“I am very fortunate to have CHD in my life”
Terry Toma is frank when asked what CHD has done for him. “They saved my life, honestly,” he said. Toma is a participant in CHD’s
“I wouldn’t be where I am now without Grace House”
What has CHD’s Grace House meant to Brenda M.? “This place has allowed me to become a mother again,” she said. “I came here after
Being Open and Honest is Key
Mike Kanerva followed his mother’s footsteps—right into alcohol use disorder. But he didn’t know his mother had an addiction until he was older. “My grandfather,
Learning About Herself
Recovery is finally learning to say, “I need help.” Recovery is also hearing someone say, “I’m here.” Maria (not her real name) was, she said,
Tackling a Complex Problem
Joey has been at Aster House in South Hadley for five months—the second time he has stayed at a residential recovery home. “This isn’t my
“It was looking pretty bleak for a while”
Danielle Irwin, who receives services from CHD’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinics in Easthampton and on Pine Street in Springfield, doesn’t mind sharing her substance use
“By the Grace of God I Found This Place”
Katherine Marsh referred to it as “the Dad speech.” It was a frank talk with her father, who certainly wasn’t mincing words. He told her
Embracing Life’s Possibilities
Zara Mae, a 12-year-old participant in CHD’s All In: Barrier-Free Recreation program, has Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect, but despite the challenges she
“No one should be ashamed to get help”
“In every story there’s strength” is this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month theme for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dawn Blackburn, who receives services
Outpatient Treatment a Valuable Tool
For Stacey Snape, Mental Health Awareness month is an opportunity to spread the word that seeking treatment is an important and proactive step for people