Information on alcohol abuse and treatment. Meetings and hotline available.
VIRTUAL MEETINGS: Local on-line and in-person meetings listed on website. Listings of online meetings outside the area can be found at https://aa-intergroup.org/
Service hours:Monday through Friday: 9:00am - 9:00pm; Weekends and holidays: 12:00pm - 9:00pm
Languages: English, Spanish, PortugueseATASK is a nonprofit, community organization serving pan-Asian survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence. Their mission is to prevent domestic and intimate partner violence in Asian families and communities and to provide hope to survivors. ATASK is committed to serving survivors of domestic violence representing all ages, ability levels, education levels, race, national origin, cultures, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations.
Multilingual Helpline available 24/7
ATASK advocated available Monday through Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm, if follow up is needed.
Other Locations:Lowell, MA
Transportation Google MapsThe Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides free, confidential support and services to survivors of sexual violence ages 12 and up and their families and friends. They work with survivors of all genders from the immediate crisis after sexual violence to years and decades later, and their goal is to empower survivors to heal and seek justice in ways that are meaningful to them. They assist survivors as they navigate the health-care, criminal justice, social service, and school systems.
Services include the following:
*Hotline: by phone 24-7 at 800-841-8371 and webchat at barcc.org/chat
*24-7 Medical Advocacy
*Case Management (assistance with housing, health care, and more)
*Individual and Group Counseling
*Legal Advocacy, including immigration services
Services in English and Spanish, with other languages upon request.
Service hours:Hotline and medical advocacy: 24-7
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Family Justice Center
989 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Waltham Office:
24 Crescent Street, Suite 202
Waltham, MA 02453
Anyone 12 years or older welcome.
Languages: Services in English and Spanish, with other languages upon request Transportation Google MapsCasa Myrna is Boston’s largest provider of domestic violence awareness efforts and of shelter and supportive services to survivors. Their comprehensive range of services, available in both Spanish and English, provide survivors with tools to recover from the trauma of abuse and begin to build sustainable self-sufficiency.
Free Supports for Survivors
Supportive services are available by appointment during standard office hours.
Hotline is 24/7
Languages: English, Spanish Transportation Google MapsERLI is a project of the Volunteer Lawyers Project and provides a free legal intake line for low-income individuals seeking legal intake, information, advice and referrals.
ERLI handles intake for Greater Boston Legal Services, the Volunteer Lawyers Project, and limited intake for Metro West Legal Services.
ERLI’s service area includes the service areas of the Volunteer Lawyers Project, Metro West Legal Services, and Greater Boston Legal Services.
Callers must provide essential information about themselves such as contact information (name, date of birth, address), household size and income, amount of financial assets, and immigration status in order to be screened for legal services. Callers who are not eligible for direct representation with an Eastern Region legal services program are provided legal information and/or referrals.
ERLI screens and refers potential clients to Greater Boston Legal Services.
Service hours:Their call center's hours during the pandemic are:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9am - 12pm
Tuesday & Thursday: 12:30pm - 3:30pm
To qualify for VLP services, clients must:
VLP refers people they can’t assist to organizations that may be able to help.
VLP Service Area: Acton, Arlington, Ashland, Bedford, Bellingham, Belmont, Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Canton, Carlisle, Chelsea, Cohasset, Concord, Dedham. Dover, Everett, Foxborough, Framingham, Franklin, Hingham, Holbrook, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Hull, Lexington, Lincoln, Malden, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medford, Medway, Melrose, Millis, Milton, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norfolk, Norwell, Norwood, Plainville, Quincy, Randolph, Revere, Scituate, Sharon, Sherborn, Somerville, Stoneham, Stow, Sudbury, Wakefield, Walpole, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, Weymouth, Winchester, Winthrop, Woburn, Wrentham.
Waiting time: When you call ERLI, you may need to wait to speak to a Legal Advocate. Languages: English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Portuguese Transportation Google MapsProject Bread toll-free FoodSource Hotline is the only comprehensive statewide information and referral service in Massachusetts for people facing hunger.
Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline provides:
• Information on and referrals to emergency food pantries and meal programs
• Information about SNAP/food stamps including screening for eligible and general questions from current recipients
• Over the phone SNAP application assistance and follow-up
• Information about free and reduced-price school and summer meal programs for children
• Information on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
M - F: 8am - 7pm; Sat: 10am - 2pm
Requirements & Restrictions:Service available by telephone only.
Available to all Massachusetts residents.
Having a criminal record and/or being homeless does NOT disqualify anyone from being eligible for Food Stamps.
Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from a gambling problem.
Information about meetings is available on the website.
