Alessia Ritacco

I grew up in a customer service environment, as my parents ran and still run a business, which gave me a lot of contact with people from a young age. I started my medical career as an EMT, which really began my medical background. From there, I went to nursing school and progressed from being an RN to becoming a nurse practitioner. As an RN, I did a lot of school-based care, emergency, and mental health work. When I became a nurse practitioner in 2018, I started out at a bridge clinic at UMass Memorial that was strictly for patients struggling with substance use, and ever since then, it's been my little niche. In 2023, I started Empowered Healthcare Services with my colleague and best friend Megan. We wanted to serve patients more directly and oversee our own practice. There was a lack of outpatient providers and smaller practices that serve patients specifically on Suboxone for opioid use disorders, so we focused on improving access through telehealth and breaking down barriers. We offer a variety of treatment for all types of substance use, not just opiates or alcohol, and we really try to help patients when they're struggling at their most and keep them in recovery. I also serve at a detox facility and do a lot of administrative work to grow our practice. I earned my doctorate, which was a big academic accomplishment for me. I'm also associated with Better Life Partners, a non-profit organization, though they are unfortunately closing their practice in Massachusetts. I've worked with incarcerated patients as well, and I'd love to do more community work in the Worcester area.