Online support forum open to families, friends, and loved ones who have someone in their lives who is struggling with addiction.
- Allies in Recovery: Online support for families dealing with a loved one's addiction, using the evidence-based CRAFT method (Community Reinforcement and Family Training ); free for Massachusetts residents.
Wake-Up
Wake-Up (Wakefield Unified Prevention Coalition) is a group of concerned community members, providers, public officials, youth, and parents. The group uses proven strategies to address and reduce the unique community factors that contribute to high-risk behavior in youth and promotes the development of healthy Wakefield youth and families.
In an effort to address favorable attitudes toward underage drinking and youth substance use in our communities, the MVPHC has worked with prevention staff in 7 cities/towns and a marketing consultant to create a social marketing campaign targeting parents and guardians of middle-school aged youth in our region.
“Prepare yourself. Prepare you kid. Pass it on.”
Follow the links below to find more on how to prepare yourself for the conversation, prepare your kid with information, and pass it on to other parents and adults in your community.
Everything YOU Need to Know: click this link to view our 5 parent & guardian training videos with prevention tips for every age & stage of your child’s development
- “Talk. They hear you.” SAMHSA
- Parent–Child Connectedness
- Talk with your teen about e-cigarettes
- Skills to Help Your Child and Family Heal
- How to Address Underage Drinking
- Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know
- Family Checkup: Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse
- Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
- Keep Connected
- A Rethink of the Way We Drink
- Prevention Tips for Every Age
- How to talk about alcohol at every age/stage
- Why to Have the Alcohol Talk Early
- How to Talk With Your Teen
- When You Discover Teen or Young Adult Drug Use: Set Limits & Monitor
- Preventing Teen or Young Adult Drug Use: How to Talk With Your Child
- Connect with other parents at our local community events!
- Getting to Know Your Child’s Friends: Tips for Parents
- The Introverted Dad’s Guide to Talking to Other Parents
- How to Talk to Other Parents About Their Child: New Rules for the Digital Age
- Making Friends With Your Kids’ Friends’ Parents
- When Parents Have Different Technology Rules
Information About Vaping
Information About Alcohol
Information About Prescription Drugs
Information about THC
Substance Use & Mental Health in Teens & Young Adults
