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Welcome to The Corner, the new and improved newsletter from ATR. In this newsletter, we plan to deliver a collection of content and updates to keep you engaged in our work with the recovery community. We often treat our street intersections as meeting points, a place to meet a friend before continuing together to a shared destination. We hope to meet you at The Corner with the same goal in mind: to collaborate, walk together, and work together to better support individuals in recovery.

When the road is dark, we rely on the streetlamps and lights above us to help guide the way. The work we do for those in recovery comes with challenges, but when we hear from ATR participants, they light us up. Our ATR participants are resilient, their courage guides us and inspires us.

Last year, Dominique entered the doors of her recovery home knowing it was time to ask for help. She describes this time as “desolate,” having experienced one of the lowest points in her life, but Dominique knew she needed a change. “Part of me didn’t want to put the work in to change who I was because change is a scary thing,” she said. At first, she spent a lot of time alone contemplating what steps she would take next, but slowly connected with other women in the program who were also going through their first steps in recovery.

Dominique spent time in community with others and began to hear the name “ATR.” After learning that the ATR program might be an option for her to create a career for herself, Dominique not only opened herself up to change, but also to the idea of a whole new life.

When Dominique enrolled in ATR, she felt ready to accept any resource that would support her next steps in recovery. She began the ATR Paths to Empowerment (P2E) Program where she learned to write a resume, use online tools to find job opportunities, and build her self-confidence in preparation for the workplace. During this time, she was also participating in a weekly exercise group at her recovery home. A personal trainer, Coach Joe, would teach everyone how to stretch and exercise. “I learned how to run my first 5K, which I thought was amazing,” Dominique said. She ran the Road to Wellness 5K and credits Coach Joe saying, “He is the person who motivated me toward the fitness industry.”

After completing P2E, Dominique met with her ATR Coordinator, Patricia, to talk about job training opportunities and the first one on Dominique’s mind? The American Academy of Personal Training (AAPT) personal training course. “Patricia made sure I was ready,” she said, “It was because of her that I was able to take the class.” Patricia was there to ensure Dominique’s success whether she needed a transportation pass or even a backpack. During the course, Dominique not only strengthened her mind with everything she would need to know as a personal trainer, but also strengthened her body through weightlifting. She attended classes and collaborated with her classmates, feeling empowered to start her new career. “I now have something that I can depend on, not only to support me and my family, but also, I am going to be able to help change someone else’s body, mind, spirit with what I know,” Dominique said.

Once Dominique graduated from AAPT, she utilized the skills she had learned in P2E to work on her resume, cover letter, and begin the application process. She explained that there came a point in the process where she feared her own success, “You’re almost scared to take that next step,” she said, “You don’t have the safety of the classroom anymore and you have to rely on everything you’ve retained.” After getting the encouragement she needed from Patricia and others supporting her, the interviews started rolling in. Dominique accepted a position at a top-of-the-line facility in Boston where she is now leading fitness classes like Tabata, HIIT, sculpting, and training clients one-on-one. She is also continuing to improve her own technique, collaborating with other trainers. Dominique said, “I am getting firsthand knowledge from people who have been in this industry for years…It’s an amazing opportunity that when I left the classroom, I did not think I was going to get.”

Dominique left her recovery home, but felt she still needed more structure, so she enrolled in ATR Sober Home Services. “It gave me the ability to not have to worry about where I was going to stay, who was going to pay for it, and I got a chance to worry about the things I needed to do to better myself without the added pressure of the financial responsibility,” Dominique said. With the support of ATR Sober Home Services, Dominique has been able to build up her savings and stay focused on continuing her recovery.

This summer, Dominique will be taking her journey full circle, training others in recovery to run their first 5K in the Road to Wellness 5K. Before Dominque enrolled in ATR, she described her life as desolate. When asked how she would describe her life today, starting her career, working with others, and continuing her recovery, she said, “Grateful.”

When we have exciting updates about the ATR program, you can find them here. Consider this your one-stop-shop for ATR announcements.

New ATR Team Members

Since our last newsletter, we have added a few new faces to ATR! We are excited to welcome this group to the AHP Team to further support our mission. 

Katherine Conforti

ATR Operations Specialist

Katherine works behind the scenes to support the data and operations of the program that serves people with substance use disorders throughout Massachusetts.

Prior to joining ATR, Katherine worked in program coordination for a Chicago-based human rights organization, supporting programs with services for immigrants, refugees, and survivors of human trafficking. With five years of experience in social services and program administration, she enjoys deep diving into program data and finding new ways to streamline services and improve participant outcomes. Originally from New York, New York, Katherine has a B.S. in secondary education and Spanish from the University of Vermont and is working remotely from Portland, Maine.

Outside of the office, Katherine can be found making homemade candles and crafts, veganizing old family recipes, and scoping out local secondhand stores for vintage furniture to restore.

