7 Cups has online forums for all different mental health concerns. You can also speak online or over the phone with staff one-on-one. Volunteers are available to speak 24/7 either online or over the phone 24/7. Phone numbers can be found on the site. Users can also speak with a licensed therapist. Those sessions cost $150.

Well Connection is available to those with Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Insurance. Users can speak live with a real doctor for both medical and mental health concerns. Meetings are secure and confidential, and doctors are available 24/7.

Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services: If you are experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis, please call 800-640-5432 to speak to an Advocates crisis clinician. Staff are available to help 24 hours a day, every day.

“We understand during this difficult time people are in need of these critical services,” said Chief Flaherty. “It is more important than ever for our community to have access to support and resources. Any resident who is having difficulty obtaining these services is encouraged to call the Arlington Police Department business line at 781-643-1212 and we will assist however possible.”

“Despite certain disruptions to everyday services and supports, there are many online and remote resources that are available to those in need,” Arlington Police Clinical Responder Rebecca Wolfe said. “We commend the hard work of our behavioral health and substance abuse agencies during this difficult time.”

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has also rolled out 2-1-1 for COVID-19. Residents can call 2-1-1 at all hours (24/7) for more information and updates surrounding COVID-19.

Do you identify as LGBTQ?  Or would you like to learn more about the LGBTQ community?  The following organizations offer a multitude of services and education.

Fenway Community Health Center
(617) 267-0900; GBLT Helpline – (617) 267-9001
The Fenway Health Center has extensive experience in women’s health, particularly understanding of the unique needs of lesbians, bisexual and transgender women.  Information, help, referrals, and support are offered through the helpline.

Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network
(617) 536-9669
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is a national organization making schools safer for ALL students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.  GLSEN runs conferences, days of action, and workshops for educators and students.

GBLT National Help Center
(888) 843-4564
GBLT National Help Center offers peer counseling, local resources, and information for callers of all ages.

National Youth Advocacy Coalition
(800) 541-6922
The National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC) is a national organization that works with LGBTQ young people to strengthen their role in the LGBTQ rights movement. NYAC has a national collection of information about LGBTQ issues, and resources.

Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
(866) 427-3524
Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a national support, education and advocacy organization for LGBT people, their families, friends and allies. PFLAG provides PFLAG chapter help-lines, support group meetings and resources, and education to families and communities on LGBT issues. The Boston/Greater Boston chapter is located at 85 River Street, #5A in Waltham. To contact them, email info@gbpflag.org or call.

College Guide for Current or Prospective LGBTQ Students

View the 2019 Multicultural Mental Health Resource Directory by the MA Department of Mental Health
Office of Race, Equity, and Inclusion. The goal of this directory is to increase access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care and thereby support the elimination of health disparities.

Doing a Lot with a Little:How to Start a Police Department-Based Opiate Outreach Program

In July 2015, the Arlington Police Department outlined a new strategy for police officers to get directly involved in the demand side of the heroin and opiate crisis by working with a public health clinician to conduct direct outreach to the known substance user community and their families, friends, and caregivers. This program is called the Arlington Opiate Outreach Initiative.

Two-Pronged Approach

Outreach phone call or visit after an overdose or referral
Education and Awareness (Arlington A.C.T.S.)

If someone you know is currently experiencing an overdose:

Step 1:

CALL FOR HELP (CALL 911)
AN OPIOID OVERDOSE NEEDS IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION. An essential step is to get someone with medical expertise to see the patient as soon as possible, so if no EMS or other trained personnel are on the scene, dial 911 immediately. All you have to say is: “Someone is not breathing.” Be sure to give a clear address and/or description of your location. Good Samaritan Law

Step 2:

CHECK FOR SIGNS OF OPIOID OVERDOSE
Signs of Overdose, which often results in death if not treated, include: 

Face is extremely pale and/or clammy to the touch
Body is limp
Fingernails or lips have a blue or purple cast
The patient is vomiting or making gurgling noises
He or she cannot be awakened from sleep or is unable to speak
Breathing is very slow or stopped
Heartbeat is very slow or stopped. 

