Massachusetts Recovery Advocates Deliver Powerful Message Of Mental Health Awareness And Recovery to The Students of Millbury.
April 18, 2025
On Thursday, Millbury Jr./Sr. High School Auditorium was the scene of a community event that delivered maximum educational impact for students and parents alike. The event addressed the hot-button issues of substance use and mental health in Massachusetts.
With community leaders and first responders addressing the Millbury Memorial Junior/Senior High Schools, the forum became a special opportunity for parents, educators, and community members to gather important tools and insights. “Empowering Teens: Positive Choices” presented by Kevin Rosario, Senior Director of Community Engagement at New England Medical Group (NEMG), served as the feature presentation that resonated with the MMJSHS youth in attendance.
Events like the Millbury town hall engage all first responders, not to mention the youth of tomorrow, to play their part in a locale much affected by the epidemic. Students and teachers alike were given a rare opportunity to learn from experts in the behavioral health field and to forge relationships with valuable community resources such as Millbury Police Department, Millbury Senior Center, Millbury Fire Department, and all of the school’s affiliate safety services.
The principal presenter was Addiction Consulting & Education Services (ACES) Founder/Director Kevin G. Rosario, who helmed the evening’s presentation for a packed house of students and parents with a passion that deeply resonated with those in attendance.
Sunrise Detox Millbury And Praesum Healthcare Partners To Empower Millbury Teen
He was supported by Rob Demeo, Director of Community Business Development for Praesum Healthcare North-Eastern operations, three of the principal mental health resource providers at the assembly, including Evolve Recovery Center (ERC), Counseling Center (TCC) and Sunrise Detox (SDC).
Kevin and Rob, in tandem with the administrators at MMJSHS, are among those who have spearheaded initiatives in the region to remind local youths that anyone can overcome mental health and substance use challenges and live a fulfilling life. From seventh to twelfth grade, the Millbury school community and parents were present and engaged as they received an hour-long lifesaving message colored by Kevin's personal touch of similar lived experience backed by science. That carries personal poignancy for Rob as he makes his own way through his own recovery journey, which is much-admired in the region.
“It was heartwarming to watch two different age groups be so receptive, and to see them gravitate towards the information that could have saved me years of pain if it had simply been available or deemed ‘acceptable talk’ in schools ten years ago,” Demeo reflected. “So, to have the opportunity to take this message into schools is really beyond our expectations.” These partnerships and events deliver an unlikely lifeline in a desert of recovery resources. All of us are so grateful to have these services backed by the hometown heroes and finest first responders of Millbury.”
Applying Personal Messages Of Hope To The Schools
It’s a pioneering collaborative effort among many concerned Massachusetts entities in towns that have suffered greatly during the opioid epidemic. The schools have aligned with behavioral health leaders in a commitment to helping raise awareness of the perils of early substance use among adolescents aged 12 to 17, and notably to break down stigmas associated with mental illness.
Kevin and Rob share a primary focus recognized and implemented by the Millbury School District: bringing prevention initiatives and behavioral health educational practices into the school system. In Kevin’s renowned NEMG and ACES initiatives, and Rob’s role with those three major Millbury treatment centers, they have worked closely over the past year with Julie Van Arsdalen, Director, Millbury Board of Health, to bring preventative initiatives into the MMJSHS spotlight as a collaborative effort. Ms. Van Arsdalen collaborated with Millbury High School Resource Officer Danielle Fortunato about how best to harness Kevin's services and highlight the dialogue that needed to happen in Millbury and beyond.
Finally, after lengthy discussions on how to deliver the best impact for a town that has suffered greatly during the opioid epidemic, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations Richard Bedard, Jr., and Peer Education Adviser Joanna Morin agreed to a series of educational presentations. All are designed for the educators at MMJSHS to effectively talk to teens, earnestly, and spark important conversations, helping articulate the pressures young people and their parents are facing.
“It heartens me to see these resources available to patients and families when they need it most,” asserted Mr. DeMeo as he described the finalized school partnerships that have been recently established with MMJSHS. We know it'll lead to teachers talking to the students, but what we really hope is it'll lead to more students discussing making good decisions, avoiding peer pressure, and the dangers of early substance use.”
Overcoming Peer Pressure With Mental Health Education
As the state continues to grapple with this crisis, experts like Rosario and addiction specialists like Demeo are mobilized to support action to ensure that treatment is accessible to everyone in need. Mr. Rosario, a stellar public speaker with a strong message of experience, strength, and hope, was the obvious choice to spearhead these initiatives and deliver science-backed behavioral health messages of hope and recovery.
Like Mr. Rosario, Rob has played a pivotal role in Millbury, MA., in guiding individuals in their recovery journeys and helping First Responders and Healthcare professionals with resources on where to find support and treatment for mental health and substance disorders, including the options offered by Praesum Healthcare and its continuum of behavioral healthcare.
A Commitment To Millbury’s Behavioral Health Future
“We are honored to partner with Millbury Schools and support Mr. Rosario’s message of mental health awareness and recovery. There's nothing out there like this,” added Mr. Demeo (pictured). “We hope that our partnership with the Millbury Schools will encourage others to seek mental health help and never give up on their belief that a lifelong journey in recovery is possible.
“That's where Sunrise came in, Rob and his Praesum team have been phenomenal partners for years, and we just knew that this would align with his and Praesum Healthcare’s actions in the community to really help these vulnerable individuals feel truly well cared for.”- Kevin Rosario, ACES Founder/Director. “The integrity, compassion, and dynamic approach of the likes of Kevin and Rob have made a positive, lasting impact on those grappling with addiction, and the school counselors in attendance recognized their impact on the students.”
Praesum Healthcare’s support of the event demonstrates the company's commitment to mental health awareness and its dedication to providing comprehensive and compassionate care to those in need. TCC offers different types of therapy and treatments for drug and alcohol addiction in Millbury over the course of the day to fit your normal life, and, unlike inpatient care, you get the chance to go home each day and address your employment and family responsibilities. Sunrise Detox Millbury works with families like your own to get those nearest and dearest to you the treatment they need. Reach out to us at your convenience to find out how we can help your family navigate detox and the recovery process.
Our first New England facility, Evolve Recovery Center Millbury strives to get you on a path of enduring sobriety with individualized treatment plans and 24-7 support from credentialed clinicians and a compassionate staff, for the residential facility for alcohol and drug treatment in Millbury. If you need more information, please get in touch by calling 508-506-8940
Author
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, Stephen Cooke brings over a decade of experience in international and American healthcare communications to Praesum. A prolific writer and published author, Stephen has dedicated his career to promoting health and recovery across various organizations.