Service hours:24/7
Requirements & Restrictions:The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop gambling. There are no dues or fees for Gamblers Anonymous.
Access to Recovery (ATR) is a government-funded program in Massachusetts that gives adults in early recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs) wider access to a full range of community services that can help them be successful in their recovery. ATR operates in five regions: Boston, Springfield/Holyoke, Worcester, Lowell and New Bedford. ATR provides services to help participants on the road to recovery. The 6-month program supports recovery with five types of services:
1) Individualized Recovery Coaching
2) Basic needs purchases (e.g. transportation passes, clothing, hygiene products, government ID cards/driver’s license, cell phones, gym membership, children’s items, etc.)
3) Career Building Services to help participants explore careers, become more employable, and to find a job. ATR participants are able to enroll in job readiness programs and occupational training programs focused on CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information)-friendly jobs. Participants can receive Work-Study Benefits (WSBs) of $10 per hour for every session hour they attend during a training program.
4) Sober Home Service provides eligible ATR participants with up to 5 months of rental assistance in a MASH Certified Sober Home, as well as individualized support through a Recovery Coach to help the individual adjust to this transitional living environment and work towards self-sufficiency. Those who qualify for Sober Home services must be current ATR participants.
5) Care Coordination through an ATR Coordinator to tie all the pieces together.
Service hours:Help Line: This is a non-monitored phone line and may take up to 3 business days for response
Other Locations:In Greater Springfield, contact:
IHR (Institute for Health & Recovery)
155 Maple Street, Suite 304
Springfield, MA 01105
Fax: (413) 301-6173
ATR Coordinator: Jackie Segarra (617) 845-6403
For the Downtown Boston Office, contact:
IHR (Institute for Health & Recovery)
105 Chauncy Street, Suite #602
Boston, MA 02111
Fax: (617) 661-7277
ATR Coordinator: Patricial Exilus-Carrenard (617) 645-7668
For the South Boston Office, contact:
Gavin Foundation
70 Devine Way
South Boston, MA 02127
Fax: (857) 496-0266
ATR Coordinator: Stephen Steele (857) 496-7339
In New Bedford, contact:
Gavin Foundation
13 North 6th Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
Fax: (774) 328-9075
ATR Coordinator: Jenny Baker (508) 742-6640
In Lowell, contact:
IHR (Institute for Health & Recovery)
97 Central Street, Unit 207
Lowell, MA 01852
ATR Coordinator: Ashley Richards (781) 801-8135
In Worcester, contact:
Gavin Foundation
101 Pleasant Street, Suite #101
Worcester, MA 01609
Fax: (508) 459-9112
ATR Coordinator: Megan McDonough (508) 762-9223
PARTICIPANTS CANNOT REFER THEMSELVES. In order to be referred, individuals must already be working with a treatment provider who is authorized to make ATR referrals. ATR only accepts referrals from authorized referral portals. Check with your provider to see if they’re authorized to make ATR referrals, or contact the BSAS Substance Use Helpline (800-327-5050) to discuss your options.
The Behavioral Health Help Line connects callers to a broad range of treatment services for mental health and addiction support throughout the Commonwealth. The BHHL is designed to provide direction, promote prevention, treatment and access to resources in the community.
Callers can call or text 833-773-2445 and have a conversation with a live, clinically supervised specialist who can assess clinical needs and provide a warm hand off to the right place in real time. They can also use the chat feature on the website, masshelpline.com, to talk with a representative. Call takers will offer support with immediate crisis intervention, urgent, and routine needs. The Help Line is available 24/7/365 in 200+ languages and is free for every resident. The BHHL is intended for everyone, regardless of age, cultural, sexual, or socio-economic status.
Languages: 200+ languages, icluding ASL (see website)The Massachusetts Child Abuse Emergency Line operated by Judge Baker Children’s Center functions as the after-hours service for the MA Department of Children and Families (DCF). DCF is the state agency charged with the responsibility of protecting children from child abuse and neglect. A 50+ member staff is trained to assess the urgency of each call, elicit critical information, and provide a sympathetic ear. In situations where children are at imminent risk, an emergency response is initiated, with DCF field staff launching the investigations. Services are provided by phone only. The Emergency Line is NOT able to provide services on its website or by email.
Service hours:Weekdays: Monday –Thursday 5:00 pm – 9:00 am (of the next morning)
Weekends: Friday 5:00 pm – Monday 9:00 am
Holidays: Friday 5:00 pm – Tuesday 9:00 am for Monday holidays; 5:00 pm of the day preceding a weekday holiday – 9:00 am of the weekday after the holiday
The Helpline is the only statewide, public resource for finding substance use treatment, recovery, and problem gambling services. Helpline services are free and confidential. Their caring, trained Specialists will help you understand the treatment system and your options.
