NSCS’ specialty outpatient and residential programs for substance use disorders are designed to provide a continuum of care from addiction treatment to recovery support. North Suffolk was one of the first providers in Massachusetts to incorporate individuals with lived experience into our care teams, which also include clinical and medical staff. We meet you where you are on your journey to help you get to where you want to be.
Addiction Treatment and Recovery Support is available for adults and adolescents experiencing substance use disorders, as well as individuals and families affected by addiction.
Our Outpatient and Residential Addiction Services
Structured Outpatient Addiction Program (SOAP) / Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
The Conexions Evening program is an evening group therapy program that meets five times a week at 14 Porter St., East Boston, for any individual with an active substance use disorder. The program runs Monday through Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. offering a combination of clinical groups, individual clinical support and connection to Recovery Coaches. Attendance requirements start at 5 days a week, providing a level of regular support and structure needed during the early stages of recovery. Additionally, clients may be asked to complete up to three toxicology screens per week during program hours at the clinic.
Conociendo La Sobriedad (CLS) | Intensive Group Therapy Program
Conociendo la Sobriedad is for Spanish-speaking adults with a substance use disorder clinically appropriate for outpatient intensive group therapy. CLS offers a combination of clinical groups and individual support by clinicians and recovery coaches. Program requirements start at 3 days a week and clients may be asked to complete toxicology screens as part of treatment. Groups take place at 14 Porter St., East Boston on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Sosteniendo la Sobriedad | Relapse Prevention Group
Sosteniendo la Sobriedad is for Spanish-speaking adults that are 60+ days sober and are focusing on maintaining their sobriety. SLS is a 16-week group therapy program and meets on Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at our Chelsea location at 301 Broadway.
Both groups are offered in Spanish by providers who speak the language through the lens of cultural humility, competency and awareness.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Substance Use services
NSCS offers culturally comprehensive services for individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing, including residential treatment, group therapy and individual therapy.
- Group Therapy sessions meet once a week online and are conducted in American Sign Language (ASL) by a Deaf clinician. They focus on co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
- Interpreter services are available for CBHC outpatient services including the Evening IOP and Conexions Day Treatment.
- Individual therapy is available in person or virtually and conducted in ASL with a Deaf clinician.
- At Meridian House, adaptive resources and safety features, such as a bed shaker fire alarm, have been integrated into the residential program to meet the needs of this community. Meridian House staff are trained in ASL and translation services are also available.
Conexions Day Treatment Group Therapy
The Conexions Program is a morning program offered five days a week for adults with serious and persistent mental illness and co-occurring disorders. The groups promote socialization, coping skills, expressive therapies, and education on physical and mental wellbeing. The program is held in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Groups are from 9:15 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays through Fridays, at 14 Porter St. Groups meet remotely on Mondays from 9:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Relapse Prevention
Relapse Prevention is a group therapy program located at 14 Porter Street in East Boston, for any individual with a history of addiction looking for support in sustaining their recovery. Individuals with 90+ days of sobriety will attend group once a week, on Tuesdays at 5:30-6:30pm. The groups are facilitated by a clinician and cover a variety of topics including CBT, DBT, and Motivational Interviewing. As a part of the group, clients are asked to provide toxicology screens up to twice a week, with screening options located at the clinic three times a week.
Project NORTH
Project NORTH (Navigation, Outreach, Recovery, Treatment and Hope) provides voluntary court-based services for court-involved individuals and their families impacted by substance use. Individuals meet with a Recovery Support Navigator to determine eligibility and enroll in this program. NSCS offers referral services including substance use treatment, community services, MassHealth enrollment, prescribers for substance use and psychiatric treatment, transportation assistance, short-term rental assistance in certified sober house. NSCS was awarded the Project NORTH grant through the Massachusetts Trial Courts and Probation services at Lynn and Chelsea District Court.
Meridian House Residential Treatment
Located at 408 Meridian Street in East Boston, the Meridian House is a 30-bed, co-ed therapeutic community serving an adult population 18 and older. The length of this program will vary depending on the individual needs of each resident. Meridian House provides behavior modification treatment for individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder and mild to moderate co-occurring disorders. Residents are able to connect with NSCS outpatient providers for therapy or medication management. Meridian House is a 24-hour a day program with 24-hour a day staffing. There are three to six groups daily and one to three clinical groups per day depending on the day of the week. On weekends there is a minimum of one clinical group per day. Meridian House utilizes a 5-level system that promotes growth by encouraging accountability, responsibility and recovery. Cell phones and employment are permitted progressively as residents move through the 5-tiered level system. Meridian House Manual_2024.
Hanton House Co-Occurring Enhanced Residential Treatment
Hanton House is a 12-bed, accessible co-ed co-occurring enhanced residential program in Chelsea serving individuals diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness and substance use disorder. Hanton House provides individualized, evidenced-based and compassionate treatment that includes therapeutic clinical groups and recreational activities that will help support building healthy relationships. Our therapeutic groups cover a broad range of issues and therapeutic methods to assist in recovery including expressive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, conflict resolution and emotional processing groups. Residents are responsible for daily job functions that promote living skills. As residents progress through the program, they can begin to apply for jobs and reintegrate back into the community. The length of this program will vary depending on the individual needs of each resident. The program is staffed 24 hours a day View the program handbook.
Our Recovery Support Services:
Recovery Support Services are a comprehensive range of nonclinical, peer-led services, interventions and resources designed to empower individuals in their recovery journey. These programs assist individuals in building strength and resilience as they strive to live fulfilling and balanced lives in recovery. Wellness plans are customized to the individual receiving services to address both immediate and long-term challenges individuals face as they strive to establish and maintain their recovery. The holistic approach addresses social, emotional, and practical needs of maintaining a more balanced lifestyle and making healthier choices.
