After 13 years in finance, Jamie Dalton entered a new realm of work through his family’s Think of Michael Foundation and North Suffolk Community Services (NSCS).
Two years ago, the New England Association of Recovery Court Professionals recognized Dalton for his work, awarding him the first annual Michael D. Leis Unsung Hero Award at a regional conference in Danvers.
“My full-time job is with NSCS. I’m a recovery coach manager and treatment court project director,” Dalton said.
The organization has a five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to operate in recovery courts. Dalton oversees recovery coaches in Lynn, Chelsea, Malden, Dorchester, South Boston, East Boston, and Charlestown, as well as coaches in federal court.
Before becoming a manager at NSCS, Dalton worked as a coach in the emergency departments at Cambridge Health Alliance and on a team called Services Over Sentences at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. Additionally, he worked at residential treatment centers, outpatient treatment, and peer recovery centers.
“Working as a recovery coach has been amazing for me. My boss (Katie O’Leary) has been incredible to me, even in my personal recovery journey. She helped me before I even started working at NSCS,” he said.
Dalton said the team O’Leary built is exceptional. He feels he works with a group of miracles that inspire him every day.
When asked about an average day on the job, Dalton laughed, explaining that there wasn’t an average day, which he likes about his work.
“Every day is completely different in some way. Our team has coaches trained in all areas,” he said.
Dalton explained that when he first started, some days he would be in the hospital or emergency room talking to people who came in due to overdose or alcohol and trying to get them into detox. On other days, he would find himself working at the courts instead.
“In the courts, we start the day with a team meeting, which starts with the judge, probation officers, attorneys, court clinicians, and the recovery coaches,” he said.
Here, they go through the list of participants in the recovery court. Dalton said these are typically people on probation who will be in the program for about 18 months, receiving support from the court and team.
“Then we have a psychoeducation group with the participants that we run as recovery coaches to check in…It’s a good chance for them to build a sense of community with the other participants,” he said.
Dalton noted the hard part of his job is the tragedy he often encounters.
“We have a community-based health center, so people walk in, and you never know what you’re going to get,” he said. “We have a 24/7 hotline and a crisis response team.”
Dalton said his inspiration for this work was his brother, Michael, who died in 2018 after an opioid overdose.
“I went to treatment the day after my brother’s funeral. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him and everything that happened at that time…We started Think of Michael before I started working at NSCS. Think of Michael was my introduction to helping people in their recovery,” he said. “It’s important for me to help people in his name and keep his memory alive.”
“Another important aspect of my work is sponsoring different social activities through the foundation,” he said.
Dalton mentioned some events the foundation cosponsors, like the Adopt-A-Pole campaign and A Night of Hope. He also delivers flowers on Mother’s Day to mothers who have lost children to substance use.
“We do the Adopt-A-Pole campaign in Boston. We hang purple bows on all of the cellphone poles…They have one for my brother…I hang one up for him outside our recovery center every year…It’s an emotional day to hang that up, but it keeps him close by and reminds me of him,” he said.
Dalton also highlighted ongoing changes in the system and the work of people within it.
“I’ve met some of the best people just trying to help others, and I think it’s really special to be a part of that…It helps with all the bad things you see,” he said.
According to Dalton, judges and probation officers have reached out to him to help get people into recovery programs, which reflects a significant change in the legal system.
He’s noticed that the stigma surrounding addiction is starting to shift, not only through the court system but also in the way people have reached out to him and his family.
“Now that people know what our foundation does and what I do…people reach out, and I’ve been contacted by people in all the surrounding communities,” he said. “Seeing the results of that is amazing.”
