News  New Haverhill Community Justice Support Center to Open Friday

Event details: The March 29 opening of the Haverhill Community Justice Support Center pays homage to Haverhill’s history as a leading manufacturer of women’s shoes, while celebrating the hope of change and second chances for clients at the Community Justice Support Centers. The celebration takes place at noon at the Support Center’s 200 Main Street location.

The Haverhill Community Justice Support Center, one of 18 Support Centers across the state, will host a Grand Opening on March 29th at noon. The theme is S.H.O.E.S. - Strength, Hope, Opportunity, Evolution, Success honors Haverhill as the "queen" city of women's shoes.

Guest speakers will include the following:

• Hon. Barry Finegold, Massachusetts State Senator
• Hon. Heidi Brieger, Chief Justice of the Trial Court
• Thomas Ambrosino, Trial Court Administrator
• Pamerson Ifill, Commissioner of Probation
• Hon. Cesar Archilla, First Justice of Haverhill District Court
• Hon. Melinda Barrett, Mayor of Haverhill
• Charles Clifford, President/CEO, Old Colony YMCA
• Tracy Fuller, Regional Executive Director, North Shore YMCA

The 6,500 square-foot Haverhill Support Center houses three large classrooms, a computer lab, break room, and “a large welcoming lobby area,” according to Yardley Theolien, Regional Manager at the Office of Community Corrections which manages the Support Centers across the state. The Support Centers are overseen by the Office of Community Corrections, a program of the Massachusetts Probation Service. The centers provide counseling, drug testing, enrollment in MassHealth, job and educational training and more and is an alternative to jail.

The building where the center is located is the former site of a behavioral health clinic operated by Lahey Health. The center is accessible by bus and is located within walking distance of the court and in close proximity to a number of community resources such as Arbour Counseling, the Salvation Army, the Social Security Administration office, the Haverhill YMCA, and the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center.