The Northeast Recovery Learning Community (NERLC) offers a welcoming, secure, understanding, and judgment-free environment so that people from diverse backgrounds can join together for healing and growth. We are a group of people that have dealt with similar issues with addiction, mental health, and/or traumatic occurrences.

1. NERLC
978-687-4288
Northeast Recovery Learning
Community (NERLC)
Newsletter
NERLC 20 Ballard Road, Lawrence, MA 01843
35 John Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852
September 2022
Contact Us
https://www.nilp.org/nerlc/
Join Us
https://www.facebook.com/nerlc/
Interim Director of
NERLC & OAPS:
Gabe Fonseca: gfonseca@nilp.org
978-245-8452
NERLC Interim Operational
Manager
Rachely Ramos: rramos@nilp.org
978-245-8429
Interim Manager of Older Adults
Peer Services
Mandy Orfanos: aorfanos@nilp.org
978-245-8456
Administrative & Marketing Asst:
Emily Soares: esoares@nilp.org
978-245-8464

2. Who We Are
NERLC provides welcoming, safe, understanding,
judgement-free spaces where individuals of diverse
backgrounds can gather for healing and growth. We are a
community of peers in recovery from mental health
challenges, addiction and or traumatic life experiences.
The NERLC supports individuals on their journeys to
obtaining and maintaining a wellness in a variety of ways,
including: 1:1 peer support, peer support groups, self-
directed recovery-oriented trainings, advocacy and
through an array of community events and activities. We
serve 69 cities and towns throughout the Northeast
region.

3. Forensic Peer Specialist
The Northeast Recovery Learning Community's purpose in the
community is not only to understand the dynamics and inner
workings of the people, but to integrate contemporary methods
of support, inclusion, and advocacy. Due to this we have seen
the need to support individuals with justice involvement,
substance use disorders, and families of those who have been
through the system in one way or another.
Re-Entry work is not merely consigned to individuals returning
from incarceration, hospitalization, or those within specialty
courts; the goal is to reach people within the Sequential
Intercept Model- this means from point of arrest, or section,
with the hopes of diverting those away from incarceration and
into a support system that is determined by the individual.
Although we are in the early stages, we hope to support the
community through systemic advocacy and policy change, and
by creating sustainable groups and 1 on 1 supports for people to
come together and engage with their peers.
Our work in substance use disorders is not dissimilar to re-entry
and social justice work; harm reduction and self-determination
are the pillars upon which we have constructed these
frameworks. Our aim is to eliminate the pervasive stigma
indelibly linked to all drug use, and show others that recovery is
an individual's choice, and what it means cannot be decided for
them.
For more information contact:
Mike Berggren: mberggren@nilp.org or at 978-687-4288 ext.140
Laurie Beserdetsky: lbeserdetsky@nilp.org or at 978-687-4288
ext. 207

4. NERLC Contacts
NERLC 20 Ballard Road, Lawrence, MA 01843
35 John Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852
D a v e : d c a r i g n a n @ n i l p . o r g
G i s e l l : g s u a z o @ n i l p . o r g
J e n n i f e r : j b o l e s @ n i l p . o r g
K r i s t i n : k r o m a n s k i @ n i l p . o r g
L a u r i e : l b e s e r d e t s k y @ n i l p . o r g
L i s a : l r i v a r d @ n i l p . o r g
M a n d y : m o r f a n o s @ n i l p . o r g
M a t t : m a r o n s t e i n @ n i l p . o r g
M i k e : m b e r g g r e n @ n i l p . o r g
R a c h e l y : r r a m o s @ n i l p . o r g
T r a c y : t w o o d s @ n i l p . o r g
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e x t . 2 0 7
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Contacts: 978-687-4288
Closed
Monday
September 5

5. You're Invited
Peer Recovery Specialist Meet and
Greet Luncheon
Thursday, September 22, 2022
12-2Pm
Conference Room
20 Ballard Road
Lawrence, MA 01843
Come join us for a Meet and Greet Luncheon in person for Peer
Recovery Specialist. Get to know others in the Northeast area
while coming together over lunch.
RSVP by Friday, September 16th at 5:00pm
RSVP with Lisa at lrivard@nilp.org or 978-245-8430

6. Contact Dave: 978-687-4288 EXT. 200
dcarignan@nilp.org
Live Groups
Tuesdays Games Group
11-12
NERLC
35 John Street, 2nd Floor
Lowell, MA 01852
Thursdays Three Stooges
10-11
Thursdays Walk on Riverwalk
11-12
Thursdays Jam Group
12-1

7. Closed on Monday
September 5, 2022
In Observance of
Labor Day
Wellness Word Search

8. Acton Dracut Manchester Salem
Amesbury Dunstable Marblehead Salisbury
Andover Essex Maynard Saugus
Arlington Everett Medford Stoneham
Bedford Georgetown Melrose Stow
Belmont Gloucester Merrimac Swampscott
Beverly Hamilton Methuen Tewksbury
Billerica Haverhill Middleton Topsfield
Boxborough Ipswich Nahant Tyngsborough
Boxford Lawrence North Andover Wakefield
Bradford Lexington North Reading Waltham
Burlington Lincoln Newbury Watertown
Byfield Littleton Newburyport Wenham
Carlisle Lowell Peabody Westford
Chelmsford Lynn Reading West Newbury
Concord Lynnfield Rockport Wilmington
Danvers Malden Rowley Winchester
Woburn
NERLC SERVICE AREAS
All Northeast Recovery Learning Community (NERLC) activities are
conducted with support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’
Department of Mental Health- Recovery Learning Community.