Service hours:24/7
Languages: Spanish, Interpreters for other languages24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides essential tools and support to help survivors of domestic violence so they can live their lives free of abuse (available via phone, text, and live chat on the website)
Contacts to The Hotline can expect highly-trained, expert advocates to offer free, confidential, and compassionate support, crisis intervention information, education, and referral services in over 200 languages.
Advocates attend extensive training sessions to prepare for crisis intervention support, safety planning, education, advocacy, and referrals for survivors; they also undergo training to support friends, family members, and others concerned about loved ones experiencing situations of abuse.
Service hours:
Hotline and chat are 24/7.
Languages: Bilingual advocates are on hand to speak with callers, and the Language Line offers translations in 170+ different languages.This hotline connects callers to the nearest available services for survivors of sexual assault. Instant message is possible by clicking the “chat” button on the website.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline is a safe, confidential service. When you call the hotline, only the first six numbers of the phone number are used to route the call, and your complete phone number is never stored in their system. Most states do have laws that require local staff to contact authorities in certain situations, like if there is a child or vulnerable adult who is in danger.
Service hours:Hotline and online chat available 24/7
Languages: English, SpanishThe National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is comprised of a national network of over 180 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices. Instant messaging services are available by clicking “chat” on the website.
Launching on July 16, 2022, 988 will become the national three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Moving to 988 does not mean the current 800 number (1-800-273-8255) for Lifeline goes away. Dialing either number will route callers to the same services, no matter which number they use.
Service hours:24/7
Languages: English, Spanish (Note: network centers also have access to interpreting services for other languages)NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. They are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. NA is a program of total abstinence from all drugs. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop using.
This website contains information for addicts and professionals about Narcotics Anonymous in the New England Region of NA. The New England Region currently encompasses most of Massachusetts, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Rhode Island.
You can call their helpline 1-866-NA-HELP-U (I-866-624-3578) or attend a meeting (in-person and virtual).
Service hours:Hotline is 24/7; Meetings as listed on website
Languages: English, Spanish, & VietnameseParents Helping Parents (PHP) prevention philosophy is grounded in a self-help model based on the belief that parents are capable of developing their own solutions when given the space, encouragement, and community resource they need. Thus, it is the parents themselves who decide the direction a conversation will take during a Parent Support Group meeting or Parent Stress Line.
Programs
Waiting time: Hotline: 2 minutes; Groups: none Languages: Translation services available for Parental Stress Line calls.
Provides inclusive and fully accessible services to those whose lives have been impacted by sexual violence along with education geared toward ending sexual violence, across Central Massachusetts.
Rape and Sexual Assault Hotline is open 24/7.
REACH comes at the issues and complexity of domestic violence from several directions simultaneously. They provide a variety of free and confidential supportive direct services for anyone experiencing domestic violence. You do not need to leave a relationship in order to receive help from REACH.
If you are interested in learning more about their services, please give them a call at 781-891-0724. If this is an emergency, please call their hotline at 800-899-4000.
24/7
Waiting time: The hotline is 24/7 and individual advocacy services are available by appointment during business hours (M-F, 9-5) Languages: Most services can be provided in English and Spanish. The Language Line is used when someone speaks another language than those two.RESPOND provides emergency shelter and a range of support services and educational programs to thousands of survivors of domestic violence each year including adults, children, and teens regardless of gender, race, religion, age, or other characteristics. RESPOND staff work with survivors of domestic violence to address their immediate and long-term needs, providing emotional support, counseling, financial resources, information, and referrals. Through RESPOND’s programs, individuals and families in crisis develop the concrete tools necessary to regain control of their own lives – from parenting skills and housing search to financial literacy, and the hands-on experience of advocating for themselves. Services are free, confidential, and currently offered in multiple languages.
RESPOND’s Supportive Services are available to all victims and survivors of domestic violence. They include:
RESPOND’s emergency shelter location is kept confidential to ensure the safety of program participants. Services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. RESPOND’s shelter is wheelchair accessible, and ADA approved. Its spacious Children’s Learning Center offers a safe, colorful play space and programs that promote learning, encourage parental involvement, and connect children and teens to local in- and out-of-school enrichment activities. The average length of stay for residents is 4 months. RESPOND is proud to accept women and men (or any gender identity) into shelter as well as parents with teenage boys – a rarity in Massachusetts.
Service hours:Business office hours: Monday- Friday, 9am-5pm
Support and Intake Line: Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm; At all other times, callers can be connected to state and federal hotlines.
