SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G. Stanley Hall School
G. Stanley Hall School is a year-round, co-educational school for emotionally disturbed adolescents. The faculty and staff provide students in academic and personal crises with the skills and support they need to be re-integrated into a traditional classroom or to complete graduation requirements at G. Stanley Hall School. The main school is located on Mann Street in Worcester. A satellite classroom for young residential students is conducted at another location in Worcester. Students are referred to GSHS by their local school districts, often through recommendations from parents, guardians, therapists, or caseworkers.
CHILD & ADOLESCENT RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grove Street Adolescent Residence
This highly structured residential program, located in Westborough, provides comprehensive residential and clinical services to males and females ages 13 – 19. These adolescents have a history of emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric difficulties that have resulted in problems in school, home, or the community. They are referred by the Department of Mental Health and other sources and attend school in the community. The goal of the program is to enhance personal, social, and independent living in order to prepare adolescents for reunification with their families or transition to independent living. Grove Street is a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program with an on-site clinician.
SchoolHouse Residence
SchoolHouse provides comprehensive treatment and a staff-secure residence with an on-site school for ten boys and girls, ages 8 to 12, many of whom have a history of psychiatric hospitalizations. SchoolHouse is located in Worcester, and serves children referred from the Department of Mental Health or other referral sources.
Ives Program
The Ives Program in Worcester provides comprehensive treatment and a staff-secure residence for ten adolescent males and females, ages 13 through 18, many of who have a history of psychiatric hospitalizations. Youth are referred by the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Social Service. Students attend G. Stanley Hall School.
YOUNG ADULT (TRANSITION AGE) PROGRAMS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northborough Community Residence
This residence provides a therapeutic living environment for young men and women between the ages of 18 and 22 with mental health challenges. The purpose is to help young adults referred by the Department of Mental Health to develop independent living skills, healthy relationships, personal independence, and the skills to manage their illness. The goal is to teach the skills necessary for the young adults to return to their home or to the community. A supported living component assists individuals when they are ready to move from the residence to a more independent living environment.
Safe Homes
A program designed to support gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, ages 14-23, Safe Homes hosts a weekly Drop-In Center where GLBTQ youth can receive services from our professional and volunteer staff. Much of the Safe Homes programming is led by youth, who help plan and implement the Drop-In Center. Safe Homes is based in Worcester and serves youth from across Worcester county & MetroWest.
Steppingstones Residence and Supported Housing
This intensive-support residence provides a comprehensive, therapeutic living environment for 14 men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 with mental health challenges. The purpose is to assist consumers in developing independent living skills, personal independence, and in managing their illness. The program has adopted Dialectical Behavior Therapy as a treatment modality to address mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance. The program has a residence group home, as well as a supported housing component into which program clients graduate when ready. Steppingstones is a Dialectical Behavior Therapy program.
Transition Age Community Treatment
This program is designed to assist young adults with mental health challenges live in their own residences. The purpose of the program is to support transition age adults with personal goals by helping to increase their independence, find jobs, live successfully in the community, go to college, and manage skills of daily living.
Non-Residential Transition Age Services (TASI) and Peer Support
The program is a collaborative with the Genesis Club House and is designed to assist young adults in connecting to the adult service system and to find meaningful work. The peer support program is designed specifically for transition age youth, aged 18 -25, who may or may not be receiving services from The Bridge. The workforce consists of current and former transition age consumers. The foundation of the peer support program is based on the concept of recovery which is a holistic approach to understanding mental illness. Recovery is the guiding principle of the peer support program, and influences all of the program values and structures.
ADULT PROGRAMS - Adults with mental health challenges
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southborough Apartments & Supported Housing
This high intensity residential program is a comprehensively staffed and supervised apartment-style residence serving eight men and women with chronic mental health challenges and a history of substance abuse, and who have had difficulty adjusting to community living. The program goal is to assist adults in managing their illness, developing independent living skills, and managing their sobriety. The Department of Mental Health refers individuals to the program. The Southborough program uses the Illness Management and Recovery therapy program.
Flexible Supported Housing Program
This program provides supported housing services to 35 or more persons with mental health challenges who opt to live in their own apartments in the community of their choice, usually in the Southbridge area. It is flexible in both the types and the intensity of services offered. The Department of Mental Health refers both men and women to the program.
South County Housing Assistance Program (SCHAP)
This program assists 10 homeless adults and/or families with severe mental illness, chronic substance abuse, dual diagnosis, and/or HIV/AIDS in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.
Litchfield Program
A residential program in Southbridge which provides two four-bed residential programs for men and women with serious mental health challenges who need intensive rehabilitative support and comprehensive day programming. A supported living component assists individuals when they are ready to move from the residence to a more independent living environment. The Litchfield Program uses the Illness Management & Recovery treatment model.