Recovery Coaching
Recovery Coaches are trained professionals with lived experience who provide non-clinical support and guidance to individuals in recovery from addiction and/or other behavioral health issues. Recovery Coaches work to enhance traditional treatment methods and can be used as an independent service. To get connected to a Recovery Coach please call 866-781-NSCS (6727).
- Recovery Coach Facilitated Groups: NSCS offers weekly support groups around issues including but not limited to: relapse prevention, reducing recidivism, parenting, and family support.
Building Communities of Recovery (BCOR)
The BCOR Hotline is a 24/7 Peer Recovery Support hotline staffed by experienced Recovery Coaches who have their own personal experience with substance use. The hotline acts to bridge various recovery support services within the community, providing referrals to detox, residential treatment, shelters, meetings, and more. Additionally, BCOR provides supportive counseling for individuals in need of empathy, understanding, and non-clinical support. The hotline is open to individuals struggling with substance use, as well as their family, friends and loved ones at any stage of the recovery process. The 24/7 hotline number is 844-NSPEERS / 844-677-3377.
Services Over Sentences (SOS)
North Suffolk Community Services, in collaboration with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, offers a voluntary predisposition program that is geared toward the specific needs of high-risk individuals struggling with SUD alone or co-occurring with mental health issues. The program operates in sync with participants’ pretrial court proceedings, ensuring comprehensive support throughout. When evaluating eligibility, all referrals are carefully considered based on current criminal charges, probationary history, and willingness to participate. Our approach involves tailoring recovery support services and treatment to best suit the specific needs of each participant, ensuring a personalized experience. Scan this QR code for the SOS referral form:
Recovery Support Services at Cambridge Health Alliance
Recovery Coaches at Cambridge Health Alliance offer non-judgmental, peer-to-peer support and hope for individuals who are admitted to the hospital or who arrive in the Emergency Department with a substance or alcohol use disorder. The NSCS Recovery Coach team makes referrals and provides additional support for people looking for inpatient treatment for substance use or alcohol use. We also offer post-treatment discharge support to assist with individuals’ integration into the community and connection with recovery resources.
Treatment Court Initiative
NSCS has utilized a federal grant from the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand peer and clinical services for Recovery Court participants. This enhanced funding improves access to treatment and care, addresses disparities in treatment courts and provides additional support to various Recovery Court teams. NSCS Recovery Coaches play a crucial role in offering a unique perspective grounded in personal lived experience with both SUD and the criminal justice system. They provide ongoing support to participants throughout their probation and beyond, including a transitional alumni group for participants near and after Recovery Court completion. To engage in the service individuals must be participants of one of the partnered treatment courts.
Dee Kennedy Project (DKP)
DKP is a trial court initiative that assists justice-involved adults in exiting commercial sexual exploitation. The program provides a variety of services from offering a listening ear to connecting individuals with a peer advocate/Recovery Coach and supporting them in setting short- and long-term goals at their own pace. The program also provides advocacy, peer support, connection to social and clinical services, and interdisciplinary collaboration to best serve and assist participants.
Chelsea Navigators
North Suffolk Community Services’ Chelsea City Navigators have served the city for more than a decade. Established in 2014, the CCN initiative is co-supervised by the Chelsea Police Department and assists the city in spotlighting and identifying individuals in need of services, specifically those with alcohol and/or substance use disorders. The Chelsea City Navigators help individuals navigate complex systems of care and support them in becoming their own agents of change. The program has built relationships with community partners and regional initiatives to better support and maintain recovery while also connecting individuals with additional resources such as vocational and educational opportunities.
Peer-led Recovery Support
STEPRox Peer Recovery Support Center, based in the heart of Roxbury, is a safe haven for anyone 18 and older who has a desire to find pathways to recovery that fit their own personal recovery journey. Our mission is to provide a safe place for the recovery community, their family, friends, and those interested in recovery to engage in activities beneficial to the individual and the community. Our goal is to make a direct contribution to our community by encouraging volunteerism and providing peer leadership opportunities. STEPRox also offers specialized groups pertinent to women and men, as well as open groups designed to address addiction, mental health, parenthood, and health and wellness. Events and information is posted on Facebook (@StepRoxRecoverySupportCenter) and Instagram (@steproxbury)
153 Blue Hill Avenue, Roxbury 02119 | 617-442-7837
Recovery on the Harbor (ROH) is a free, accessible, peer-led Recovery Support Center (PRSC) in East Boston. PRSCs provide individuals in recovery from substance use – as well as families and loved ones affected by addiction – the opportunity to both offer and receive support in their community environment. The center provides peer facilitated support groups, job resources and readiness, sober social events, advocacy, recovery coaching, volunteer opportunities and health and wellness, all FREE of charge. These services are designed to benefit both those in recovery and the community at large. For more information, find us on Facebook (@ROHEastBoston) and Instagram (@roh_eastboston)
979 Bennington St., East Boston 02128 | 617-874-8046
The Hope Center Recovery Learning Center (RLC) is a peer-run organization dedicated to providing support, education and advocacy to those who self-identify with a mental health and/or substance use history. The Hope Center is run in partnership with the larger Metro-Boston Recovery Learning Community, and offers a center with no barrier to access. There is no intake, sign-up, or referral process, and all services are free of charge. Members are not required to be connected to any mental health agency or provider. The Hope Center offers in-person and online/call-in peer support, education, and activity groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. (See link below for schedule) The RLC’s doors are open to anyone who feels they belong there and wants to join a community of others in recovery.
25 Staniford St.,Plaza Level, Boston, 02115 | www.mbrlc.org/hope-center
For more information please contact NSCS’
Admissions & Engagement Department at 866-781-NSCS (6727)