S.A.F.E.R. Program Suffolk County House of Correction at 20 Bradston St Boston, MA, 02118
Waiting time: None Languages: English, Spanish, Amharic, Portuguese, Haitian Creole,SafeLink is Massachusetts’ statewide 24/7 toll-free domestic violence hotline and a resource for anyone affected by domestic or dating violence. Each call is answered by a trained advocate who provides non-judgemental support, assistance with safety planning, and information on appropriate resources.
Service hours:
24/7
Languages: Advocates are bilingual in English and Spanish and have access to a service that can provide translation in more than 130 languagesSamaritans’ mission is to reduce the incidence of suicide by alleviating despair, isolation, distress, and suicidal feelings among individuals in the community, 24 hours a day; to educate the public about suicide prevention; to help those who have lost a loved one to suicide, and to reduce the stigma associated with suicide.
Samaritans provides life-saving suicide prevention services throughout Greater Boston, MetroWest, and across Massachusetts. Their services are free, confidential, and nonjudgmental.
Services
Learn more about their services during COVID-19 here.
Service hours:Helpline: 24/7
Grief Support Services: SafePlace meetings will be held virtually via Zoom until further notice. Meetings will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 6:30-8pm.
Community Education & Outreach: Each week they hold a regularly scheduled suicide prevention workshop on Tuesdays at 2pm EST via zoom.
An individual released from incarceration may be eligible for Social Security retirement, survivors, or disability benefits if they have worked or paid into Social Security enough years. An individual released from incarceration may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income benefits if they are 65 or older, are blind, or have a disability and have little or no income and resources. If you believe you qualify, call our toll-free telephone number, 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call TTY 1-800-325-0778.
The Stop It Now! Helpline is a safe place to talk with professionals, knowledgeable in the field of child sexual abuse prevention. Staff will provide you with accurate information and guidance for responding to warning signs and creating safe environments for children and adolescents. The Helpline can direct you to professional resources and support you use as you develop a plan to address your concerns. They offer understanding and compassion, as well as the steps and resources for preventing child sexual abuse.
Please be aware that the Helpline does not offer legal advice, therapy, or carry out investigations of any kind. If you need legal advice or counsel, please consult an attorney directly. They have a limited list of legal resources that can help direct you. They are not clinicians, and are not able to offer therapy, case management or individual case advocacy. Please see our specialized treatment resources. They are not a reporting agency or affiliated with sex offender registries. They are not a crisis line.
They also offer online trainings called Circle of Safety. Circles of Safety (COS) is Stop It Now!’s signature training series. These trainings are designed for adults to prevent child sexual abuse in youth-serving environments, such as schools, foster care programs, after-school programs, camps and daycares. Trainings can be delivered as webinars, community workshops and comprehensive multi-day organizational trainings, including trainer certifications.
Stop It Now! provides a skill-based, confidence-raising and action-planning educational experience. This is not a passive training about responding to abuse that has already happened; this is an educational session on actively keeping children safe wherever they learn, play and grow.
The Network provides a variety of services for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community experiencing partner abuse. The organization also provides assistance and referrals to LGBT community members. The web site is in English and Spanish, is kept up-to-date, and has information helpful to the LGBT community.
During both phases, participants can receive a wide range of services, such as advocacy, referrals, supportive counseling, and support group
Hotline is 24/7
Requirements & Restrictions:Target population is battered members of LBT (lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) communities. Will also assist and provide referrals for gay and bisexual men.
Languages: Spanish, English Transportation Google MapsMass 211 is an easy to remember telephone number that connects callers to information about critical health and human services available in their community. It serves as a resource for finding government benefits and services, nonprofit organizations, support groups, volunteer opportunities, donation programs, and other local resources. Always a confidential call, Mass 211 maintains the integrity of the 9-1-1 system saving that vital community resource for life and death emergencies.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Mass 211 is an easy way to find or give help in your community.
Mass 211 responds immediately during times of crisis, to field calls regarding the crisis and to direct callers to services most appropriate for their needs. If you are unable to reach 2-1-1 due to your telephone or cell phone carrier, a toll-free number is available 1-877-211-MASS (6277).
211HELPSteps is the online platform of Mass211. From any desktop or mobile device, individuals can search and then connect to local health and human service resources across the Commonwealth. Programs that are included support basic needs such as food security, housing, childcare, transportation as well as resources for mental and emotional health.
Service hours:24/7
Coaching Into Care is a free service for families and friends of Veterans. Our responders will briefly assess your concerns and provide appropriate resources and referrals. Through 10 to 30 minute calls, licensed psychologists and social workers offer guidance and help for starting conversations with the Veteran in your life about their mental health or substance use and motivating them to seek treatment if it’s needed.