New Beginnings
This high-intensity program in Southbridge was designed for five men transitioning out of an institutional environment. The purpose of the program is to provide support to individuals with the goal of developing skills and stabilizing them into a community setting. New Beginnings is a DBT program with an on-site clinician.
South County Vocational Services
This program serves 20 transition age and adult consumers of The Bridge’s residential and supported housing services as well as DMH clients from the community. The program goal is to engage clients in regular vocational or educational services such as day treatment, employment, job training, or school. Services are designed to meet individual goals. A pre-vocational readiness workshop is run on a weekly basis in addition to the individualized services.
Bridge House
Bridge House, in Webster, provides a community residence and rehabilitative services for eight men and women with mental health challenges. The goal is to assist adults, referred by the Department of Mental Health, in developing the skills needed for independent living. Bridge House is a Project Adventure Program.
Oberlin Residence
This residence, in Worcester, provides a comprehensive, therapeutic living environment for eight men and women with major mental health challenges. Intensive staff support is available 24 hours a day. The purpose is to help individuals manage their illness, develop independent living skills, and live successfully in the community.
Alsada Residence
This treatment residence in Worcester provides a comprehensive, therapeutic living environment for eight men and women with mental health and substance abuse challenges. The goal is to assist in managing coexisting illnesses, while helping the adults develop independent living skills, transition to a more independent setting, and maintain their sobriety. The program offers a variety of groups including relapse prevention and DBT Skills training. There is a program clinician on-site. A supported living component assists individuals when they are ready to move from the residence to a more independent living environment.
Worcester Intensive Supported Housing Program (WISH)
This program is designed to assist Worcester area clients, with a major mental illness, who live in their own residence rather that in a group residence. The purpose of the program is to provide intensive support to consumers to increase their independence and enhance their daily living skills. The program provides individualized treatment to its participants to assist in stabilizing the client into a community setting (usually from a group home) while transitioning to a less intensive level of care. The program is staffed 24-hours a day.
Sigel Street Program
This program is designed to assist 39 or more Worcester area residents with mental health challenges who live in their own residence rather that in a group residence. The purpose of the program is to support consumers with personal goals by helping them to increase their independence and enhance their daily living skills. The program is staffed 24-hours a day. There are seven residents on-site in apartments and on-site respite services available.
ADULT PROGRAMS - Adults with developmental disabilities
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MetroWest Supported Housing
This program operates a network of cooperative and single apartments that meet the needs of 34 people with varying service needs. Individuals are diagnosed with developmental disabilities, mental health issues, and substance abuse. Apartment sites are located in Westboro, Hudson, Worcester, and Marlboro. The intensity of services is tailored to the individuals' changing needs. The focus of the service is community inclusion and participation.
Sidney Street Program
This Marlborough program offers comprehensive community-based residential services to four individuals with developmental delays, as well as significant behavioral challenges. There is 24-hour staffing in the residence. The focus of the service is the development of social skills and volunteerism.
Hosmer Program
This Marlborough program specializes in serving women with developmental disabilities, as well as a psychiatric diagnosis and/or eating disorders. This service combines a three-bed home with several single apartments and is staffed 24 hours a day. The focus of this service is mental health stabilization, community inclusion, job development, and relationship development and maintenance. Individuals in the program are referred by the Department of Mental Retardation.
Harrison Ave & Holt House - Men’s Residential programs
Two residential programs in Westborough offer comprehensive community-based residential services to five individuals with developmental delays, as well as significant behavioral challenges. There is 24-hour staffing in the residence. The focus of the service is the development of social skills and volunteerism.
West Brookfield Supported Housing
This residence, which serves four adults, operates in a duplex building leased from the local housing authority. The service supports older individuals with developmental disabilities and significant medical challenges. Individuals are placed in residential services, supported housing, or homesharing depending on their needs. The focus of this service is to offer a home to individuals and to avoid nursing home placement. Community inclusion is also a primary focus, as is maintaining relationships with family members and significant others. Residents are referred by the Department of Mental Retardation.
Chestnut Street Programs
Two programs in Gardner serve adults with developmental disabilities, mental health issues and/or medical issues. The adults live in two homes, which are staffed 24 hours a day, and two supported housing one-person apartments. The focus of this service is mental health stabilization; decrease hospitalizations, community inclusion, job development, and relationship development and maintenance. Individuals in the program are referred by the Department of Mental Retardation.
ADULT PROGRAMS - Adults with physical and emotional challenges
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gardner Women's Residence
This program provides residential services to four women referred by Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. The home is fully accessible and provides residential support to women with physical/medical and emotional challenges. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is the treatment model in the program that focuses on emotion regulation, behavioral stabilization, social skills, and life skills development.