In an effort to reduce barriers to recovery, the town has hired a substance use coordinator and two peer recovery coaches to provide free services to the community.
“We’re trying to destigmatize it so that people who want help feel comfortable stepping forward for assistance,” said Health Director Wesley Chin.
All three roles will be covered by the money the town has received as part of the nationwide opioid settlement, according to Chin.
In 2021, Massachusetts joined a series of nationwide financial settlements with several pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies that the states claimed liable for the epidemic of opioid abuse. According to the state website, these settlements will bring a combined $900 million into Massachusetts for substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support.
Disbursements will range in amount through 2038, according to Chin. Last year, the town received $147,000. To date this year, Belmont has received $54,000.
After months of interviews and focus groups, combined with a survey that garnered 574 responses (a 5.5% response rate), the Board of Health voted unanimously last year to support Jess Fefferman’s recommendations for how to spend the money.
“One of the ways she determined was by offering recovery treatment services to any individuals that are in need of assistance with substance use disorders,” Chin said.
Another priority was to hire a substance use coordinator, whose position is shared with Winchester. Hired to fill that role was Barrie Brian, a woman in long-term recovery and a mother to a son with substance use disorder.
“Belmont is like Winchester, in that [there’s a] ‘It’s not going on here’ type of attitude,” Brian said.
Brian, who officially started in July, will also double as a peer recovery coach.
“The nature of the role is the help being offered by people who are familiar with or have experience [with substance use disorder],” she said. “That also lowers the barrier a little bit, because it’s people who have an understanding, and it reduces the shame in that way for that relationship to build.”
Brian said she got into the field of peer recovery as a result of 10 years of dealing with a son with addiction.
“There’s highs and lows,” she said. “I use that as my own sort of personal commitment … to find what the best things were to get him help. What are the best ways to enable recovery, not use.”
According to Brian, there are several groups locally for families seeking support, such as Learn to Cope and The Family Restored. One thing she hopes to do in the future is to create a support group that complements what’s already available in the region.
“I’m looking at doing a program for families focusing on connection, support, resources, and wellness,” she said.
Central to her mission, she said, is ensuring that families of those affected by addiction stay healthy.
“When addiction is in the family, often the whole family gets really sick over time, which is understandable,” Brian said. “The goal is to help the family stay healthy and well as they navigate this awful terrain.”
Other things Fefferman recommended continuing were the collection of sharps and needles, the collection of prescription medications at the police department, and partnering with the Fire Department to offer free CPR and Narcan training classes to the community. Narcan, or naloxone, is a drug given to reverse or reduce the effects of opioid overdoses.
The big thing now, Chin said, is getting the word out about the recovery coaching services. Coaches include Tommy Caccavaro, who is also a peer recovery coach for Winchester, and Erin Lubien, a peer recovery coach in Brookline.
“We haven’t even put the word out yet, but Barrie and Tommy are already working with three families that have learned about them through word of mouth,” Chin said.
In addition to information available on the town website, Chin said the plan is for the town to send postcards to every home, alerting residents of what’s available. Also, bags with Narcan and a list of recovery resources, as well as contact information for coaches, have been created for first responders to leave with individuals in the event of an overdose or suspected overdose.
“The town is supposed to receive funding up until 2039 so as long as the state keeps providing the funding, we’re going to direct it toward [recovery coaching],” Chin said. “It’s always hard to predict, but if funding is stopped, hopefully the town will be able to continue the services. It’s proven already to be a valuable service.”
