News  The Women’s Recovery Court Session: "Empowering Women In Recovery," was a celebration of women in recovery featuring an award presentation by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell

Decorated with a purple balloon arch and a stream of paper butterflies hung on the back wall, Courtroom One was packed with attendees who filled every seat -- resulting in an overflow of people lined up to the session’s entrance. The celebration was opened by a woman court officer Candice Thompson.

Lynn District Court First Justice Ina Howard-Hogan served as the master of ceremonies at this annual event which featured candid and heartwarming testimonies by women in recovery, acknowledgment of those who helped the women along the way, a panel discussion, and the first-time presentation of two awards: the Women’s Recovery Court Session Founder Award and the Benjamin C. Barnes Women’s Recovery Court Sessions Award. The first award, The Women’s Recovery Court Session Founder Award, was presented by Attorney General Andrea Campbell to Edgartown District Court First Justice Benjamin Barnes who introduced the Women’s Recovery Court session at Chelsea District Court and then implemented it at Malden District Court, where he later served as first justice.

Addressing the audience, Attorney General Campbell said, “It is an honor and privilege to serve in this role. I am the first Black woman, woman of color to serve in this statewide role. I carry with it the responsibility it deserves and also humility.” She also reflected on her twin brother, Andre, who died 11 years ago at age 29 while a pretrial detainee in custody which she attributed to him receiving “inadequate healthcare.”

“That is just a snippet of my story.... I share it because the work of being attorney general, the work of being in law enforcement, the work of doing this work of service is important. The judges that are here, the clerks, the staff—all the Trial Court employees—in this state, including Judge Barnes. All of us are tasked with—not only implementing the laws—but, doing it with fairness, justice, compassion, humanity, and empathy,” said Attorney General Campbell.

Upon accepting the award, Judge Barnes told the audience, “I am truly humbled and grateful. It wasn’t Benjamin Barnes. It was a team. When we started the Recovery Court, back when it was called Drug Court. We were building a Recovery Court and noticed that the same individuals were coming through. This was back in 2013. At the time, close to 90 percent of Recovery Court were men.”

Judge Barnes recalled a colleague’s astonishment that he was starting a Recovery Court for women, “I see a lot of people here who are really touched, people who started with me and we got a lot of push back. I remember the first one (session). It was very powerful. As Attorney General Campbell said before about the energy, there was real energy in the room. Afterwards, someone came up to me asked ‘Why haven’t we been doing this all along?’”

A second award, the Benjamin C. Barnes Women’s Recovery Court Sessions Award, was presented to Malden District Assistant Chief Probation Officer Judy Lawler, Lynn District Recovery Court Probation Officer Kelley J. Montgomery, Katie O’Leary, Director of Recovery for North Suffolk Community Services, and Kim Hanton Chief of Staff for the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Malden District Court First Justice Emily A Karstetter, Lynn District Court First Justice Howard-Hogan, and Regional Administrative Justice Lynn C. Rooney welcomed the audience. Kim Hanton, a former Director of Addiction Services at North Suffolk Community Services, served as keynote speaker. Ms. Hanton was also a former team member with the Chelsea District Court Recovery Court, and is currently Chief of Staff for the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Graduates from the Cambridge, Chelsea, and Lowell Recovery Courts shared their experiences. Keriann Cacavarro, a Cambridge Recovery Court graduate, spoke about the challenges she encountered—including her initial disdain of her Probation Officer and Recovery Court. Ms. Cacavarro now credits Recovery Court for "saving my life.” Two Recovery Court graduates, Patrice Nicholson and Alshleigh Walsh, also shared their experiences with Recovery Court and its impact as well as praising their Probation Officers for holding them accountable. The graduates, who referred to Recovery Court as life-changing, encouraged their peers to take part in the program.

The celebration featured a panel discussion, “Best Practices in Recovery Courts,” which was moderated by Ms. O’Leary and featured panelists: Framingham/Natick Recovery Court Presiding Justice Jennifer A. Stark; Lynn First Justice Howard-Hogan; Brockton District Recovery Court Probation Officer Christine L. Pancyck; Lynn District Recovery Court Probation Officer Kelly J. Montgomery, Danielle O’Brien, Recovery Court graduate of BMC South Boston and Alisha Cohen, Recovery Court graduate of Chelsea District Court.

Hannah Colbert, a Trauma-Informed Yoga teacher at the Salty Buddha Yoga Studio, presented on trauma-informed care and meditation. The half-day celebration concluded with a song by Kara Kelly, a former Recovery Court participant, who is now a youth worker with ROCA of Chelsea. The event also included resource tables representing a dozen local human services agencies.

Reflections

Assistant Chief Probation Officer Judy Lawler said of the event,  “To think the simple, humble beginnings in 2013 with 10 women sitting around a table at Chelsea District Recovery Court has grown and evolved into an event attended by 200 women--showing up, sharing, and empowering one another, just amazing.”

Chief Probation Officer Marisa Coligandro-Vaughan reflected on the day, “This event was possible because of a true team effort between probation staff, judges, trial court employees, and community partners. Throughout the event, I was approached by so many women who were touched and inspired by this day. This session is always emotional, powerful, and uplifting. We laugh, we cry, and we witness strength and courage. It validates the work we all do on a daily basis. This was a truly amazing event, an experience like no other, and it touches your heart.”