SSTAR/Fall River Project Assist (Assisting, Serving, Supporting in Stressful Times.)

SSTAR Kicks off Program to Help Community Bounce Back from Tough Economic Times

The City of Fall River and SSTAR, an addiction treatment and health care center, recently launched a program called the Community Resilience and Recovery Initiative (CRRI), which will provide counseling and treatment services for residents affected by the bad economy.

The program is funded by a $5.6 million, four-year Federal grant from SAMSHA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

“The program is designed to strengthen our community resources now, while we are struggling with rising unemployment rates and poverty, so that we will be better prepared for the economy of our future,” said Nancy Paull, CEO of SSTAR.
          
There will be three major components of the program:

First, SSTAR will provide screenings to people who have been struggling with unemployment in order to help them determine if they are at risk for substance abuse or mental health problems. Free, voluntary screenings will take place at locations throughout Fall River including: the Career Center, churches, community colleges, and sites where workers have recently been laid off. Up to six months of counseling and treatment will be provided for individuals coping with these issues. Counseling and treatment will take place at SSTAR.
        
“This program is a resource for people who may be struggling with new problems because they have been out of work for a long time. Symptoms of anixety, depression or substance abuse can be hard to identify, and understand, alone. We will share our services to help people better deal with problems during this difficult time,” Paull said.

Next, SSTAR will launch specific projects to help access and treat people who may be affected by traumatic experiences in their pasts such as: returning veterans, refugees, new immigrants, juvenile offenders, and survivors of domestic violence.

“Hard times can trigger bad memories from people's pasts, and negative emotional reactions to these memories. SSTAR will help people who have faced extremely difficult situations—including violence— to acknowledge where their reactions are coming from. We can share coping and treatment methods,” Paull said.

Finally, SSTAR will work towards helping to develop projects that help fortify the larger community. The organization will partner with neighborhood associations, social groups and other natural supports within the community to promote the healthy initiatives of the project. Areas they may focus on include the development of new community gardening projects, drama and discussion, meditation or fitness classes, community art/therapy projects, and healthy living groups.

This grant will also help social service organizations throughout Fall River to work alongside each other, and residents of Fall River to develop new models and programs for dealing with the population's unique concerns.

The work will help connect and inform organizations throughout the course of the grant. Accordingly, SSTAR will continue to alter programs to reflect the cultural needs of different groups of residents; and to incorporate the input of people seeking help. Parenting, domestic violence, employee training and family intervention programs that have been used at SSTAR over the years will also be introduced to other organizations and members of the community.

The center anticipates screening 9,200 people, or ten percent of the city's population, through this program. They expect about 30 percent of those people who participate in the initial treatment will go on to participate in longer term counseling at SSTAR.

They hope the four-year-concentrated effort helps the community bounce back from it's troubles more easily.

“The economic reality in which we find ourselves is unprecendented. Nobody knows exactly what the future will bring. If we acknowledge the problems we are dealing with, and intervene early enough, we can prevent them from becoming chronic for individuals and for our community,” Paull said.
     
Individuals who seek screening and/or treatment for themselves or someone they care about can also contact SSTAR directly:

The Fall River Community Resilience and Recovery Initiative/ Paula Beaulieu
Phone: 508-837-6957.
Email: PBeaulieu@SSTAR.ORG
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