Chelmsford

Rather than reacting to situations when they occur, we will continue to approach all health concerns by emphasizing education and prevention. 

The Town of Chelmsford has been serving approximately 36,000 residents through partnerships with the Health Department, Police Department, and Fire Department to provide Substance Use Prevention Education for over ten years. In 2021, Trinity reported 37 nonfatal Opiate related overdoses in Chelmsford. In 2022, up to the month of September there were 13 nonfatal Opiate related overdoses. *This data does not include Chelmsford residents who overdosed in other towns and if the overdose was not reported to EMS services. 

Behavioral Health Unit Collaborative

The Town of Chelmsford proudly participates in a Regional Police Mental Health Collaborative (PMHC) with the towns of Tewksbury, Dracut, Billerica, and Tyngsboro. The PMHC provides a holistic approach to serving community members experiencing mental health and substance use disorders who interact with law enforcement. The program includes four major pillars: Prevention, Crisis Intervention, Recovery, and Education and includes a Co-Response Clinician as part of a Jail Diversion Program. The collaboration between police and behavioral health is a pre-arraignment diversion program designed to bring individuals in crisis away from criminal custody and into appropriate clinical care. The clinician can provide a variety of services including: emergency field psychiatric services, provide ongoing post-crisis support, provide referrals to therapy or recovery coach services, treatment transportation, and medication prescribers.

So far, there have been 200 referrals to the Behavioral Health Unit Diversion Program and the clinician has responded to 70 calls for service in the community. In 2021, Chelmsford saved $416,000 with the Emergency Room diversion program and $105,000 with the Jail Diversion program. Since 2020 the Jail Diversion Program referred 661 Chelmsford residents.

Rachel Beers, the Chelmsford Behavioral Health Unit Clinician: 978-256-2521 extension 126. rbeers@chelmsfordma.gov

Contacts:

Public Health & Wellness Coordinator, Taryn Angel: (978) 250-5241. tangel@chelmsfordma.gov.

Community Services Coordinator, Jen Melanson: (978) 770-7687. jmelanson@chelmsfordma.gov.

Public Health Community Social Worker, Marissa Cameron: (978)250-5241.

mcameron@chelmsfordma.gov 

 

 

 

 

Care Solace Referral Service: 

We care about your well-being and have partnered with Care Solace, a mental health care coordination service, to help you and your family connect to the quality care you need. Care Solace is a FREE mental health referral service for Chelmsford residents and employees available 24/7/365 and offers multilingual support regardless of insurance. At no cost to you, Care Solace will help you confidently find available mental health and substance use treatment providers matched to your needs and insurance. This service is new to Chelmsford, but since it started in July 2022, it has been utilized by many residents seeking care for a wide range of concerns from anxiety to marital support.

 

 

 

 

Medical Sharps Disposal

 This program will provide a means for proper disposal of Medical Sharps for Chelmsford residents ONLY. (NO BUSINESS, MEDICAL OFFICE OR COMMERCIAL DISPOSAL ONLY). 

• Pre-registration: Please call the BOH office (978) 250-5241 to pre-register (*please note, you only need to register once) 
• Use of Proper Containers: The Chelmsford Board of Health is ONLY accepting medical sharps containers or any hard plastic container with a lid (laundry detergent bottles). 

 

Unwanted Medication Disposal Kiosk 

Chelmsford Police Department. 2 Olde North Road, Chelmsford, MA. (978) 256-2521.

This box allows for anonymous disposal of over the counter or prescription medications 24/7. Residents can seal their unused pills in a flattened plastic baggie no thicker than two slices of bread. The baggies can then be dropped off, no questions asked, in the disposal kiosk at the police station. This disposal option is for pills ONLY; no sharps/needles or liquid medicines should be dropped off.  

Liquid medications can be mixed with coffee grounds, dirt, or kitty litter and disposed of in your household trash. 

Get Connected!

• Chelmsford Board Of Health Facebook
• Chelmsford Community Services Coordinator Facebook
• Town Of Chelmsford Website 
• Prevention Partners of Northern Middlesex

 

 

Chelmsford is a community partner of:

Prevention Partners of Northern Middlesex and the Behavioral Health Unit