Brien Center Willing to Take Up Caseload From MSPCCBy Noah Hoffenberg
iBerkshires Correspondent
04:01AM / Saturday, April 04, 2009
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Brien Center is willing to pick up an entire 450-child caseload that will be let go by a statewide mental health agency when it closes its Pittsfield branch come July.
However, no final decision on the caseload transfer has been reached, said James Mucia, central division director of child adolescent services for the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
"We're working very closely together. There's a lot of details to work out, but I'm fairly confident that we'll do well by all the clients," said Mucia. "We're extremely willing to take on the full 450."
The center met with representatives from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children on Thursday to begin negotiations, which will carry over to Monday with a site visit of the MSPCC's office at 53 Eagle St. That site, as well as locations in Greenfield and Brockton, are slated for closure.
The MSPCC, a nearly 131-year-old organization, ended its fiscal 2008 year with a $1.8 million deficit, according to the society's annual report. Among its many programs, it provides mental health services for upwards of 16,000 children and adults annually.
Gail Bass, MSPCC site director, and society spokeswoman Mary McGeown were not immediately available for comment.
The MSPCC office in Pittsfield aids children with mental health and behavioral issues, often stemming from abuse, which Mucia's division of the Brien Center is able to address.
Mucia said the Brien Center could handle the influx of so many new clients, but that additions to staff and infrastructure would be likely. He couldn't speculate on how many positions or additional space would be needed. Most of the patients' costs would be covered by public or private health insurance, Mucia said, which would not present a new strain on the center's budget.
Beyond budgets and space, Mucia said the Brien Center's main goal was making sure all of the young MSPCC clients are taken care of.
"We want to make sure that the clients don't end up on a waiting list — and ideally that [they] can keep their therapist," said Mucia.
Mucia also expressed his sympathies for the local MSPCC site workers, reported numbering about 27 full- and part-time employees, which he said have been working hard for years at easing the burdens of young people. "All of us feel very very bad for the staff," he said.
Mucia stressed that the talks are ongoing, and that no exact plans have been drawn up.
"We've met once, and we have more meeting to do," Mucia said.
Contact Noah Hoffenberg at hoff1013@gmail.com. |