Miranda Faris

ATR Workforce Job Developer

Miranda will focus primarily on Career Services to increase job opportunities and job quality for ATR participants. She previously worked with ATR participants as a Co-Facilitator of the Paths to Empowerment (P2E) class at the MassHire Downtown Boston. Previously a self-employed Life and Career Coach for professionals of all levels, Miranda also has a decade of Recruitment and Job Development experience in staffing industries and non-profit organizations. She is passionate about the space where career and human services intersect and gets most satisfaction from working with individuals who overcome employment barriers. Miranda is excited to build successful partnerships with employers to carve pathways for ATR participants to experience the joys of career success! 

She holds certifications in Effective Communication from UMASS Boston Leadership Program, Transformational DEI from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and has also completed coursework in Human Resources Management at Northeastern University.

In her spare time, Miranda loves to participate in self-improvement workshops or finding treasures at antique or yard sales. She also loves nature walks in the woods with her dog, Clover.  

James Harrison

ATR Care Coordinator

James is a former Paths to Empowerment (P2E) Instructor that worked at MassHire in Worcester for over two years. Born and raised in Springfield Massachusetts, he moved to Central Massachusetts five years ago where he continued his work as a case manager for youth and families before joining the MassHire team. James also pastors a church in Roxbury, MA where he has been serving for the past 7 years. 

Fun fact, James was recently on the hit television show “Married at first Sight” as an officiant. He has been married to his beautiful wife since 2020 and currently resides in Shrewsbury. His hobbies include all things Tech, and playing the drums, bass guitar, and keyboards.

Kelly Joseph

ATR Career Services Director

Kelly is responsible for overseeing all of ATR’s Career Services, managing quality and operational improvements, leading strategic expansion of ATR’s network of providers, and building capacity and collaboration between substance use recovery and workforce development systems.

Prior to joining ATR, Kelly worked in local public health managing teams, contracts, and grants for a variety of community health projects including substance use prevention and recovery, healthy aging, food security and health equity. With a background working with justice-involved populations she has a particular interest in advancing public health and public safety collaborations to improve behavioral health and criminal justice outcomes. Kelly has led cross-municipal, multi-sector coalitions and has experience with the public health approach and Strategic Prevention Framework – assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating policy, systems, and environmental change strategies. Kelly is skilled in program design, project management, partnership development, training, facilitation, and grant writing.

While not working, Kelly enjoys spending time with her husband and children, cooking, and watching documentaries.

LeAnne Rowley

ATR Communications Manager

LeAnne focuses on ATR’s messaging across communication channels and shares the impact ATR makes in the lives of its participants with external and internal partners. With over 4 years of marketing and communications experience, she looks forward to supporting the team’s efforts and sharing the diverse stories of those working through recovery. She has had a primary focus on storytelling, content development, social media marketing, and website management, while having also designed and executed several digital and print campaigns during her years in the non-profit sector. LeAnne has content expertise in education, mental health, trauma-informed practices, poverty, hunger, housing and homelessness, and the ways in which those subjects intersect.

LeAnne brings a fresh perspective to the team, contributing to breaking the stigma of substance use disorders and mental health challenges. Originally from Louisiana, LeAnne has a B.A. in professional writing from Baylor University and is now working remotely from Little Rock, Arkansas.

In her spare time, you can find LeAnne cooking vegan recipes, searching for vintage pieces at any antique store, hiking with her husband, or curled up with a good book.

Beep beep! ATR has a lot of moving parts and our team oversees the traffic of incoming participants, ready to begin their recovery path. With that, we know that there are thousands across the nation who are starting their recovery journeys, too. This Traffic Report is where our communities intersect across the state of Massachusetts and across the country.

How ATR Aims to Increase Recovery Capital

As the term “recovery capital” has become more prevalent in the recovery community and in recovery support programs, like ATR, we are diving into how our services help each of our participants increase their own recovery capital.

In other words, helping individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) increase their recovery capital means supplying individuals with the necessary resources to sustain their recovery. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identifies four major areas of recovery support: health, home, purpose, and community.

In this study of Los Angeles sober living recovery homes, or sober homes, it was found that the residents’ life conditions improved in sober living environments even after a short period of time. From reduced substance use, lower severity of substance use, increased employment, and a reduction in homelessness, sober living provided individuals with an opportunity to address all four recovery support areas.

ATR offers Sober Home Services to ATR participants in need of that additional support towards their recovery goals. ATR Housing Coordinators connect participants with sober homes that suit their needs and ATR Recovery Coaches provide peer support as they navigate the transition to their new environment and provide guidance toward their housing and employment goals. ATR pays up to 5 months of rent for participants to focus on their job training opportunities, financial stability, and long-term housing planning. Each of the supports built into ATR Sober Home Services are provided to bolster an individual’s recovery capital.