Signs of Over medication, which may progress to overdose, include:

Unusual sleepiness or drowsiness
Mental confusion, slurred speech, intoxicated behavior
Slow or shallow breathing
Pinpoint pupils
Slow heartbeat, low blood pressure
Difficulty waking the person from sleep.

Because opioids depress respiratory function and breathing, one telltale sign of a person in a critical medical state is the “death rattle.” If a person emits a “death rattle” — an exhaled breath with a very distinct, labored sound coming from the throat — emergency resuscitation will be necessary immediately, as it almost always is a sign that the individual is near death.

Step 3:

SUPPORT THE PERSON’S BREATHING
Ideally, individuals who are experiencing opioid overdose should be ventilated with 100% oxygen before naloxone is administered so as to reduce the risk of acute lung injury. In situations where 100% oxygen is not available, rescue breathing can be very effective in supporting respiration. Rescue breathing consists of the following steps:

Be sure the person's airway is clear (check that nothing inside the person’s mouth or throat is blocking the airway).
Place one hand on the person's chin, tilt the head back and pinch the nose closed.
Place your mouth over the person's mouth to make a seal and give 2 slow breaths.
The person's chest should rise (but not the stomach).
Follow up with one breath every 5 seconds.

Step 4:

ADMINISTER NALOXONE (if you have access to it)
Naloxone (Narcan) should be administered to any person who shows signs of opioid overdose, or when overdose is suspected. Naloxone injection is approved by the FDA and has been used for decades by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to reverse opioid overdose and resuscitate individuals who have overdosed on opioids.

Naloxone can be given by intramuscular or intravenous injection every 2 to 3 minutes. The most rapid onset of action is achieved by intravenous administration, which is recommended in emergency situations. The dose should be titrated to the smallest effective dose that maintains spontaneous normal respiratory drive.

Opioid-naive patients may be given starting doses of up to 2 mg without concern for triggering withdrawal symptoms. The intramuscular route of administration may be more suitable for patients with a history of opioid dependence because it provides a slower onset of action and a prolonged duration of effect, which may minimize rapid onset of withdrawal symptoms.

Step 5:

MONITOR THE PERSON’S RESPONSE
All patients should be monitored for recurrence of signs and symptoms of opioid toxicity for at least 4 hours from the last dose of naloxone or discontinuation of the naloxone infusion. Patients who have overdosed on long-acting opioids should have more prolonged monitoring.

Most patients respond by returning to spontaneous breathing, with minimal withdrawal symptoms. The response generally occurs within 3 to 5 minutes of naloxone administration. (Rescue breathing should continue while waiting for the naloxone to take effect.) Naloxone will continue to work for 30 to 90 minutes, but after that time, overdose symptoms may return. Therefore, it is essential to get the person to an emergency department or other source of medical care as quickly as possible, even if he or she revives after the initial dose of naloxone and seems to feel better.

Dos and Don’ts in Responding to Opioid Overdose

DO support the person’s breathing by administering oxygen or performing rescue breathing.
DO administer naloxone.
DO put the person in the “recovery position” on the side, if he or she is breathing independently.
DO stay with the person and keep him/her warm.
DON'T slap or try to forcefully stimulate the person — it will only cause further injury. If you are unable to wake the person by shouting, rubbing your knuckles on the sternum (center of the chest or rib cage), or light pinching, he or she may be unconscious.
DON'T put the person into a cold bath or shower. This increases the risk of falling, drowning or going into shock.
DON'T inject the person with any substance (salt water, milk, “speed,” heroin, etc.). The only safe and appropriate treatment is naloxone.
DON'T try to make the person vomit drugs that he or she may have swallowed. Choking or inhaling vomit into the lungs can cause a fatal injury.

NOTE: All naloxone products have an expiration date, so it is important to check the expiration date and obtain replacement naloxone as needed.

Coming Home Day

We encourage anyone being discharged from treatment to call or email me (see below). We will arrange for a community volunteer to meet with you on the day of discharge and bring you to an AA meeting or help link you to other services. Coming Home Day is a kind of social or community relapse prevention, bridging the precarious gap between inpatient care and community living.

