Western MASS Regional Listings

Western Mass Recovery Learning Community

Contact: Sera Davidow
Street and Mailing Address:
187 High Street Suite 303
Holyoke, MA 01040
Telephone: (413) 539-5941
Toll-Free: (866) 641-2853
Fax: (413) 536-5466
Email: info@westernmassrlc.org
Website: www.westernmassrlc.org
COPA Description:
The Western Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community (RLC) supports individuals in finding their own paths to mental health recovery within the communities of their choice by offering trauma-sensitive peer supports and through the development of a regional peer network. The Western Mass RLC is entirely peer-run and is active in all four counties - Hampshire, Hampden, Berkshire, and Franklin - of Western Massachusetts. As a peer community, everything we do is based upon the voiced needs of our friends and neighbors. Our guiding council, consisting of peers from all parts of Western Mass and has provided us with excellent direction and guidance as we build this community together. Currently the RLC consists of a central Resource Connection Center (RCC) in Holyoke where much activity takes place, satellite centers in Greenfield and Pittsfield, workshops and trainings made available elsewhere in the region, advocacy support, and resource sharing whether by our toll free phone number (866-641-2853), our e-mail lists, or here on our website.

Ad Lib. Inc. Drop-In Center

Contact Person: Patricia LeBeau-McDonough
Contact Person's Phone: (413) 448-2461
Contact Person's Mailing Address:
215 North St.
Pittsfield, MA
01201
Street Address:
215 North Street
City: Pittsfield
Zip Code: 01201
Type of COPA: Support group, Drop-in center, Advocacy group
COPA Description:
All staff are consumers and each have their own activities and on separate nights. A consumer runs an advocacy group every Monday @ 1PM.
Location of COPA:
Here (215 North St., Pittsfield), M-F evenings 6:30-8:00PM; Sat&Sun 1-6PM 3 different activities
Membership Requirements:
Open to all people with any type of disability - can visit 3 times before deciding to become a member.
Hours of Operation:
About once a week: Advocacy group 1PM Mondays; Other: 7 days or evenings a week

Career Initiatives

Contact Person: Danielle Niedcweicky
Conact Person's Phone: 413 536-2401 ext. 3011
Contact Person's Mailing Address:
187 High St., Suite 204 Holyoke, MA 01040
Street Address:
187 High Street, Suite 204
City: Holyoke
Zip Code: 01040
Contact Person's Email: ocohen@wmtcinfo.org
Website: www.wmtcinfo.org/career_initiatives.shtml
Type of COPA:
Business: small business development
COPA Description:
Career Initiatives provides training and seed money to support consumer-run businesses and self-employment ventures.
Location of COPA: Western MA
Membership Requirements
Mental health, addictions, and/or trauma recovery
When does the program or activity occur?
About once a month

Consumer Leadership Council

Contact Person: Linda S. Rost
Contact Person's Phone: (413) 442-7047
Contact Person's Mailing Address:
c/o Ad Lib CIL
215 North Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Street Address:
c/o Ad Lib CIL
215 North Street
City:
Pittsfield (however, this COPA takes place in Northampton)
Zip Code: 01201
Contact Person's Email: lstein@adlibcil.org
Type of COPA:
Support group, Advocacy group, Other: information sharing (events, resources, news of interest)
COPA Description:
Meetings for any consumer/survivor who was interested in learning more about advocacy and offering stakeholder input into DMH and supporting each other in their efforts.
Location of COPA:
Past meetings for last 2 years have been at the DMH Area Office Conference Room, Northampton MA (original 2 meetings were in Boston). The Council has been on hiatus for the summer. Future meetings TBA.
Membership Requirements:
Being a MH Consumer ("self-declared") and an interest to participate in activism and/or advocacy activities.
When does the program or activity occur?
About once a month but the Council has been on hiatus for the summer. Future meetings TBA.

