An open letter to Mayor Domenic Sarno and Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood re: the Shooting Death of Orlando Taylor on January 9, 2022
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An Ongoing Trend: Peer Supporters Left Out of Conversations on Peer Support Conversations on Peer Support
There is a growing trend in Massachusetts: Meetings and committees forming to regulate peer support roles where people who have substantive experience working in peer roles are either dramatically under […]
Western Mass Holiday Meals and Volunteer Opportunities
Amherst – Not Bread Alone Soup Kitchen offers a community meal on Thanksgiving Day, in addition to weekend and Wednesday meals. Anyone and everyone is welcome to be part of the holiday celebration, […]
World Health Organization (WHO) Releases Full Report:
Guidance on community mental health services: Promoting person-centred and rights-based approaches Last month, we let you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) would be releasing guidance on rights-based approaches […]
Open Letter to Holyoke Mayor
To Acting Mayor Terence Murphy, On May 25, 2020, Darnella Frazier documented the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis, Minnesota police, dramatically amplifying the need to end […]
Open Letter to the Mayor of Northampton
To Mayor David Narkewicz: We are writing this open letter to you from the Wildflower Alliance (formerly known as the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community or ‘RLC’) in regards to […]
George Floyd & The Chauvin Verdict
George FloydLate in the afternoon of April 20th, 2021, Derek Chauvin was ruled guilty on all three charges related to the murder of George Floyd. Second-degree unintentional murder. Third-degree murder. Second-degree […]
The Power Problem with Honorifics
Losses of power and control are driving forces in a number of people’s \ experiences of emotional distress. Many people find that their emotional distress is rooted in past traumas. […]
“Assisted Outpatient Treatment” Arrives in Massachusetts Behind the Backs of Advocates
The BOAT has arrived. BOAT stands for the Boston Outpatient Assisted Treatment Program. (Apparently, they reversed the order of the second and third word from what is most commonly seen to […]
Cancellation and closure announcement for Tuesday, February 16th, 2021!
Due to the severe winter weather forecast closures are as follows: -There will be no open hours at the Brick House in Turners Falls -The in-person 5pm Alternatives to Suicide […]
Low-Income Sex Work In The Era of COVID-19
By Caty Simon, September 2020 Low-income sex workers have suffered enormously during the pandemic. An in-person industry which consists of being in intimate contact with others by definition is one […]
Homelessness During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on so many people across our country and across the world. However, relatively few are considering the impact of the pandemic on several […]