For more information on overdoses, please visit SAMHSA's website.
To download a copy of the SAMHSA opioid overdose prevention toolkit, click here. toolkit This toolkit equips health care providers, communities, and local governments with material to develop practices and policies to help prevent opioid-related overdoses and deaths. It addresses issues for health care providers, first responders, treatment providers, and those recovering from opioid overdose.

Sanctioned Partners

Recovery Centers of America
Right Turn
Cambridge Needle Exchange
McLean Hospital
Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC)
Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services
Square Medical Group
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc.

Informational Links

Prescribe to Prevent
Learn 2 Cope
SAMHSA
Narcotics Anonymous
Healthy Streets
State Without StigMA

In the news:

http://paariusa.org/arlington/
http://paariusa.org/2015/07/09/p-a-a-r-i-to-fund-addiction-outreach-program-in-arlington-mass/
http://paariusa.org/2015/08/18/arlington-officials-to-host-prescription-drug-take-back-day-this-week/
http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2015/08/feds_handing_out_5m_to_help_heroin_addicts
http://www.wcvb.com/news/arlington-community-rallies-to-get-alleged-drug-dealer-off-the-streets/33781872
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn8fBLi972Q
http://www.wbur.org/2015/07/10/arlington-police-drug-addiction-program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWiDVhitNY0
http://arlington.wickedlocal.com/article/20150806/NEWS/150808062
http://wgbhnews.org/post/new-face-addiction-ma-police-respond-crisis
http://on.msnbc.com/1Pe1eDj
http://arlington.wickedlocal.com/article/20151130/NEWS/151139804
http://www.arlingtonma.gov/Home/Components/News/News/3383/494
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/01/25/arlington-chief-use-alert-system-invite-residents-meeting-medicine-treat-opioid-addiction/eJjRxsHNOHZ4cpxxCInl8N/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe%3Asocialflow%3Atwitter
http://www.necn.com/on-air/as-seen-on/NECN_020116_broadsideB_NECN-367290311.html
http://www.bu.edu/sph/2016/03/17/looking-at-care-instead-of-jail-for-problem-close-to-home/

The Town of Arlington and the Arlington Police Department are proud members of Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ) and have been for many years. Restorative justice is a victim-based alternative to the traditional criminal justice system and it is both ancient and new. It was practiced in communities around the world before laws were written down. Yet communities like ours are still learning about it (or maybe relearning it).

To get started, here’s a basic definition:

"Restorative justice is a process to involve, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in an offense and to collectively identify and address harms, needs and obligations, in order to heal and put things right as possible."
Howard Zehr, PhD, The Little Book of Restorative Justice, 2002

There are three basic principles that all restorative justice programs subscribe to:

Crime is a violation of people and relationships. Yes, a law may have been broken, but the harm is primarily against people, not an abstract law or other state entity.
Crime creates harms, needs, and obligations. If crime upsets the balance, and results in actual harms and needs, then who should be primarily obliged to restore that balance?
Those most affected should be meaningfully included and empowered. If John broke into Ms. Jones’s home, we should ask Ms. Jones what she wants and needs from the process.

Restorative justice can take place in many kinds of cases as long as there are willing participants and a safe environment. Dr. Zehr (quoted above) has conducted restorative justice in crimes of severe and mass violence. At C4RJ, police partners set referral criteria and typically refer adults and youth who are facing criminal charges such as breaking and entering, assault and battery, larceny (e.g., shoplifting), vandalism, illegal substances, and trespassing.

For more information on C4RJ, please visit their website: http://www.c4rj.com/

The Arlington Police Department offers a free Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) class for female residents over the age of 18. The R.A.D. system develops and enhances the options of self-defense through lecture, discussion, and hands-on self-defense techniques. The R.A.D. system is a comprehensive, women only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk-reduction, and risk-avoidance, while progressing to the basics of hands on defensive training.

Classes are posted to the event calendar and on our social media pages. For future class times, please check these locations for up to date postings. 

