Massachusetts resources
Free and Public Addiction Help in Massachusetts
Where to turn in Greater Boston and MetroWest when you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol or drugs: the state's 24/7 helplines, crisis help, free family groups, peer recovery support centers and the town and coalition pages that keep local lists. These are public and nonprofit services, not Clear Steps programs, and most are free. Every link was checked on September 25, 2026. Services change, so call ahead.
Right now
If It Is an Emergency or a Crisis
Start here if someone is in danger or in crisis. Each of these is free and open 24/7.
| Line | What it is for | How to reach it |
|---|---|---|
| 911 | A medical emergency, a suspected overdose, or anyone in immediate danger | Call 911 |
| 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | Emotional distress, thoughts of suicide, or worry about a loved one. You do not need to be suicidal to call | Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org |
| Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line | Connects people and families to the full range of mental health and substance use treatment in Massachusetts, including crisis services, assessments and referrals. Staff stay on the line until you are connected to your next step. No insurance needed | Call or text (833) 773-2445, or chat online. Open 365 days a year in more than 200 languages |
| Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline | Information about harm reduction, treatment and recovery services for alcohol and drug use across the state, with a warm handoff to programs when needed | Call or text (800) 327-5050, or search services at helplinema.org |
Source for the helplines: the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services helplines page on mass.gov.
State services
State Services and Finding Treatment
The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS), part of the Department of Public Health, oversees the statewide system of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support, licenses treatment programs, and provides access to treatment for people without insurance (BSAS on mass.gov).
| Service | What it does | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline service search | Search harm reduction, treatment and recovery services near you, or answer a few questions if you are not sure what you need | helplinema.org or (800) 327-5050 |
| Bureau of Substance Addiction Services | The state agency for substance use services, including access to treatment for the uninsured | (617) 624-5111, mass.gov/bsas |
| PAATHS, Boston Public Health Commission | A one-stop program for anyone in Greater Boston looking for information about or access to substance use treatment, for individuals and families, regardless of insurance status. Staff assess needs and refer to outside programs | 774 Albany Street, 1st floor, Boston. 1-855-494-4057 (boston.gov) |
| Section 35 (court-ordered treatment) | A civil court process that can order someone into inpatient treatment when alcohol or drug use creates a likelihood of serious harm. The courts call it the last option | Our Section 35 guide for families and the process on mass.gov |
| Paying for treatment | For coverage at our Needham program, see our pages on MassHealth and insurance in Massachusetts | Admissions checks your plan at no cost |
For families
Free Family Support in Massachusetts
You do not need your loved one to be in treatment to get support for yourself. The phone numbers below are the ones BSAS lists on its helplines page. Our family support page explains CRAFT, a family approach with strong research behind it, and what a program can tell families under federal privacy rules.
| Group | Who it is for | How to reach it |
|---|---|---|
| Learn to Cope | A peer-led support network for parents and other family members of someone with a substance use disorder, and families who have lost a loved one | In-person meetings across Massachusetts, virtual meetings, and a Spanish-language meeting on Wednesday evenings. learn2cope.org or (508) 738-5148 |
| Al-Anon and Alateen of Massachusetts | Friends and families of problem drinkers. Alateen is for teenagers | Massachusetts meeting list or (508) 366-0556 |
| Nar-Anon | A 12-step program for families and friends of someone using drugs | New England Region schedule or (866) 624-3578 |
| Allies in Recovery | An online learning program in CRAFT for families with a loved one struggling with drugs or alcohol | alliesinrecovery.net |
| NAMI Massachusetts | Families dealing with a mental health condition, often alongside substance use. Family-to-Family classes and the Compass Helpline | namimass.org, Compass Helpline (800) 370-9085 |
| MOAR, Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery | People in recovery, families and friends working together on recovery education and advocacy | moar-recovery.org or (617) 423-6627 |
Peer support
Peer Recovery Support Centers Near Needham and Boston
Peer Recovery Support Centers are free, peer-led spaces where people in recovery and their families can connect, get support and find community. BSAS lists them by region, and these are the centers in the state's Metro West and Boston regions (full list on mass.gov). Call ahead for hours.
