New England Association of Drug Court Professionals (NEADCP) Has Changed Our Name to New England Association for Recovery Court Professionals (NEARCP)

In celebration of twenty-five years of New England Drug Courts as well as twenty years of our organization, the President and Board of Directors are pleased to announce we are now The New England Association of Recovery Court Professionals (NEARCP). This new name better reflects our comprehensive approach for high-risk participants in an era of expanding treatment courts including, but not limited to, Veteran, Family, Juvenile, Re-Entry, Mental Health, DUI, Federal and Tribal courts. Multiple studies show drug courts/recovery courts reduce crime, are cost effective and save lives.

NEARCP’s enhanced mission is not only treatment but also “recovery” in all of its varied definitions. “Recovery” includes substance use disorders as well as “Recovery” from a lifestyle conflicted by other conditions such as PTSD. Our organization will, despite its name change, continue to focus on the best practices of the treatment court model.

Our Mission

We provide a forum, through training, technical assistance, and information sharing, to promote the development of sound drug treatment court programs throughout New England that apply — and stay current with — evolving evidence based practices and emerging issues to meet the full range of needs of the individuals eligible for recovery court services.

Our Goals

  • To provide high quality training, technical assistance, information sharing
    mechanisms and other support to the recovery treatment courts in the six New England states, tailored to the needs and issues they are addressing.
  • To promote coordination and sharing of information and resources, as feasible, in the development of policies and practices relating to the recovery court programs in New England.
  • To provide a central repository of resources relating to the development,
    operation and administration of recovery treatment courts in New England which
    highlight regional and state-specific issues not readily targeted in national resources and which New England programs can utilize and share.
  • To develop a range of collaborative relationships, at multiple levels, with
    federal, state and local governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to promote potential partnerships to enhance NEARCP’s training, technical assistance and outreach and to increase its visibility.

What is a Drug/Specialty/Recovery Court?

Drug Courts/Recovery Courts are an effective alternative to incarcerating repeat, non-violent drug offenders. In lieu of jail, addicts are mandated to receive comprehensive treatment, which peer reviewed research shows reduces relapses and re-arrests. There are now over 4,000 recovery courts in the United States.

NEARCP Board of Directors

Name  Title State
Hon. Robert Ziemian, President Justice, retired MA
Hon. Jeanne LaFazia, 1st Vice President Chief Judge, Rhode Island District Court RI
Hon. Tina Nadeau, 2nd Vice President Chief Justice, Superior Court NH
Christine O’Connell, Secretary Asst. Public Defender, retired RI
Thomas O’Brien, Treasurer Ret’d Senior Assistant State’s Attorney  CT
Catherine Chichester Executive Director, Co-Occurring Collaborative Serving Maine ME
Todd Crawford Coordinator, Specialty Dockets and Grants ME
Maureen Derbacher Court Management Specialist, retired CT
Hon. John Pacht Superior Court Judge VT
Hon. Kevin W. Griffin Superior Court Judge VT
Hon. Charles Groce Presiding Justice, Court Assisted Supervised Treatment Program, Springfield District Court in Springfield, MA MA
Linda Hurley President/CEO;  CODAC Behavioral Healthcare RI
Mark Jenkins Executive Director of the Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition CT
Brian Kenney Captain, Legal Bureau, Nashua Police Dept NH
Hon. Matthew J. Machera First Justice, Chelsea District Court MA
Hon. Nancy Waples Associate Justice, Supreme Court VT
John P.  McGahan President/CEO Gavin Foundation MA
Christine McKenna Rockingham County Drug Court Director NH
Hon. David Mitchell Justice, Maine District Court ME
Alex Casale New Hampshire Statewide Drug Offender Program Coordinator NH
Deborah Palmieri  CT Board of Pardons and ParolesCT CT
Stephen von Sitas Regional Treatment Court Coordinator VT
Darcy Wilcox  Case Management Director; Maine Pretrial Services, Inc. ME

 

NEARCP ADVISORY BOARD

Stephanie Clark Director, National Center on Restorative Justice, Vermont Law School, Assistant Professor VT
Rosemarie Martin Associate Professor (Research), Brown University RI
Judith Lawler Assistant Chief Probation Officer, Malden District Court MA
Katie O’Leary Director of Recovery Support Services North Suffolk Mental Health Association MA
John Hamilton President/CEO Liberation Programs, Inc. CT
Dennis Reilly Statewide Drug Court Coordinator, Office of Policy and Planning, NYS Office of Court Administration NY
Emma Marietti Veterans Treatment Court Coordinator RI

Board of Directors meeting at the Federal Reserve Building, January 2020.