Back to Life: Youth Theater Project Starting this April   Date : Thursdays, April 2–May 7, 2026 Time : 3:00–5:00 p.m. Location : SAFE Adolescent Wellness Center (Franklin) Ages : 13–18   This spring, SAFE is partnering with Drug Story Theater   to bring a powerful new program to the Adolescent Wellness Center. Back to Life: Youth Theater Project   is a free, 6-week theater program for teens ages 13–18. Starting April 2, participants will meet weekly to rehearse and perform an original play that tackles some of the hardest conversations facing young people today: substance use, fentanyl contamination, friendship, and asking for help.   Whether a teen wants to be center stage or help behind the scenes with lighting, sound, or set design, there's a place for them in this program. No theater experience is needed! The series wraps up with a public performance on May 7, followed by a community talkback with Dr. Joseph Shrand, a nationally recognized expert in adolescent addiction. It's an opportunity for teens to not only express themselves creatively, but to become real educators in their communities, helping audiences understand overdose prevention and destigmatizing the use of Narcan. If you know a teen who would benefit from this program, we'd love for you to share it with them. Registration is open now. Back to Life: Youth Theater Project is made possible by the generous support of Mass Cultural Council , Lawson Charitable Foundation , and Community Health Systems Foundation . Upcoming Webinar: Family Support—Why it Matters Date : Thursday, March 26 Time : 6:30–7:30 p.m. Location : Zoom When a loved one struggles with substance use disorder or mental health challenges, the entire family is affected. But recovery is possible, and family plays a critical role in making it happen. In the next installment of SAFE’s Family Recovery Webinar Series , Jim Derick (Co-Founder and Director of Family Recovery) will explore the powerful and often overlooked role of family support in the recovery process. Jim knows this journey firsthand. As both a parent and a professional, he has spent years helping families find their footing. In this one-hour session, he'll cover the importance of Family Recovery, how to recognize and address codependency, strategies for setting healthy boundaries, how to support siblings, and how to best support a loved one in recovery. Whether you're just beginning to understand substance use disorder’s impact on your family or looking for practical tools to strengthen your support, this session is for you. The Family Recovery Webinar Series is designed to deepen understanding of addiction, recovery, and the systems that support healing. SAFE Expands Grief Support to Reach More Families in Need   No one should have to grieve alone, and with new philanthropic support, SAFE is making that commitment a reality for hundreds more families across Massachusetts. SAFE’s Grief Support Program provides individualized counseling, a weekly sibling support group, and immediate outreach to families following sudden losses. When local police or schools refer a grieving family, our counselor reaches out within 24 to 48 hours—long before a traditional mental health waitlist would budge. Clients can stay connected to SAFE’s wraparound care network as long as they need, with no time limits or out-of-pocket costs. SAFE’s approach is built on the understanding that grief tied to substance use, overdose, or mental health loss often carries unique stigma and isolation. Our program is specifically designed to meet families where they are, offering clinical expertise alongside peer-based community support. Thanks to a $13,000 grant from The Parmenter Foundation , SAFE is expanding its Grief Support Program in meaningful ways: doubling annual client capacity, launching new in-person grief groups, and deepening community partnerships to ensure families receive timely, trauma-informed care at no cost. Too many families are processing devastating losses from overdose, suicide, and mental health crises with nowhere to turn. Traditional grief services often come with long waitlists, insurance requirements, or costs that put support out of reach. SAFE fills that gap. Take a Breath: 7-Day Social Media Detox Challenge   Life can feel loud right now. Between the news cycle, social media notifications, and the everyday weight of whatever you’re carrying, it’s easy to lose touch with how you’re actually doing. SAFE is inviting you to slow down and try one small, intentional challenge to help you reconnect with yourself and the people around you. Try It: The 7-Day Social Media Detox Challenge You don’t have to delete every app or disappear from the internet! This challenge is about small, intentional pauses and noticing how they make you feel. Day 1: Notification Audit Turn off non-human notifications: likes, algorithm-driven news alerts, and app badges that don’t involve a real person reaching out to you. Day 2: Morning Grace Before you reach for your phone, give yourself 60 minutes. Make coffee. Sit quietly. Let your brain wake up on its own terms. Day 3: Real-Life Connection Instead of commenting on a friend’s post, call them. Or make plans to meet up. Notice how different that feels. Day 4: Digital Sunset Power down all devices one hour before bed. Your sleep will thank you. Day 5: Unfollow or Mute Take stock of who you follow. If an account consistently leaves you feeling worse about yourself or more anxious about the world, it’s okay to let it go. Day 6: Nature Break Spend 30 minutes outside without pulling out your phone for a photo. Just be there. Massachusetts has incredible trails, parks, and open spaces waiting for you. Day 7: Reflect How does your mind feel compared to Day 1? Even small shifts in focus, sleep, or mood are worth noticing and celebrating. If you find it hard to disconnect, that’s worth exploring too. Digital wellness is a real part of overall wellbeing, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. Contact SAFE at info@safecoalitionma.org to connect with a counselor or peer mentor. Bridging Safety and Healing through Yoga Therapy A Whole-Person Approach to Nervous System Regulation, Awareness, and Sustainable