Living in Recovery Awarded Three-year Recovery Support Contract from DPH

PITTSFIELD — Pittsfield’s Living in Recovery community received a boost from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which issued ServiceNet a three-year Recovery Support Center contract to expand and continue this service.

“The DPH funding allows us to add staff who will help support the continuing growth of this peer-led, peer-driven community,” said Jay Sacchetti, ServiceNet’s senior vice president of Shelter & Housing, Addiction, and Vocational Services. “With additional staff on board, we will also be increasing the number of hours we’re open, moving from five days a week to seven. It’s all about reaching a wider audience, offering an important lifeline to people who are seeking to sustain their recovery over time.”

Living in Recovery was initially made possible by a generous gift from Donna and Dave Darcy in memory of their son, Joseph Botz. Their vision was to establish a community that would increase the number of life-saving opportunities for people in recovery to connect with each other and to find new hope. Now, with the renewable DPH contract in place, this family’s vision has the broader support needed to move it to the next level.

Since its launch in the summer of 2018, Living in Recovery’s volunteer members have determined the direction programming and support have taken — all with the goal of helping to make their recovery experience more appealing, interesting, fun, and sustainable. Family members, friends, and other allies of those in recovery have also been welcome to join the community. Together, they have already created an array of social events, educational programs, and non-clinical peer services, paving the way for more to come. 

During its first year, Living in Recovery’s sole staff member has been Program Director Joe Buyse. With the additional DPH funding, Living in Recovery will soon be adding an outreach coordinator, volunteer coordinator, and peer-support coordinator, all of whom will be individuals who are in recovery themselves.

Based at the George B. Crane Memorial Center at 81 Linden St. in Pittsfield, Living in Recovery’s reach is anywhere in the area where members decide to organize and offer programming.