Dear Community,
Charles Dickens opened a Tale of Two Cities with these memorable lines:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
In the past few months, I have felt these words in my soul.
Some of us have rejoiced in this new time spent with family, the opportunity to get ahead of those fall clean outs, and the ability to practice a work from home life. Others have experienced financial and academic changes, mental and medical heath concerns, and most deeply a lost sense of hope and recovery.
It is during these times that we must reckon with our own lines of need.
The SAFE Coalition has seen an incredible increase in calls – which we welcome and it’s why we are here.
The calls have been from individuals asking for support, parents seeking information for their children’s health, school systems looking for structure in treatment, and local prescribers and first responders interested in collaborating. On top of that, we have received inquiries on ways to support the larger community.
We often speak about Vaping, Heroin, Alcohol, mental health, expectations vs. reality and domestic violence. In listening, we take the time to recognize how stigma, past care, and the reality of the world are impacting each caller. We, work together, to create a recovery oriented support plan for the family as a whole.
We recognize that you and those you love are worthy of support. We know that the quiet voice whispering in the dark of night, the reminders of vulnerability, the questions of, “am I doing enough?”, does not need to hold a place within you forever. And we believe the fears you have about your child’s substance use is not a failure of your parenting, but an opportunity to gain more insight into their needs.
Healing only happens when it is shared within a supportive community.
With a warm (socially distant) embrace, the SAFE Coalition offers pathways for support, education, treatment options and healing opportunities. We are here and we are ready.
Warmly,
Jennifer Knight-Levine
Executive Director, co-founder
SAFE Coalition https://www.safecoalitionma.org/
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SAFE Coalition reminds the community it is here to provide support
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