WSCA Podcast Series: ”It Takes a Village” - Addiction Prevention & Recovery on the Seacoast

Episode 12: Harm Reduction

"In 2022, participants in New Hampshire reversed over 1400 overdoses of other participants. That's 1400 people who have a second chance, who have an opportunity to see their loved ones again."

In Episode 12 we meet Liz Beaude of the NH Harm Reduction Coalition and learn about the benefits, misconceptions and efforts to remove the stigma surrounding Harm Reduction. 

Episode 11: Seacoast Mental Health Center/ Co-Occurring Disorders

For Episode 11 we meet with Diane Fontneau, (MS, LCMHC, MLADC, NCC, NCTTP) of Seacoast Mental Health Center to discuss SMHC's services and learn more about co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. 

Episode 10: Step Up Parents

Step Up Parents is a pioneering non-profit in Portsmouth, NH that offers financial support to kinship caregivers - grandparents, uncles and aunts, and other loved ones who care for children impacted by substance use disorder. In Episode 10, we speak with Step Up Parents founder, Denyse Richter and executive director Jessica Parker about their history and vital services they provide to families across New Hampshire and southern Maine.

Episode 9: Seacoast Youth Services

Sarah Fetras and Janine Richards from Seacoast Youth Services (Seabrook) join Mark Lefebvre for an in depth conversation about behavioral health and substance use disorder services for youth and adolescents. Of particular note in this episode is the conversation about the pioneering work SYS is doing for high school kids facing suspension.  

Episode 8: Family Recovery from Addiction

Episode 8 features a courageous interview with producer Mark Lefebvre and his wife Vivian as they share their journey of recovery as a couple and as a family. As so-called "affected others" family members are often reluctant to come forward to share their struggles with addiction as the fear of stigma is profound. Mark and Vivian, who recently celebrated 40 years of marriage, have committed to their individual recovery as well as the hard work of couple's recovery. 

Episode 7: Drug (Treatment) Court

WSCA is pleased to release Episode 7 of It Takes A Village: Addiction Prevention & Recovery on the Seacoast. Our guest for this episode is the Honorable Judge Tina Nadeau, retired NH Superior Court Judge. The focus of the episode is NH’s Drug Court program, also referred to as treatment court, (which she pioneered), re-entry challenges for justice-involved individuals with a SUD, and recovery housing. Treatment court provides a diversion from incarceration that requires the participant to commit to a multi-year SUD treatment program. 

Episode 5: Stigma

Episode 5 features Brittany Reichmann, a woman in long term recovery with a criminal record. She is also a mother and a professional who has encountered barriers to employment, housing and medical care as a result of her history. In this episode, Brittany shares her experiences dealing with stigma and offers a compassionate approach to overcoming these barriers.

Episode 6: The Greater Portsmouth Youth Wellness Coalition

Episode 6 introduces Amy Michaels, Pinetree Institute Director of Prevention, and Meghan Stewart, Pinetree Institute Program Coordinator, to discuss the Greater Portsmouth Youth Wellness Coalition and the Drug Free Community Grant. The coalition members provide trauma-informed programming and services to the region's youth and families with the goal of breaking the transgenerational cycle of adverse childhood experiences. The Greater Portsmouth Community (Portsmouth, New Castle, Greenland, Rye, and Newington) is the beneficiary of a 10-year federal Drug Free Community Grant, the first ever on the Seacoast.