COURTESY PHOTO
Malden Mayor Gary Christenson, left and Police Chief Kevin Molis take a look at the methods of hiding at-risk substances or objects during a recent presentation.
By STEVE FREKER
MALDEN — It started out as a discussion with goals simple and yet very complex.
A small, motivated group of Malden residents wanted to help educate as many fellow residents as possible about substance abuse and help local families and individuals.
That’s how Malden Overcoming Addiction (MOA) was formed and MOA President Paul Hammersley was in that small group of locals who gathered some 18 months ago.
“It was three or four people in a room. We had big ideas and big plans,” Hammersley said Sunday. “We just could not project how far we could go at the time.”
Hammersley said “hundreds” of residents have become involved since MOA’s formation and he said the organization formalized its status as a 501(c) corporation last week. Hammersley said just in the past week he and other MOA board members helped four local opioid addicts get beds in rehabilitation facilities.
“We’re out there more and more now, providing service and assistance to anyone whose lives are affected by addiction,” he said.
https://newitemlive.wpengine.com/news/english-high-among-life-sciences-grants-recipients/
Opioid abuse and particularly deaths from opioid overdoses have skyrocketed locally, regionally and nationally in the past several years. A state Department of Health (DPH) report released last Friday documented the stark numbers: Nearly 2,000 died from opioid overdoses in Massachusetts in 2016, an increase of about 13 percent from 2015.
MOA holds regular meetings and hosts an increasing number of events including a four-session presentation of “In Plain Sight” at the regional Salvation Army headquarters in Malden.
The group also collaborated with the Malden Police, Rx4Prevention, South Bay Mental Health, Tewksbury Police, Reading Coalition against Substance Abuse and Hallmark Health to host the parents-only presentation featuring a mock teenage bedroom identifying places where teens are likely to hide drugs, alcohol and other substances.
Hammersley said “In Plain Sight” is intended to spur conversations between teenagers and their parents about behavior leading to opioid and substance abuse disorders.
“Parents were encouraged to have honest and candid discussion of the topics of underage drinking and substance abuse with their children,” he added.
Hammersley said MOA enjoys full city support through Mayor Gary Christenson and the Malden Police Department.
“We are making a difference in people’s lives, that was our intention from the start,” Hammersley said.
For more information on Malden Overcoming Addiction, visit maldenovercoming.com or contact MOA at 781-838-2203.