Freedom Center

Contact Person: Will Hall
Contact Person's Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 623
Northampton, MA 01061
Street Address:
P.O. Box 623
City: Northampton, MA
Zip Code: 01061
Contact Person's Email: info@freedom-center.org
Website: www.freedom-center.org
Type of COPA:
Support Group, Drop-in Center, Advocacy Group, human rights, activism, public education, media
COPA Description:
Freedom Center is a support, advocacy, and activism group run by and for people with mental illness labels who want options outside the mainstream, founded in 2001. We offer holistic alternatives including free yoga and a free acupuncture class, a weekly drop-in support group, information resource sharing, and peer advocacy to challenge human rights abuses. We have a weekly radio show and frequent public education events that draw hundreds of people. We are for choice and self-determination and all our work is based on personal empowerment and taking back control of our lives. About half of us are taking psychiatric drugs, and we help people get off psych drugs and explore other options if that is what they want. We work for access to real options and alternatives to mainstream treatments, and we challenge pharmaceutical company corruption and misinformation about the nature of psychiatric diagnosis and the risks of psych drugs and support true informed consent, currently absent from mental health system. We are against all force and coercion and believe the mental health system can and should be nonviolent and do no harm. Safe Houses must be created, such as Soteria, where coercion is not used, there is no paternalistic diagnoses or bureaucracy, and drugs aren't pushed. We are collectively run and welcome new volunteers and interns. We also welcome mental health staff and others who are allies.
Location of COPA: Northampton, MA
Membership Requirements: None
When does the program or activity occur?
Acupuncture clinic mondays 4:30pm
yoga mondays 7pm
radio show wednesdays 6pm
support group thursdays 7pm

RECOVER Project

Contact Person: Laurie Kamansky
Contact Person's Phone: (413) 774-5489 x12
Contact Person's Mailing Address:
55 Federal St., Suite 125
Greenfield, MA 01301
Street Address: 55 Federal St., Suite 125
City: Greenfield
Zip Code: 01301
Contact Person's Email: lkamansky@wmtcinfo.org
Website: http://recoverproject.org/
Type of COPA:
Recovery community services program, peer to peer
COPA Description:
The RECOVER Project is a community open to all concerned with alcohol & drug addiction. We exist to foster recovery & empower individuals, families, and the community of Franklin County and Athol.
Location of COPA: Franklin County
Membership Requirements: None
When does the program or activity occur?
Center open M-F, 9-5 & other times as scheduled

Staff Survivor's Network

Contact Person: Lee Shuer Sera Davidow
Address:
129 King Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Contact Person's Emails: leisure@staffsurvivorsnetwork.com and sera@staffsurvivorsnetwork.com
Website: www.staffsurvivorsnetwork.com
Type of COPA: Support group, Advocacy group
COPA Description:
The Staff Survivor's Network is a support/advocacy group founded by mental health staff with a mental illness diagnosis, for mental health staff with a mental illness diagnosis. We provide support for our peers, who we consider to be the silent majority in our field, and advocate for system reforms, ie, eliminating self-disclosure prohibition, and the misuse of medications. We are forming a national, as well as international, data base for our staff survivor peers, with the goal of transforming the system by recognizing the unique talents and abilities that those of us who walk both sides of the line, bring to the workplace, while strategizing how to deal with the unique stresses that come with a job that can hit so close to home. WE ARE THE ONLY GROUP RUN BY AND FOR MENTAL HEALTH STAFF WITH A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS IN THE COUNTRY!
Location of COPA:
We meet in the private,"Library Room," in the back of Packards restaurant, in Northampton, MA, on Masonic St. We meet the first Tuesday and third Thursday of each month, from 7-9pm. If there is a change in time or place for a meeting, the information will be posted on our website.
Membership Requirements:
Our group is open to all mental health staff in recovery from mental illness, as well as individuals with a diagnosis who are phasing out of a job, or gearing up to start a new mental health job. We want to support people in all phases of the process. Our members represent a number of different mental health service providers, from Windhorse to ServiceNet, and even programs in New Zealand! Diversity is the key to our success. WE ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY ORGANIZATION. WE ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT. WE ARE SUPPORTED BY A NUMBER OF VENDORS AND CONSUMER-RUN ORGANIZATIONS, BUT OPERATE ON OUR OWN.
When does the program or activity occur?
We meet the first Tuesday and third Thursday of every month, from 7-9pm.

VOICES Consumer Theatre Company

Contact Person: Sally Filkins
Contact Person's Phone: (413) 442-1928
Contact Person's Mailing Address:
35 Clinton Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Street Address: 35 Clinton Ave.
City: Pittsfield
Zip Code: 01201
Contact Person's Email: ckingw3@nycap.rr.com
Type of COPA: consumer theatre company
COPA Description:
"VOICES" uses original theatre pieces, written by consumers, as a vehicle to educate, decrease stigma, advocate, and empower audiences.
Location of COPA:
Pittsfield, MA - We tour throughout the state and region
Membership Requirements:
Participants must be able to function independently.
When does the program or activity occur?
About once a week, but often several times per week