Why do you want to be a PAARI Pro?
“I have been involved with PAARI and the Angel Initiative since their inception, having been one of PAARI’s earliest employees. With over 35 years of experience working in both juvenile and adult correctional settings, my strengths lie in operations and program development. As a person in long-term recovery, I am deeply passionate about sharing the lessons I’ve learned and supporting others on their journey. Becoming a PAARI Pro would allow me to continue this work on a broader scale, furthering the mission of recovery, education, and community support.”
About:
Tito has over thirty-five years of experience working in the criminal justice field with young people, young adults, families, and communities. He co-founded Casa Esperanza in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and currently serves as the Community Navigator for Gloucester Police Department’s Community Impact Unit.
What began as the Angel Initiative—a program focused on addressing the opioid crisis through outreach and referral efforts—has since evolved into the Community Impact Unit, which now addresses all aspects of substance use disorder. While the team continues to provide outreach and referral services, they have expanded their impact by offering direct support through peer-to-peer counseling, health and wellness programs for individuals in early recovery, and prevention work with adolescents using health and wellness education.
Additionally, the team implemented the Teach 2 Reach program, which trains individuals with lived experience, as well as allies, in the Recovery Coach Academy Curriculum. To date, the Gloucester Police Department has trained over 200 individuals in this curriculum, further strengthening our recovery community.
