Mayor Stephen Zanni and Chief Joseph Solomon are pleased to announce the Methuen Police Department’s Community Outreach Unit and the Community Addiction Resource Engagement Services (C.A.R.E.S) team were recognized for their efforts in advocating for Alcohol Awareness Month this past week.
Sgt. Jack Walsh of the Community Outreach Unit and C.A.R.E.S team members Jennifer Burns and Jacquelyn Ingersoll attended a special invitation ceremony on April 12 at the State House to formally recognize April as Alcohol Awareness Month in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
State Rep. Diana DiZoglio formally invited Burns, Ingersoll and Sgt. Walsh to the event, where they were presented a copy of the resolution that officially declares April as Alcohol Awareness Month.
“We are very proud of C.A.R.E.S. and the Community Outreach Unit for the vital role they played in officially making April Alcohol Awareness Month in Massachusetts,” Mayor Zanni said. “They worked closely with Representative DiZoglio’s office to make the ceremony and resolution happen, and it couldn’t have been done without all of their hard work.”
Founded and sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to reduce the stigma associated with alcoholism by encouraging communities to reach out each April with information about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery.
“This April, the police department and C.A.R.E.S. have steadfastly focused on providing members of the Methuen community with the information necessary to recognize and combat alcohol addiction,” Chief Solomon said. “I am proud of their dedication to this cause, raising awareness all the way to state legislators.”
In addition to their work with the State House, the C.A.R.E.S. team has developed an expert panel event, Connecting the Dots: Opportunities for Recovery. The event was held April 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Methuen Senior Center, 77 Lowell St.
As part of the event, residents were able to interact with an expert panel for a discussion, focusing on what programs and initiatives would be beneficial to Methuen to address community needs surrounding alcohol addiction. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions about recovery and personal experiences.
Chief Solomon encouraged residents who are or know someone who may be affected by this disease to attend the Connecting the Dots event.
For more information, contact Community Engagement Specialists Jennifer Burns at 978-701-7782 or Jacquelyn Ingersoll at 978-701-8195.
About the C.A.R.E.S. Initiative:
The Community Addiction Resource Engagement Services (C.A.R.E.S) Initiative integrates public health and public safety practices to address the addiction epidemic in the community. Members are dedicated to reducing recidivism rates of substance use and crime by raising awareness, providing recovery resources and outreach to the larger community.
