On Thursday, women from all over the state gathered at Edgartown’s Old Whaling Church for the 15th celebration of the Women’s Recovery Program. The program was created to provide a supportive path toward recovery and a life beyond the criminal justice system.
Recovery courts are specialized for individuals whose criminal offenses are tied to substance use disorders. It places individuals through a rigorous court-ordered recovery program that they must enter voluntarily. The participants are provided with treatment, regular drug testing and close supervision by a team comprised of a judge, probation officers and counselors who monitor the individual’s progress.
The celebration brought together participants, graduates, court officials, community partners and supporters who have helped build the program over the years, and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell.
“To the women participating today, this session exists because we see your strength, we honor your courage and we fully believe in your future. To our dedicated partners in the community, thank you for working hand in hand to make this possible,” said Katie O’Leary, director of recovery services at North Suffolk Community Services.
The first Women’s recovery court was created by Edgartown district court first justice Benjamin Barnes, retired Malden district assistant chief probation officer Judith Lawler and Ms. O’Leary.
At the time, Judge Barnes noticed more than 90 per cent of recovery court participants were men, while there were very few resources specifically designed to support women.
“Back in 2013, an incredible idea was born. A judge looked out at individuals and recognized an opportunity and a chance to bridge a gap and offer dedicated, specialized support for women seeking help,” Ms. O’Leary told the audience on Thursday. “By 2014, the decision came to life.”
Today, there are sessions held at Plymouth, Greenfield and Springfield district courts. The Edgartown recovery court opened in 2024, and serves court-involved women from the New Bedford, Fall River, Hingham, Taunton, Falmouth, Barnstable and Plymouth District Courts.
The celebration brought together many women who have experienced the program’s impact firsthand. It began with remarks from assistant chief probation officer Jessica Haggerty, followed by co-founders Ms. Lawler and Ms. O’Leary.
Ms. Campbell then spoke about the importance of community support and the possibility of rebuilding one’s life.
“We live and work in the greatest state in the country. This program is a great example of that. Many other states do not have anything like this,” the attorney general said. “To participate and be a part of a program like this means turning your pain into purpose.”
Community was a central theme of the day, as numerous speakers emphasized the value of support systems, including Caitlin Diblasi, a 2018 graduate of Charlestown recovery court.
“There were a lot of ordinary days in between the woman who was homeless years ago and who I am today,” Ms. Diblasi said. “But what’s really special about being here today is there’s a lot of women in this room who were there from the beginning.”
Ms. Diblasi also shared that graduating from recovery court wasn’t the end of the work she had begun.
“I graduated in 2018, and it was a huge accomplishment. But it wasn’t a finish line for me,” Ms. Diblasi said. “I kept working in recovery. I decided to go off to school. I became a nurse.”
Ms. Diblasi has since co-founded a treatment center, where she says she has the opportunity to help others beginning their own recovery journeys.
“Now I get to be part of creating a place where someone can walk through the doors, and it may be the worst day of their life, but they know that they have a chance to make it,” she said.
The stories shared throughout the afternoon continued to serve as a reminder that recovery is ongoing, with graduates and speakers highlighting the work that continues long after recovery court ends.
Ms. Campbell emphasized that a person’s past does not have to determine the limits of their future.
“All the things you had in your heart as a child, all the things you envisioned for yourself — they are still very much possible,” Ms. Campbell said.