In 2023, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued this advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the United States and the healing effects of social connection and community. This information is important for people of all ages. Content warning: this advisory discusses suicide.
You can view and download the advisory and a one-page summary below.
In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued this advisory on confronting health misinformation. As Dr. Murthy says at the beginning of the advisory, “Health misinformation is a serious threat to public health. It can cause confusion, sow mistrust, harm people’s health, and undermine public health efforts. Limiting the spread of health misinformation is a moral and civic imperative that will require a whole-of-society effort.”
Part of what we do as a Coalition is provide the most accurate, up to date information that we have, using plain language so that it’s as accessible as possible.
Just before leaving his position as Surgeon General in January, 2025, Vivek Murthy issued an advisory highlighting the risks. This advisory highlights that alcohol use is a leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, and that at the same time, less than half of Americans are aware that drinking alcohol increases cancer risk.
This educational flyer for adults promotes safely storing cannabis products away from kids and pets. In the past few years, there’s been an increase in the number of kids and pets who have accidentally eaten cannabis products and required medical attention. It’s important that adults are aware of nonjudgmental information to prevent this from happening.
Supported by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments with funds from MA Dept of Public Health.
SUPPORT AND INFORMATION ARE AVAILABLE!
This is an online version of a small, folded resource card created to help youth and adults find help and resources on the go!
Do you have suggestions or corrections? We have limited space on the printed version, but we always love to hear from you – please email Kat with ideas.
Not sure who to call? Try one of the General Information numbers or check out 413Cares.
All phone numbers are in the 413 area code unless otherwise noted.
Helpful questions for when you call:
Is the service free or does it cost money?
Is it confidential or do I need a parent / guardian’s permission?
Do I have to make an appointment?
EMERGENCY HOTLINES
Fire, Police, Ambulance Emergency: Call or Text 911
Racial Justice and Equity Resources for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone who cares about supporting children and youth. Check out tips for talking, videos, webinars, guides, activities, and more!
Monday, January 16, 2023 is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, honoring one of the most important leaders and thinkers in American history. Dr. King was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesman and leader in the American civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.
Martin Luther King Day is a great opportunity to reflect on Dr. King’s work, increase our understanding of his legacy, and take action to support movements for freedom and justice.
Celebrating and building on Dr. King’s legacy is not limited to one day a year! May the momentum from the January holiday carry us into February’s Black History Month celebrations and beyond: into a year-round practice of working towards collective liberation.
Please explore and share these events and resources to inspire ongoing action:
Events in our region
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration at GCC Monday, January 16, 10:00am-1:00pm GCC’s Cohn Family Dining Commons For over a decade, Greenfield Community College has been celebrating the legacy of Dr. King. This year’s event features a program appropriate for all ages, with keynote speaker Kwamane Harris, author of Pushing the Generations: Finding Your Purpose Through the Next Generation, and performances exploring immigration, migration and homelessness from the youth group “Twice as Smart.” Please RSVP here.
Stone Soup Café’s 3rd Annual MLK Day Pick-Your-Own Film Festival!!We have a list of 4 incredible films/tv shows you can choose from. Make time to watch one (or two? or three!?) of these films before February 1st, then join together virtually with folks from Stone Soup on the first day of Black History Month to share about the films we watched.
Baystate Health’s virtual MLK Day celebration: “It Starts With Me: Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset” Friday January 13 from 12-1pm This event will feature a keynote by Dr. Edison Bond, Jr., Director of Patient Relations at Baystate Health, winner of numerous awards for his leadership, commitment to advocacy, and organizing for social justice. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” musical performance will be performed by students from William N. DeBerry Elementary School. Learn more here and sign up to attend here.
Writing Wrongs: In the Shadow of the Dream, a Community Conversation Monday, Jan. 16, 12-2 pm Edwards Church, 297 Main Street, Northampton, MA Join this conversation (aimed at adults and older youth) about Ousmane Power-Greene’s novel The Confessions of Matthew Strong and a talk by the author, connecting the ideas and themes from his novel and the legacies of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. Sponsored by Self-Evident Education and The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES)
Especially for educators, parents, and caregivers: Embrace Race’s article MLK Day and the Danger of A “Single Story” helps us to remember that it’s important to be careful of perpetuating a “hero” myth when we teach about Dr. King, and why it’s critical to connect Dr. King’s life with those who inspired and taught him. We all have the capacity to make a positive difference.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute supports a broad range of educational activities illuminating Dr. King’s life and the movements he inspired. The Institute website includes links to documents, other sites, curriculum, and opportunities for further connections.
Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) also has some great resources for educators/mentors. Its collection of lessons, teachable texts and further reading helps educators bring the work of Dr. King to life in any learning setting.
“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, December, 1964
Dr. King is known for his speeches and writing. Here is a link to some of his memorable quotations. Make sure to research the source of the quotation to gain an understanding of the context in which Dr. King said or wrote it.
The Arts provide an embodied connection with Dr. King’s legacy.
Check out the movie Selma, a 2014 historical drama film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Paul Webb. It is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches initiated and directed by James Bevel and led by Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and John Lewis.
Resources and tips for parents, caregivers, and other caring adults about how to talk with children and youth, brain development and substance use, and vaping resources.