We are excited to not only share the progress of the ATR program, but also share this space with partnering organizations who are making an impact on individuals in recovery and spotlight their work. In The Rotary, we will host discussions with other organizations as well as discuss important topics that are affecting our community and our participants. In a rotary, you may find yourself in the midst of chaos and confusion, but The Rotary is where we come together to help each other move in the right direction.

Kevin’s dedication to the ATR participants and the Paths to Empowerment program was unparalleled. He helped to develop the P2E curriculum at its inception and was the primary facilitator at the MassHire Downtown Boston location for the first decade that it has been offered. He brought unwavering dedication to his work and made certain that all classes ran smoothly to ensure P2E participants received the help they needed.

In 2021, he graciously welcomed a team of three additional staff to help with the expansion of programs. He mentored, trained, and passed along his wisdom on supporting the ATR program and created a fantastic team who can now continue with this important work. 

Kevin’s relaxed approach was filled with a sprinkling of his own brand of gentle and observant humor; he was a wise coach who encouraged participants to discover their own strengths and talents. He had strong faith in each of them. He helped people rebuild their confidence to go successfully back into the workforce, while making everyone laugh along the way. The gratitude of having known him is shared by so many.

He was a fierce protector of everyone he worked with, whether advocating for the participants in the program, his colleagues, or sharing his foresight on best practices for the ATR program to ensure its continued success. It is hard to imagine ATR without Kevin’s presence, and yet I believe his presence is gently woven into the program, like an “underwater basket weaver” (one of Kevin’s famous quotes) might have carefully crafted, and his essence will live on in the fabric of P2E as ATR helps even more people achieve success. Kevin’s work, humor, and passion will not be forgotten!

In addition to increasing support for the Black and Brown communities that have historically been discriminated against by the criminal justice system, the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) has launched the "Recovery-Based Reentry Services for Black and Latino Men" initiative. AHP will be part of this endeavor managing the ATR coordination services to support those within our community who have a substance use disorder (SUD) and a history in the criminal justice system. Read how ATR Care Coordinator, James Harrison, plans to support this unique population in his work.

At the end of 2021, there were nearly 11 million job openings across the United States according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have created ripples across our workforce, but in the wake, we are left with an opportunity to lift barriers for those who have struggled to obtain employment in the past. Earlier this year, The Boston Globe highlighted the untapped population in our communities, citing 27 million “hidden workers” across our nation who are “unemployed or underemployed because they are routinely screened out during the hiring process, according to a 2021 Harvard Business School study. These are people with mental health or developmental challenges, physical disabilities, or prison records. They are immigrants, caregivers, veterans. They might come from disadvantaged backgrounds or lack a college degree.”

In addition to increasing support for the Black and Brown communities that have historically been discriminated against by the criminal justice system, the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) has launched the “Recovery-Based Reentry Services for Black and Latino Men” initiative. ATR will conduct this project in an effort to support those within our community who have a substance use disorder (SUD) and a history in the criminal justice system. ATR Care Coordinator, James Harrison, will be working directly with this group of ATR participants to provide individualized support services.

“Re-entering the workforce after any length of time, can be challenging. Almost like entering a rotary, you are trying to safely navigate entering something that is already flowing. It is like trying to find your place and where you fit in with the added load of everything you may have gone through,” writes James.

“For participants in our [Recovery-Based Reentry Services for Black and Latino Men] initiative, we are making our mark assisting individuals as they navigate this rotary of reentry. Many of the individuals face the added barriers of systemic issues that have kept them from getting the running start they need. Our goal is to assist with trainings, housing, basic needs, and provide additional case management to create a support system that does not leave them at the rotary but gets them rolling through. While we alone are unable to fix all the problems, we can certainly do our best to be apart of the solution.“

There are always training opportunities, webinars, or events to look forward to. Check in here to put your next destination on the calendar!

Health Resources in Action (HRiA)

HRiA will be hosting a two-part virtual training on opioid overdose rescue so that you are equipped with the knowledge of opioids, their risk factors, and how to respond through rescue practices.

Click here to register for Part 1 on June 16, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Click here to register for Part 2 on June 21, 9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Prefer to learn hands-on information in an in-person setting?

AdCare will host HRiA instructors for a full-day, in-person training on Opioid Rescue and Prevention on July 28 in Worcester, MA. Click here for details and registration.

We relish the opportunity to share the mission of ATR with others, so stop by the Newsstand for the latest articles or press releases from ATR.

In the last year, we expanded our services where people need it. When we expanded into Lowell, MA, we were grateful to share this new opportunity with the Lowell Sun in November, 2021. Click below to read more about the beginnings of our work in Lowell, and share this newsletter with others to join us as we continue making an impact in Massachusetts.