News Flash

The Bedford Health & Human Services Department, in collaboration with the Edinburg Center, is hosting a Processing Stress and Anxiety community presentation on Thursday, February 26, 2026, from 6:00–7:30 PM at Bedford Town Hall’s Reed Room,10 Mudge Way, Bedford Ma.

Led by JoAnna Wu of the Edinburg Center, this interactive presentation will offer a supportive space to explore how stress and anxiety show up in everyday life and provide practical, easy-to-use tools for coping. Attendees will learn simple strategies to manage stress, recognize common triggers, build resilience and emotional awareness, and understand when and how to seek additional support.

The program is open to community members ages 10 and up, including parents, caregivers, and students. Pizza will be provided at 5:30 PM

This event is educational in nature and is not a substitute for mental health treatment or therapy.More information on the attached flyer and registration details are available at https://bit.ly/4kaV4pD.

Questions may be directed to Youth Services Coordinator Mallory Fuller at MFuller@bedfordma.gov.

The Bedford community is invited to attend these free events hosted by nearby communities:

What's Going on in Their Head? Understanding Teen Brains

• Tuesday, January 27th from 7:00pm-8:30 pm over Zoom
• Learn about teen/tween decision making, adolescent brain development, and how adults can help foster healthy choices. 
• To learn more and register, click this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgIg0sSpopq96IZPJqY55uSzm9D44eLyNgwFSiUspqfumupg/viewform

Recovery City Documentary Screening and Q&A

• Thursday, January 29th from 4:00pm-6:00pm
• Anchored in Recovery of Framingham will host a free screening of the award-winning documentary, Recovery City, which follows four women from Worcester through their journeys to recovering from addiction.
• To learn more and to register, click this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/recovery-city-documentary-screening-and-qa-tickets-1979538774763

This season, the Department of Health & Human Services invites you to join us in spreading kindness throughout our community. As we roll through this season of giving, we encourage you to keep the momentum going by engaging in 25 Days of Kindness. Even the smallest gesture can brighten someone’s day.Whether it’s checking in on a neighbor, offering a heartfelt thank you, or volunteering your time, every act of kindness matters. Let’s make our community a brighter, healthier place—one small act at a time.  

Life, community and world events can impact us significantly, be overwhelming and hang heavy over us at times. Recognizing this, the Bedford HHS Department and Bedford Public Schools are hosting a workshop on understanding trauma and grief and will offer support and provide resources available in Bedford and beyond.

Pizza and child care offered, starting at 5:30.

For more information, please view the flyer.

To attend the event and request child care (and enable a count for pizza), please register here.

To view a recording of this event, please navigate HERE

Funded by the Town of Bedford’s opioid settlement funds, the Bedford Health Department is pleased to announce that Narcan distribution cabinets will be installed in select Town buildings throughout May 2025.

Taking too much of an opioid (including codeine, fentanyl, heroin, morphine, and oxycodone) can cause an opioid overdose and result in dangerously slowed or stopped breathing.

Narcan, a brand name of naloxone, is an opioid-reversal agent that restores breathing in someone who has overdosed on opioids by blocking the effects that opioids have on the body. Narcan works in 2-3 minutes after administration and its effects last 30-90 minutes. However, how quickly Narcan works and for how long it works depends on the amount of opioid the person has in their body. Some people will need multiple doses. Please note that you cannot harm someone by administering Narcan, even if the person you administer Narcan to is not overdosing on an opioid.

It is very important to call 911 if Narcan has been administered. A person who has overdosed may need multiple doses or require further care by a medical professional. Some people may appear to have overdosed on an opioid, but actually are suffering from another medical condition that isn’t treatable by Narcan. This will require the assessment of a medical professional in order to get the person appropriate care. Please always make sure to call 911 if an overdose is suspected or you encounter anyone who is medically compromised and/or unconscious.

Bedford will be joining nearby towns who have made free Narcan accessible in town buildings. The goal of this program is to provide Bedford residents and employees access to free Narcan that they can carry on their person. Each kit comes with easy to follow instructions for use. Opioid overdoses can occur anywhere, at any time. Having Narcan dispersed within the community has shown to decrease opioid overdose deaths and decrease the stigma around opioid use disorder. Consider making life-saving Narcan a part of your first aid kit.

Cabinets will be installed near the automated external defibrillators (AEDs) located in the following Town buildings:

• Town Center (4 locations) - 1st floor:   at the Council on Aging and at Kids’ Club; 2nd floor: at the top of the front stairs and inside one of the 2nd floor bathrooms
• Town Hall – 1st floor near the elevator
• DPW – 1st floor near the employee break area
• Free Public Library - 1st floor behind the circulation desk
• Old Town Hall – 3rd floor in the hallway

Community training programs on administration of Narcan will be announced on the Health Department’s webpage. 

Helpful phone numbers and websites:

• Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline: call 800-327-5050, text “HOPE” to 800327, visit their website at https://helplinema.org/
• Massachusetts Behavioral Health Hotline: call or text 833-773-2445, or message a professional on their website at https://www.masshelpline.com/
• Suicide Prevention: call or text 988, or message a professional on their website at https://988lifeline.org/