| Center | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Turning Point Recovery Center | 32 Common Street, Walpole | (508) 668-3960 |
| Anchored in Recovery | 19 Concord Street, Suite 1, Framingham | (508) 424-2520 |
| The Recovery Connection | 31 Main Street, Marlborough | (508) 485-0298 |
| A New Way Recovery Center | 85 Quincy Avenue, Suite B, Quincy | (617) 302-3287 |
| Wey of Life Peer Recovery Center | 383 Bridge Street, Weymouth | (781) 812-1392 |
| JP Peer Recovery Center | 120 South Street, Jamaica Plain | (617) 865-8487 |
| Devine Recovery Center | 70 Devine Way, South Boston | (857) 496-1384 ext. 601 |
| STEPRox Recovery Support Center | 153 Blue Hill Avenue, Roxbury | (617) 442-7837 |
| Room to Grow Recovery Center | St. Francis House, 39 Boylston Street, Boston | (781) 656-5027 |
| Recovery on the Harbor | 983 Bennington Street, East Boston | (617) 874-8046 |
Town and coalition pages
Local Resource Pages by Town
Towns, health departments and coalitions around our Needham center keep their own lists of local help, including support groups that meet in town. These are the ones we found and checked.
| Town or area | Page | What you will find |
|---|---|---|
| Needham | Needham Public Health: Referrals and Resources | Family groups including a Needham parent Al-Anon meeting, Learn to Cope, MOAR, and local referral options |
| Needham | Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham (SPAN) | Local and statewide help lines and treatment resources. SPAN also lists the town's peer recovery coach, free for Needham community members |
| Newton | City of Newton: Treatment Options | A substance use treatment and recovery guide for Newton residents |
| Newton | Newton Coalition for Community Wellness | Overdose education, harm reduction resources and wellness support, and free Narcan for Newton residents |
| Wellesley | Wellesley Health Department: Substance Use Support | Recovery centers and programs, and free recovery support for uninsured residents. (781) 235-0135 |
| Dedham | Dedham Organization for Substance Awareness: Find Support | Support groups that meet in Dedham, with days, times and places |
| Waltham | City of Waltham Board of Health: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Support | Local behavioral health and crisis services and the state help lines |
| Natick and MetroWest | Natick 180: Treatment Options | A plain explanation of the levels of care, from detox to outpatient and recovery support |
| Norfolk County | Norfolk County-8 Public Health Coalition | The health departments of Canton, Dedham, Milton, Norwood, Walpole, Wellesley and Westwood, and a referral path to Riverside Community Care's recovery coaches |
| Norfolk County | Norfolk County District Attorney: Substance Use Prevention Resources | Naloxone information, prevention resources for parents, and the state helpline |
| Boston | Boston Public Library: Addiction Recovery Resources | A library guide to recovery programs, resources for friends and families, and naloxone sites |
Clear Steps Recovery is not affiliated with these organizations, and listing them here does not mean they endorse us. If a link stops working or a service changes, call admissions and we will correct this page.
FAQ
Questions About Getting Help in Massachusetts
What is the Massachusetts addiction helpline number?
The Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline is (800) 327-5050, by call or text, free and open 24/7. It gives information about harm reduction, treatment and recovery services and can hand you off to a program. For mental health or substance use care, including crisis services, the Behavioral Health Help Line is (833) 773-2445.
Where can I find current overdose numbers for Massachusetts?
Our New Hampshire and Massachusetts overdose data brief summarizes the latest Department of Public Health report and CDC provisional counts, with every number linked to its source and the date of the next update.
Where can families of someone with addiction get support in Massachusetts?
Learn to Cope, Al-Anon and Alateen, Nar-Anon and NAMI Massachusetts all offer free support, and Allies in Recovery teaches CRAFT online. The state's Peer Recovery Support Centers welcome families as well as people in recovery. Town pages in Needham, Dedham and Newton list groups that meet locally.
Is there free addiction treatment in Massachusetts?
BSAS provides access to treatment for people without insurance, and the Substance Use Helpline, (800) 327-5050, can tell you what is available. In Greater Boston, PAATHS (1-855-494-4057) helps individuals and families find treatment regardless of insurance status.
What is a Peer Recovery Support Center?
A free, peer-led space where people in recovery and their families can connect, get support and find community. BSAS lists them by region across the state. The closest to Needham include Turning Point in Walpole and Anchored in Recovery in Framingham.
Is Clear Steps Recovery a state program?
No. Clear Steps Recovery is a private outpatient treatment provider licensed by BSAS, with a center in Needham offering Day Treatment, Evening Treatment on Monday through Thursday evenings, outpatient care and medication-assisted treatment. Call (603) 769-8981 to check your coverage and book an assessment.
When outpatient treatment is the next step
Clear Steps Recovery in Needham, MA
Day Treatment, Evening Treatment on Monday through Thursday evenings, outpatient care and medication-assisted treatment at 392 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, off Route 128 near the Needham Heights commuter rail stop. Admissions answers 24/7 and a family member can call. Detox, when it is needed first, is arranged by referral.