Note: Due to COVID-19, these events and resources may have changed to virtual meetings or may not be running at all. Please contact each organization to find out more.
MA Legislative Hearings & Events
Check out https://malegislature.gov/Events for the latest public Commonwealth policy-making sessions that you can attend as a civic-minded individual!
Free Bilingual Playgroup
When: Monday–Friday from either 9:30 – 11:30 AM, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 12:30 – 2:30 PM, or 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Where: Either the Mission Hill K-8 School, 20 Child Street, or the Early Learning Center West, 200 Heath Street in Jamaica Plain
What: There is a free Jamaica Plain based playgroup in English and Spanish for children ages 1-5 years old. Each playgroup is 2 hours long, and parents should bring their children once a week. The playgroup takes place in a classroom setting and the goal is preparation for kindergarten. Each playgroup includes free play, circle time, snack time, and a gross motor/sensory activity. Parents are responsible for providing their own snacks. This is also an opportunity for parents to become familiar with Boston Public Schools and to meet other BPS parents. Open enrollment – register today. More Info: Please contact Silvia at 617-821-3959 or at srodriguez4@bostonpublicschools.org
Playgroups at Josephine Fiorentino Community Center
What: Allston/Brighton Family Nurturing Center of Massachusetts offers free playgroups for children ages 2 – 4, their younger siblings, and parents.
When: Wednesdays – please contact: Elayne Baskin at 857-220-2641
Thursdays – bilingual (Spanish) please contact: Sylvia Toruno at 857-220-2629.
Housing Search Workshop
When: First and third Wednesdays of each month from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where: 60 Temple Place, Floor 5, Boston, MA 02111
What: This workshop offers information and answers about how to conduct a successful housing search, including learning how to communicate with housing authorities, agencies, and landlords.
More Info: Call 617-338-6665 or visit the website http://bostoncil.org/contact/ for any questions
Immigration Consultants with Volunteer Attorneys
When: The first and third Wednesdays of every month from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Where: Boston City Hall, Room 806
What: These consultations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call at least 1 week in advance for interpretations other than Spanish and/or disability accommodations.
More Info: Please call 617-635-2980 or visit Boston’s City Calendar here.
Community Housing Clinic
When: Every Thursday 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Where: Department of Neighborhood Development, 26 Court Street Boston, MA 02108
What: The Office of Housing Stability’s Community Housing Clinic is a tremendous resource for residents — tenants and landlords — to talk one-on-one with a housing professional about landlord-tenant laws, learn how to access affordable housing opportunities and discover housing resources available to landlords and tenants. Tenants can learn about their rights if their building is sold, their rents are rising or they’re facing eviction. Landlords can get information on enforcing lease provisions, cost-effective resources to resolve disputes and programs to support home repairs and maintenance. More Info: Please call 617-635-4200 or email Lydia.edwards@boston.gov
Trauma Education Program “Can we talk?” Monthly Meeting
When: The last Thursday of every month. Dinner offered at 6:00 PM and then moving into the stories and sharing at 6:45 PM.
Where: Roxbury Presbyterian Church, 328 Warren Street Roxbury, MA 02119
What: This is for everyone who is struggling with loss, trauma, and/or grief. Program offers a safe space and connection within community. There is no charge and it begins with dinner. There is NO requirement to share, but if someone chooses to share, they can speak for 3-5 minutes. Program also includes artistic expression throughout the evening with music and dance.
More info: Childcare available. For more information, contact Colleen Sharka, LMHC, colleensharka@rpcsic.org or call the church: 617-445-2116
T³ – Ensuring Effective Customer Interactions in Human Services
How staff members at human services agencies interact with their customers (or clients) can have a huge impact on service utilization. Though many of us think of customer service as an important aspect of the hospitality or retail fields, it is equally important for human service agency staff on all levels to provide excellent customer service. Through this bundle, participants will explore the benefits and challenges of providing excellent customer services, understand how burnout and vicarious trauma impact one’s ability in providing great care, and how as a team we can work together to ensure that each customer or client who walks through our doors has a positive experience.
Location: Online
To register, click here
The Institute for Health and Recovery Training:
IHR provides training, technical assistance and consultation for national, state, regional and community programs and organizations. IHR is a leader in designing and implementing innovative models of family-centered, trauma-informed behavioral health treatment, and on training in these models.
IHR provides training, and offers consultation, technical support, and capacity building. Some examples of our training include:
- Integrating a trauma-informed approach throughout behavioral health treatment
- How parental substance use affects young children
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Substance Exposed Newborns: Intervention Strategies
- Family-based approaches to behavioral health treatment
- Inclusion of tobacco cessation and nicotine addiction treatment within substance use disorder treatment programs.
IHR provides training on the implementation of our publications, such as The Nurturing Program for Families in Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery, Developing Trauma Informed Organizations
IHR staff hold advanced degrees in social policy, social work, psychology, and education. In developing training programs, IHR routinely obtains approval for continuing education credits.
IHR staff can provide expert training and consultation on:
- Substance Use
- Tobacco Cessation
- Tobacco Treatment in Substance Use Disorder Treatment
- Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence/Trauma
- Children & Parenting
- Children Affected by Parental Substance Use
- Parenting and Child Development
- Pregnancy and Post-Partum Issues and Substance Use
- Youth and Substance Use
- Healthcare: Substance Use and Pregnancy
- Healthcare: Women, Substance Use and Primary Care
Click here to register
Homes for Families: Opening Doors 