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A quarterly newsletter from Massachusetts Access to Recovery (ATR) where our efforts to support individuals in recovery intersect.

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.

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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.

Celebrating MassHire Holyoke's 100th Cohort

At the end of February, MassHire Holyoke celebrated a special milestone when their 100th cohort of ATR participants graduated from the Paths to Empowerment (P2E) Job Readiness Program. MassHire Holyoke Senior Program Specialist, Melinda Fitzsimmons responded to the news praising the ATR participants, "...to see not only their job readiness skills, but their self-awareness and self-esteem grow so much in 3 short weeks is inspirational to say the least.” 


Click below to read more.

MassHire Holyoke Staff

ATR Partner: Green Jobs Academy

Each of our job training providers offer a unique experience for ATR participants. We are excited to announce our newest partnership with the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) Green Jobs Academy. Green Jobs is opening up the Home Weatherization Installer Boot Camp and the first group of ATR participants begin training this month. Green Jobs Academy is focused on training weatherization installers and crew chiefs to strengthen energy conservation in income-eligible homes across New England.


Click below to read more about our partnership with Green Jobs Academy.

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

ATR Transition

We began the New Year with an important announcement: longtime ATR Project Director, Rebecca Starr, has stepped back from her role overseeing the ATR program. We have the deepest gratitude for Rebecca's committment to the work of creating supportive systems of care for individuals in recovery. Moving forward, Brita Loftus has transitioned into the role of ATR Project Director and we are excited to see how she moves the program forward.


Click below for Rebecca's final farewell and reflection.

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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.

ATR Partner Events

Boston | Lowell | New Bedford | Springfield/Holyoke | Worcester


We are grateful to have a network of partners across all five service areas who are dedicated to providing quality services to ATR participants. From ATR Care Coordinators, job trainers, Recovery Coaches, and more, we each have a role to play in a participant's recovery. We have been meeting together across our service areas to share the impact ATR has made, what ATR services are available, and enjoy an opportunity to network and collaborate.


At the end of January, our partners, collaborators, and policymakers gathered in Worcester for an ATR partner event. During our time together, Worcester's Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr. Matilde "Mattie" Castiel, spoke about the effects that substance use has had on the community. She shared the goals she has for the Worcester community including incorporating recovery specialists in emergency care, elevating diversity in recovery support settings, and increasing access to housing and harm reduction programs.


With the opportunity to come together and collaborate, we have been able to discuss ways to create a more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive system to surround individuals in recovery with support. We have more partner events to come, and we can't wait to see you.

ATR Project Director, Brita Loftus

Worcester Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr. Matilde "Mattie" Castiel

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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.

The new blog, Breaking with Tradition, by Advocates for Human Potential (AHP) has launched! Breaking with Tradition is intended to boldly tackle deeply concerning national issues affecting the behavioral health of millions. This blog will dig deeply into what we must do to uncover, discover, and liberate the greatest potential imaginable in our behavioral health systems, communities, and loved ones.


We are excited to share that with its launch is a post from ATR's very own Training and Technical Assistance Manager, Erin Allain. This piece explores what recovery capital is and how we can continue making it accessible for everyone.