Healing By Brittany Capozzi, C-IAYT and SAFE Compass Yoga Instructor  Brittany teaches Compass Yoga   at SAFE each Saturday from 8:30–9:30 a.m. Free and open to all! The reasons people seek out yoga vary widely, such as better balance, stress relief, or easing pain. But for some, a traditional class doesn’t provide the therapeutic support they need. One-on-one yoga therapy offers a more focused approach for individuals working toward a specific issue or long-term goal, such as easing chronic tension to return to tennis or rebuilding energy after grief to enjoy activities like Zumba again. Healing often begins with personalized tools: small functional movements, breathwork, and guided rest. In a yoga therapy session, the therapist observes what is—and isn’t—happening in the body. A symptom like arm tension may subtly alter natural breathing patterns. The therapist responds with an objective perspective, also noting emotional influences such as frustration that may disrupt rest, or recurring thought patterns like “I’m not strong” that shape movement. Rather than focusing solely on physical symptoms, therapy acknowledges the energetic, mental, emotional, and spiritual layers of a person and how they interact. For example, these facets can come together in the journey of a client recovering from hip surgery and relearning to balance on the injured leg. Her practice includes physical therapy, breath exercises, and guided meditations that regulate the nervous system. When she finally balances on the injured leg alone, her progress reflects more than physical strengthening, it reflects the power of rest to teach the body what safety feels like. When all facets feel safe, balance, strength, and steadiness can emerge. As therapy builds this foundation of safety, clients learn to notice what supports them and what doesn’t, including subtle patterns of compensation. Someone who tightens the neck when reaching overhead may be unintentionally overworking one area to relieve another, creating new pain on top of an unresolved root issue. These connections can be difficult to recognize alone. While internal sensations may shift naturally, the guidance of a yoga therapist opens new choices and directions, helping clients build awareness and move toward meaningful goals. This process mirrors substance use treatment. Both yoga therapy and recovery work support nervous system regulation, help individuals understand patterns of compensation, and strengthen self-trust. As people refine their physiological and emotional patterns, they shift away from brain states associated with pain, loneliness, and discomfort, and toward those that foster presence, ease, empowerment, and awe. If yoga therapy resonates with you or you know someone who may resonate with it, you can reach Brittany directly at Bellacoinforthought@gmail.com GROUPS & CLASSES - WEEKLY SCHEDULE Mondays Postpartum Support Group , 10:00–11:30 a.m. at North Attleborough YMCA. Registration required The Ripple Effect sibling support group , 7:00–8:00 p.m. on Zoom. Meeting ID: 831 8134 8873 Big Book for Beginners , 7:00–8:00 p.m., at SAFE Tuesdays Up in Smoke  Teen Diversion class, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at SAFE. Registration required. Families Anonymous ,   6:30–8:00 p.m. at SAFE and online Wednesdays WhyTry Teen Prevention  One-day Program, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at SAFE Registration required. Up in Smoke  Teen Diversion class, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at SAFE.  Registration required. Postpartum Support Group , noon–1:30 p.m. at Bernon Branch YMCA . Registration required Big Book Study ,  6:30–8:00 p.m., at SAFE Thursdays Up in Smoke  Teen Diversion class, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at SAFE.  Registration required. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren ,  6:30–7:30 p.m. at Bernon Branch YMCA ( 2nd & 4th Thursdays only ) Fridays SAFE Cafe drop-in hours,  8:30 a.m.–noon at SAFE Saturdays Compass Yoga,  8:30–9:30 a.m. at SAFE Registration required Receive Free Narcan Training Join an upcoming SAFE Narcan training to learn how to administer this life-saving medication. Free and open to all! No registration required.      Attendees will:    Learn how to recognize an overdose   Practice administering Narcan   Develop confidence in responding to an overdose    Leave with two 4 mg doses of Narcan  Visit with SAFE about support resources Upcoming Trainings North Attleborough : Saturday, March 7 | 1:00–2:00 p.m. | Richards Memorial Library Wrentham: Wednesday, March 11 | 1:30–2:30 p.m. | Fiske Public Library Foxborough:  Tuesday, March 17 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Boyden Library Norfolk:  Wednesday, March 18 | 1:00–2:00 p.m. | Norfolk Public Library Medway:  Wednesday, March 18 | 2:30–3:30 p.m. | Medway Public Library Walpole:   Tuesday, March 24 | 6:00–7:00 p.m. | Walpole Police Dept, Community Room Help us continue our life-changing work.  Make your gift to SAFE today . Our Contact Information SAFE Coalition 31 Hayward St., Suite 2C Franklin, MA 02038-0434 508-488-8105 http://www.safecoalitionma.org

America's ongoing opioid crisis has led researchers and clinicians to explore safer alternatives for managing chronic and severe pain. As the dangers that come with opioid misuse continue to rise, researchers are adopting a new range of strategies built around traditional and cutting-edge ways of understanding the brain and body, from cutting-edge, high-tech options to proven traditional methods. Alternatives to opioid pain management can be divided into two categories: high-tech options which implement advances in the medicinal field, and low-tech or traditional options which place an emphasis on therapeutic techniques and promote peace of mind. High-Tech Treatment Opioid Alternatives These therapeutics typically involve targeting and sending signals towards the pathways in the brain and body to create a response that helps to relieve pain. One widely used high-tech option is spinal cord stimulation . For this procedure, a physician implants a small pacemaker-like device near the lower back. Patients can then use a remote control to