Community Connections - Substance Abuse & The Road to Recovery

On this episode of Community Connections, host Ryan Malyar talks with Hannah Koepper and Scott "Sunshine Scotty" Francis of MOAR, the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, about substance use prevention and the road to recovery here in Marlboro. Hannah and Scotty break down MOAR's mission to organize people in recovery, families, and allies into a collective voice, and how the organization works across the state through regional coordinators, peer support meetings (including the weekly ARAS meeting at the Recovery Connection on Main Street), and policy advocacy at the State House. The conversation covers the Clean Slate Bill, which would automatically seal eligible CORI records so people don't carry a criminal record long after they've served their time; the Nicotine-Free Generation initiative and the fight to protect it from being rolled back statewide; the Marlborough Alliance for Prevention's youth-focused work; and MOAR's free resource mini-guide, a comprehensive directory of recovery services available on their website. Scotty also shares his personal recovery story and how community and connection, not isolation, became the foundation of his healing. Get involved with MOAR at moar-recovery.org, or stop by the Recovery Connection at 31 Main Street in Marlborough. This episode touches on addiction, trauma, and mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, MOAR's resources and the Recovery Connection are a good place to start.

https://youtu.be/JIuK5c_F7X0