MOAR - Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery

04/09/2026

Your voice matters. 💬

Join us for a Community Conversation on Addressing the Opioid Crisis in New Bedford—a space to listen, share, and work toward real solutions together.

🗓 Wednesday, April 29
🕔 5:00–5:30 PM: Food & Fellowship
🕠 5:30–7:00 PM: Community Conversation
📍 Keith Middle School, 225 Hathaway Blvd., New Bedford

We’ll be focusing on prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery—bringing together residents, individuals with lived experience, families, service providers, and community advocates.

Together, we can strengthen and heal our community. 💙

✅ Childcare provided
🔗 Registration required: https://forms.gle/2seHgTtiKXaAiHts8

This is the first in a series of conversations—don’t miss your chance to be part of it.

04/08/2026

The Special Commission on the Public Health Effects of Xylazine’s report is now out!

Last month, the Special Commission on the Public Health Effects of Xylazine submitted its final report to the Legislature. I was honored to co-chair this Commission alongside my colleague Senator John Velis. I want to thank my fellow Commissioners, committee staff and Sen. Velis' team for their engagement and contributions to the Commission's work.

Xylazine is a veterinary drug used as a sedative for animals but is not approved by the FDA for use in humans. Xylazine has been increasingly found in the nation’s illicit opioid supply, most often mixed with fentanyl and sometimes referred to as “tranq” or “tranq dope.” This report is the product of months of review, expert testimony, and collaboration between Commissioners to examine the rise of xylazine as an adulterant in the Commonwealth’s illicit drug supply.

The Commission developed findings and recommendations to address the presence of xylazine and other contaminants in the drug supply, including exposure and wound care needs, long‑term health outcomes, appropriate overdose responses, and challenges for emergency responders and frontline providers. The final report outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations which you can read here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/HD6001

To learn more about the Commission's work: https://malegislature.gov/Commissions/Detail/679

04/08/2026

Amazing work being done by our colleagues!

👏👏👏Many, many thanks to Greater Boston Legal Services & Mass Cultivated for leading a CORI-sealing clinic and to Roxbury Community College for hosting it. Volunteer lawyers helped more than 70 people navigate MA's complicated and slow sealing process. This is why we need a law in MA to AUTOMATE the process. In MA, approx. 523,000 people are ELIGIBLE to seal their records. Do the math--we would need more than 7,000 clinics like the one today to help everyone. Time to automate.

04/08/2026

Boston Medical Center's Together for Hope 2026 is happening April 29th & 30th!

Join MOAR as we collaborate, share knowledge, and inspire hope in the fight against addiction. We will be facilitating an Advocacy 101 workshop at the conference and look forward to seeing you there!

Register here: https://event.fourwaves.com/togetherforhope2026/registration

04/07/2026

More photos from our Boston Policy Forum.

04/07/2026

Attention Boston!

Check out this event happening tomorrow - learn about career opportunities, get help to seal records, and hear about Clean Slate legislation!

04/03/2026

04/03/2026

Thank you to all those who came out to last night’s Boston Public Policy Forum! Your presence continues to inspire us and makes the work ahead even more meaningful.

Special thank you to the staff at Florian Hall for hosting us and Scott and his team from Catering Boss (www.cateringboss.com) for the fantastic food!

If you snapped any photos, tag us so we can share and celebrate the community that makes this possible!

04/03/2026

03/30/2026

Join us for MOAR's Boston Policy Forum this Thursday!
Tickets still available!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1980486418190?aff=oddtdtcreator

03/30/2026

Our team recently had the privilege of participating in the Joint Meeting of Youth Prevention, Recovery, and Treatment in Baltimore, MD!

Our Assistant Program Director Haley Barbieri delivered a keynote address alongside Chris Savage, REC Program Director, and Paul Smith, MyPiR Program Director, highlighting the remarkable story of the MyPiR program's development and its significant impact on the community. From its humble beginnings to its current success, the MyPiR program has exemplified the power of collaboration in driving meaningful change. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded professionals who share our commitment to creating a brighter future.

Bay State Community Services
Recovery Education Collaborative
MA Young People in Recovery
Recovery Research Institute

03/26/2026

April is Stress Awareness Month, a time to recognize the impact stress can have on our mental and physical health. Join Jennifer Lynn for engaging workshops designed to help you better understand how stress affects daily life and explore practical strategies to manage it.

Stress Reset for the Mind: Wednesday, 4/15, 6:30-7:30p
Stress Reset for the Body: Wednesday, 4/29, 6:30-7:30p

Thayer Public Library
798 Washington Street
Braintree, Massachusetts 02184

Registration required and limited to 20 adults per session.

Register online: https://thayerpubliclibrary.libcal.com
Call to register: 781-848-0405