Winchester Hospital Makes Major Commitment to Local Youth Through $20,000 Grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield

Continuing its tradition of giving back to the communities it serves, today Winchester Hospital is proud to announce that it has awarded the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield with a $20,000 grant to launch a Screening, Brief Intervention, Training, and Referral (SBIRT) program at its locations in Stoneham and Wakefield.

“Winchester Hospital recently completed its tri-annual community health needs assessment and we saw the profound impact substance use and behavioral health issues have on families throughout our community,” said Christine Healey, Director of Community Relations at Lahey Health.

“We take great pride in our ability to support the needs of the communities we serve, and with this grant, we are able to provide the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield with an evidence-based program that will improve the health and well-being of the youth they already do so much to support.”

SBIRT is an evidence-based practice used to identify, reduce, and prevent problematic use, abuse, and dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs as well as provide early intervention for potential mental disorders. This early intervention approach targets those with non-dependent substance use and provides effective strategies for intervention prior to the need for more extensive, specialized treatment.

“Winchester Hospital’s grant allows the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield to join primary care centers, hospital emergency rooms, and local trauma centers as community settings that provide early intervention to at-risk youth. Club staff will be trained to recognize warning signs of substance abuse or a behavioral disorder, and provide early intervention before more severe consequences occur,” said Adam Rodgers, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield.

He continued, “When we saw the data from local emergency rooms, from the youth risk behavioral survey distributed in our public schools, we knew we wanted to invest in SBIRT. It is proven, effective, and part of the national discourse in combating the current opiate crisis. Along with our partners in the Substance Abuse Coalitions, Municipal Government, businesses, and other civic groups, we are all joining together to meet this challenge.”

George Getty, Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield Board Chair, concluded that “Our plan is to directly confront addiction and break the stigma around mental health that stops so many from seeking the treatment they need. We can do that now because of Winchester Hospital and Lahey Health.”