Acute Care

Community Behavioral Health Center & Emergency Services

“We see people who are experiencing the worst moments of their lives. In most cases, our highly-skilled team is able to turn the situation around.”

Today, a behavioral health crisis does not necessarily require a trip to the ER. Rapid assessment and stabilization of people in crisis can often be best achieved with professionals in a familiar setting such as homes and schools, where interventions can be provided with the least disruption to people’s lives. In Berkshire County, a call to the Brien Center’s confidential 24-hour emergency hotline immediately activates our mobile outreach and crisis response unit – the Crisis Team – to triage for safety and determine the next best step.

 The average wait time for a Brien Center licensed clinician to assist with a crisis is 27 minutes, ranking Brien among the best crisis responders in the state. We ensure that Berkshire County residents receive immediate access to culturally competent, clinically effective, integrated, community-based, emergency behavioral health services.

Our team is comprised of experienced and highly-skilled clinicians with master’s level degrees. Just as important, they view this work as much more than just their job. They are dedicated to people in crisis who need their care. The Crisis Team provides nearly 5,000 community-based crisis evaluations and interventions throughout our community each year.

Who we serve: Children and adults of any age.

Insurances Accepted: The Brien Center is an approved provider for most public and private health insurance plans. A sliding fee scale is offered for those who have no health insurance.

Contact: 800-252-0227

Programs & Services

Community Behavioral Health Center (CBHC)

The CBHC will serve as an entry point for MassHealth clients who will receive timely, high-quality and evidence-based treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorders, including routine appointments, urgent visits, and 24/7 community-based crisis intervention as an alternative to hospital emergency departments. CBHCs will provide the following services, in person and via telehealth:

  • Integrated mental health and addiction treatment
  • Same-day access to intake and brief assessment, urgent and crisis treatment including medications, and drop-in treatment and support (e.g., group sessions, peer supports)
  • 24/7 mobile and community crisis response with Community Crisis Stabilization for youth and adults
  • Telehealth and flexible service delivery locations (e.g., home, school, etc.)
  • Peer supports
  • Care coordination
  • Ability to serve all ages, including child and family-specific treatment models and models for older adults
  • Evidence-based and evidence-informed treatments to meet individual needs, including interventions and close coordination for individuals with behavioral health needs who are involved with other systems, including the justice system or children in the care and custody of the Commonwealth

Adult Mobile Crisis Intervention (AMCI) / Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention (YMCI)

The Brien Center’s AMCI/YMCI Team provides crisis assessment, intervention and stabilization services around-the-clock, every day of the year to individuals of all ages who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis and who may be at risk of harming themselves or others. The purpose of the AMCI / YMCI is to respond rapidly, assess effectively, and deliver a course of treatment that will promote recovery, ensure safety, and stabilize the crisis. Most frequently, individuals will continue their recovery though the Brien Center’s outpatient services. In some cases – when medically necessary – the individual will be hospitalized.

Adult Community Crisis Stabilization Programs (CCS) – Pomeroy House @ Seymour

The Adult CCS provides staffed, secure, safe, and structured crisis stabilization and treatment services in a community-based program that serves as an alternative to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders. Services at this level of care include crisis stabilization; initial and continuing assessment; care management; psychiatric evaluation and medication management; peer-to-peer support; and mobilization of natural supports and community resources.

Adult Respite Services Program – Brenton House

Funded by the Department of Mental Health, this program provides adults with behavioral health needs with a temporary group living arrangement and support services as they stabilize and integrate into the community. The services include assessment, treatment planning, and intensive case management for those stepping down from inpatient care, and serve as respite for emergencies or as a bridge to some permanent arrangements. The program is designed to provide high levels of support during a time of crisis and helps individuals access appropriate long-term supports and services to sustain them when they return to the community.

Collaboration with Law Enforcement

Since the police are frequently called when an individual is in crisis, Brien Center staff work together with local police agencies to coordinate more effective interventions.

Read more about the Brien Center’s collaboration with law enforcement here.

Division Director

Division Director
Rebecca Phelps-Smith, BS, MSW, LICSW
Clinical Director of CBHC & Emergency Services
334 Fenn Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
rebecca.phelps@briencenter.org

Locations

Central County
334 Fenn Street, Pittsfield MA 01201

North County
124 American Legion Drive, North Adams MA 01247

South County
60 Cottage Street, Great Barrington MA 01230

Stabilization Services at Pomeroy House
121-123 Seymour Street, Pittsfield MA 01201

Respite Services at Brenton House
49 Brenton Terrace, Pittsfield MA 01201

Our team works closely with area emergency departments at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, the North Adams Campus of BMC.