Pre-registration and classes start annually in May. In order to participate in the class, you must be able to attend all four class dates. Classes are held on Thursdays from 6-9pm for four consecutive weeks, beginning at the end of May, and running through mid-June. It is taught on the 2nd floor of the Arlington Police Department at 112 Mystic St. by nationally certified R.A.D. instructors. Space is limited to 16 women per class. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact Danielle Smith at 781-316-3985 or by email at DSmith@town.arlington.ma.us.

*You must be able to attend all four classes to complete this course

For additional information visit the R.A.D. Systems website at www.rad-systems.com.

Nearly 95% of child safety seats checked in Massachusetts are improperly installed!

The Arlington Police Department has officers trained in child passenger safety. These officers will inspect and teach the proper installation of car seats to any Arlington resident. You will be required to install the seat prior to your appointment.  It is important to remember technicians are not here to install your seat.

Car seat inspections are generally conducted every first Saturday of the month from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (check calendar before heading out). Inspections are held at the Arlington Police Department, 112 Mystic Street.

You may also make an appointment by emailing carseat@town.arlington.ma.us. In the email, please provide three separate dates and times based on your availability, as well as your name and phone number. A technician will respond to your email as soon as possible, with the scheduled date and time. 

Massachusetts Law requires that all children riding in passenger motor vehicles must be in a federally-approved child passenger restraint that is properly fastened and secured until they are 8 years old or over 57 inches tall.

More Information About Child Passenger Safety

Sign up to receive recall notices on your child safety seat from the US Department of Transportation

Massachusetts Child Passenger Safety Program

SaferCar.gov

Recent statistics issued by the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau show that 22% of children five and under were observed riding unrestrained in motor vehicles.

It was the alarming results of statistics like these that led to the development of the Arlington Child Passenger Safety Program. The Arlington Police Department has advanced the safety of children riding in vehicles through our partnership with the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau (GHSB) and the Arlington Fire Department.

The Community Police Academy (CPA) is a free, 8-week opportunity to interact and learn about the Arlington Police Department through scenario-based learning, classroom experiences, and in the field activities.

It is open to people who live or work in the Town of Arlington who are 18 years or older.

NEXT SESSION BEGINS: Thursday, January 9, 2025 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

WHERE: Community Room located on the 2nd floor of the Arlington Police Department, 112 Mystic Street, Arlington, MA 02474

HOW TO APPLY: Complete the application and return it to the Records Department on the 2nd Floor or email us Policerecords@town.arlington.ma.us

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications must be received by 12 pm, on Monday, December 16th to be considered for this session. Late applications will be given priority consideration for the next session.

Topics include:

APD K-9 Unit
History of the APD
Crime Scene Investigation
Emergency 911 System
Traffic Law
Restorative Justice Program
Domestic Violence
Cyber Crime
Identity Theft
Patrol Ride-along
More

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. All applicants are subject to background check.
Class size is limited and will fill up quickly so please turn in your application as soon as possible.

*Please only turn in applications during enrollment period.

The Arlington Police Department has implemented a new program that will help officers locate residents who are at-risk of wandering from home and becoming lost. The new program is called Safewatch, a feature of Delphi Technology Solution's Digital HeadQuarters (DHQ) software, which compiles information about residents ‘at risk’ for potentially wandering or going missing, including the elderly, individuals with dementia and children with autism. The software will store information that will help police locate a missing individual, such as a photo of the person, his or her verbal abilities, and more.

Family members, parents and friends of residents who have Autism, Alzheimer's, Dementia, and other cognitive disorders are encouraged to fill out APD's Vital Emergency Information Form with as much information about their loved one as possible. This information will be used to aid in situations where an 'At Risk' resident is found or is missing. Through this initiative the hope is to return loved ones to their homes or programs as quick and as safely as possible.

Please fill out this form as completely and as accurately as possible and include a picture. Return to APD, in person or by mail (112 Mystic Street, Arlington MA 02474 ATTN: Safewatch), or by email to policerecords@town.arlington.ma.us.