Comedian Jimmy Tingle and WBUR's Monica Brady-Myerov Support Local Group

CASPAR—the Cambridge and Somerville Program for Alcoholism and Drug Rehabilitation—holds its spring event Thursday night.

Last Chance: Somerville Cares About Prevention

RSVP by May 17 to attend the May 23 annual meeting.

Somerville Cares About Prevention is holding its annual meeting on May 23, and if you want to attend, you need to RSVP by May 17. The meeting will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Highlander Café, 81 Highland Ave. According to an announcement from the city, there will be discussions and presentations about efforts by youth leaders in the city to reduce drug and alcohol use in the Somerville community. Program organizers will also thank supporters, and there will be some refreshments. To RSVP, contact Lovelee Heller at LHeller@somervillema.gov or (617) 625-6600, ext. 4322.

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Somerville Receives $75,000 for Youth Substance Abuse Prevention, Health Services

The city will use social networking and other methods to deal with substance abuse, bullying, mental health and other health issues.

  The Community Health Network Area 17, a group of health organizations in Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Arlington, Waltham and Belmont that is funded primarily by Mount Auburn Hospital, has awarded Somerville $75,000 for various youth services initiatives, according to an announcement sent by the city. The money will be used for substance abuse and bullying prevention, to address mental health issues and to improve youth access to health services, the announcement says. Among other things, the city will use some of the funding to reach out to young Somervillians with social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, according to the announcement. The money has been awarded to Somerville Cares About Prevention in yearly …

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You Said It!

VIDEO: Treating Addiction in Somerville

We asked people on the street about substance abuse and addiction in Somerville. Specifically, if people need help, do they know where to go? Here's what some people said.

Almost every week in the booking log provided by Somerville police, there is at least one incident—usually more—involving substance abuse of some sort. Over the summer, the city hosted a "How to Save a Life" workshop "in response to the growing concerns nationally around the increase[d] use of prescription drugs and overdose." Among other things, the announcement for the workshop cited problems in Somerville between 2000 and 2005 when 21 young people in Somerville died as a result of substance abuse or suicide. We asked people on the street for their views on substance abuse and addiction. Specifically, we asked if they feel there are enough resources for people who need help. Here's what some people said. If you or anyone you know could …

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