Medford Launches Recovery Group for Veterans And First Responders

MEDFORD, MA — Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced that the city has launched a new Veterans and First Responders Recovery Group aimed at supporting local veterans and emergency personnel who are navigating substance use recovery and other challenges.

The group began meeting on Tuesday, May 12, and will continue to meet every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church on Oakland Street. City officials said the program is open to all veterans and first responders on a drop-in basis.

The new recovery group is sponsored by Medford’s Veterans’ Services and Public Health Departments and will be led by the City’s Recovery Coach, Chris Summa. According to the Mayor's Office, the program is intended to provide support, guidance, and community for those seeking help in recovery.

“Medford veterans and first responders have done so much to support our country, and it's so important that they have access to resources and programs that can help them through their challenges,” Lungo-Koehn said in a statement. “Thank you to our Veterans’ Services Director, Veronica Shaw, and our Recovery Coach, Chris Summa, for starting this group and for all you do to support our community on a daily basis.”

The Veterans and First Responders Recovery Group will operate as a subchapter of the larger Medford Peer Recovery Group, which meets on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. inside City Hall.

Both programs are led by Summa, who works with residents and families dealing with substance use recovery through both one-on-one and group support services.

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