BCC Offers Peer Recovery Coach Training

07:53AM / Monday, July 13, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will offer a Peer Recovery Coach training session beginning Aug. 3, 2026.

Course times are flexible, tailored for each student. Tuition is free for Pittsfield residents and $1,343 for non-Pittsfield residents. To learn more, fill out an interest form at www.berkshirecc.edu/peer-recovery.

The comprehensive training program prepares participants to effectively support individuals in recovery through a combination of core certification, ethical guidance and specialized learning opportunities. It is geared towards individuals in long-term recovery, family members or loved ones of people in recovery, recovery support staff, community health workers and outreach specialists.

"This program represents more than workforce development; it is the creation of a recovery infrastructure for Pittsfield. By training local residents as peer recovery coaches, we are investing in sustainable support systems that will change lives and strengthen our community," said Andi Cambi, Pittsfield Director of Public Health.

Core training elements include:

Recovery coach academy: Build essential skills to mentor and support individuals in recovery while fostering personal and professional growth.
Ethical considerations: Develop a strong ethical framework and practical strategies to navigate real-world challenges with confidence and professionalism.

Supplemental training includes the choice of one of the following:

Spirituality for recovery coaches
Professionalism in peer support roles
Recovery coaching in emergency departments
Coachervision (supervisory training)
Recovery coaching in justice settings

In addition, students who complete the program will receive a one-year webinar membership, featuring relevant topics informed by industry trends and participant feedback.

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Pittsfield Seeks CPA Funds for Bike Racks, AED

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
07:17PM / Sunday, October 25, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city plans to apply for Community Preservation Act funds for park bike racks and an AED machine at the pickleball fields.

On Tuesday, the Parks Commission endorsed Pittsfield’s applications for CPA funds.

"Both of those projects are certainly, relative to CPA funds, low cost but high benefit," Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said.

Through CPA, bike racks are proposed for a few city parks, and the Berkshire Mountain Pickleball league is looking to place an automatic external defibrillator at the Benedict Avenue pickleball fields.

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath and Recreation & Special Events Coordinator Jennifer VanBramer presented the two small project applications, which will go through an eligibility period before full consideration in the spring of 2027.

During the city’s free, six-week, summer playground program, it was observed that many kids access parks by bicycle. The plan is to buy between six and eight racks to be placed at Durant Park, the Common, and Clapp Park; other parks are being considered as well.

McGrath explained that the three parks hosting the playground program don’t have bike racks, and they wind up on the ground and sometimes become a distraction.

"The ancillary benefit to having bike racks is that it encourages that mode of transportation for folks that want to come to the park on their bike," he said.

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