Behavioral Health Network celebrated the upcoming opening of its new Youth Community Crisis Stabilization (YCCS) program, The Village for Youth, at the new facility located at 830 Silver Street in Agawam with an Open House on Friday, September 8th.

The Village for Youth will open to clients later in September and will be operated in partnership with the Gándara Center. The program will provide on-site short-term crisis stabilization, therapeutic intervention, and specialized programming in a secure site for children and adolescents dealing with a mental health crisis. The program also provides a supportive path back to the community for children and youth stepping down from psychiatric hospitalization.

The grand opening event featured remarks by Senator John Velis, State Representative Michael Finn, Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, Hampden County Register of Probate Rosemary Saccomani, BHN Sr. Vice President Katherine Mague, and Gándara Center CEO Lois Nesci followed by a ribbon cutting and tour of the new facility.

The Village for Youth is a regional program, serving up to 22 children referred by crisis assessment teams from across Western Massachusetts. The new program replaces and is an upgrade of BHN’s youth Community Based Acute Treatment Program (CBAT) which has been operating for the past eight years at 385 Maple Street in Springfield. The YCCS level of care is similar to the CBAT but includes enhanced psychiatry and nursing capacity to help support children and youth with complex psychiatric needs.

The Village for Youth YCCS will provide specialized units for younger children (6-12 years) and older youth (13-18 years), a safe environment with 24/7 supervision, intensive therapy, medication assessment and treatment, and support and care coordination for youth who are returning home.

For more information about the program call 413-301-WELL (9355).