STAR program celebrates one-year anniversary

It was one year ago that the Essex County Sheriff's Department opened its Supporting Transitions And Reentry (also known as STAR) offices in Lawrence and in Lynn.

In its simplest form, the STAR program operates in communities to help keep people out of jail by offering them a connection to the services they need to be successful. STAR has more than 120 community partners between the two offices that can help with connect a person with everything from housing to mental health and substance use counseling to educational and workforce training.

Since opening in April 2022, there have been over 600 referrals to these offices. Referrals come from the courts, corrections, law enforcement, family, and there have been many self-referrals from people just looking for a chance to succeed.

Each person who comes into STAR is assigned to one of our STAR Navigators. Our Navigators develop an individualized plan for the person and works with them one-on-one to ensure goals are attainable and met — and we cannot thank our team enough for the work they have done to make this program successful.

Sheriff Kevin Coppinger visited each of the STAR offices on the one-year anniversary to say thank you and to listen to ideas from STAR staffers on what more we can offer. He applauded the many success stories, including one individual who graduated the program and now has his own online clothing store, as well as the many who have gone through the program and are now working and supporting themselves and their families.

We are so proud of our STAR program, the community partners who work with us, and all of our STAR staff that have made this program such a success.

STAR makes our Essex County communities safer.

More to come in Year 2!