send signals to nerves for help with reducing pain. Another approach associated with high-tech treatment is the use of radio wave therapy . This involves the insertion of needles next to the source of pain. An electrical current is then generated using radio waves which works to heat and damage the targeted nerve. This current helps interrupt pain signals and can provide patients with pain relief lasting up to one year. Low-Tech Treatment Opioid Alternatives These interventions are typically more focused on mental and physical rejuvenation. Physical therapy has been shown to improve individuals’ mental and physical health. For instance, following a consistent exercise routine can increase a person’s mobility and relieve pain signals. Acupuncture is the process of inserting tiny needles into different areas of the body where pain signals are located. The procedure is commonly painless and according to Elevance Health , it can relieve symptoms of chronic pain including neck and back pain, as well as headaches and migraines ( Acupuncture Found to Reduce Opioid Use and Emergency Department Visits , n.d.). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is structured, goal-oriented therapy that focuses on the present and aims to develop coping skills for everyday challenges. This therapy has been stated to be one of, if not the most effective treatment for managing chronic pain with opioid dependence. CBT can help patients steer their way of thinking in a positive direction and develop strategies for managing symptoms of pain. These can include practice with advocating for one’s own needs and setting goals to make small steps at a time to lead towards long-term progress. At SAFE , we make it part of our mission to help individuals navigate the challenges that come with substance use disorder including opioid pain management and mental health challenges. Through education, compassionate and judgment-free support, as well as access to safer alternatives, we help individuals take the next step toward healing.

Connect with other parents navigating special education. Get practical strategies, emotional support, and resources tailored to your family's needs. IEP/504 Caregiver Support Group Connect with other parents navigating special education. Get practical strategies, emotional support, and resources tailored to your family's needs. Register 6-Week Series Thursdays April 30 through June 4 Time 6:00–7:30 p.m. Location SAFE Coalition Franklin Who this group is for This group is for parents, grandparents, foster parents, and caregivers of children who have: An IEP (Individualized Education Program) A 504 plan Learning differences or developmental needs Or Health-related diagnoses affecting school Whether your child is in elementary school, middle school, or high school—and whether you're brand new to special education or years into the journey—you're welcome here! Benefits of Joining Connection with people who get it Meet other caregivers facing the same challenges—no need to explain what an IEP meeting feels like or why you're exhausted. Practical advocacy strategies Learn how to communicate effectively with schools, understand your rights, and prepare for meetings with confidence. Resources you can actually use Get curated tools for organizing documentation, tracking goals, and navigating school systems—not a generic brochure. A space to breathe Caregiving is hard. This is a judgment-free space to share what's working, what's not, and feel supported along the way. What to Expect Each week, we'll gather for 90 minutes of guided discussion, skill-building, and peer support. Topics are shaped by what the group needs most—you're not sitting through a lecture. This is a conversation. You can share as much or as little as you're comfortable with. Some weeks you might need to vent; other weeks you might just want to listen. Both are welcome. Karen has spent her career supporting children and families, including 11 years as a foster parent, work as a Family Liaison with MSPCC, and co-facilitating foster parent licensing training. She holds a master's in social work and has provided in-home therapy and behavioral health services to individuals and families. She brings warmth, lived experience, and deep expertise to every group she facilitates. Meet the Facilitator Karen Bean Registration Form Form not loading? Open in a new browser.

The SAFE Coalition is a judgement free community organization relentlessly committed to educating and supporting those affected by substance use disorder and mental health concerns across southeastern Massachusetts. Welcome! We're happy you're here. SAFE is a nonprofit dedicated to compassionate, judgment-free support for individuals impacted by substance use, mental health challenges, and related concerns. How can we help you? I need support for myself or a loved one I want to get involved to help others UPCOMING EVENTS Calendar of Programs & Events March 2026 Today Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +1 more 11 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +3 more 12 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +1 more 13 8:30 AM SAFE Café 14 8:30 AM Compass Yoga 15 16 10:00 AM Postpartum Support Group - North Attleboro +2 more 17 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +2 more 18 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +4 more 19 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program 20 8:30 AM SAFE Café 21 8:30 AM Compass Yoga 22 23 10:00 AM Postpartum Support Group - North Attleboro +2 more 24 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +2 more 25 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +2 more 26 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +2 more 27 8:30 AM SAFE Café 28 8:30 AM Compass Yoga 29 30 10:00 AM Postpartum Support Group - North Attleboro +2 more 31 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +1 more 1 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +2 more 2 9:00 AM Up In Smoke: Substance Use Diversion Program +1 more 3 8:30 AM SAFE Café 4 8:30 AM Compass Yoga 5 Stay informed! Receive the latest news from SAFE. SIGN UP

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