Keenan Center for Women to Suspend Operations in Pittsfield
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Keenan House for Women on Seymore Street will be suspending operations in January because of what officials say is shortage of staff.
President and CEO Christine Macbeth said in a press release that there are two key positions not currently filled: a site supervisor and a clinical supervisor. The absence of these staff members, she explained, has put a significant strain on the program.
Ten women are being treated at the home and those residents will work with staff members to transition into another program or level of care.
There is no set date to reopen the home but Brien Center representatives have insisted that this is a suspension and not a closure.
A couple of local law professionals who did not wish to be named expressed concern for the suspension to iBerkshires. A Brien Center representative said they are aware of these concerns and are in contact about it.
During the pandemic, Macbeth reported fewer referrals from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and other agencies because pregnant and postpartum women were anxious about being in congregate care settings.
A majority of referrals for recovery programs are for men, she explained, and it is unclear why fewer women are being referred locally and statewide.
Some of the women have been directed to the Brien Center’s Supportive Housing Program, which provides an affordable sober environment designed to reduce the change of relapse and promote adaptive living skills.
"At the present time the program has eight remaining residents with two currently in the process of making an internal transition to Brien Center Supportive Housing," Macbeth wrote to iBerkshires in an email.
"One completing an application for Brien Center Safe Harbor (permanent housing) and one of which is transitioning to a family home. Discharge plans for the other four are in process."
As expected, the residents have had many questions about the suspension and are willing to work with staff members to make alternate plans, she said.
When asked if any of the women will become homeless after the program is suspended, she replied "absolutely not!"
Though the program is being suspended, the Brien Center will continue to rent the Keenan House space on Seymour Street.
In the meantime, the Brien Center will be working with the state Department of Public Health to explore the idea of opening a co-occurring recovery home similar to Keenan House North in North Adams.
This would be a different type of recovery home than the Keenan House for Women.
The Keenan House North is the Brien Center's newest recovery home that is a co-occurring, co-ed recovery program for mental health and addiction problems. Unlike the home for women, it has operated at maximum capacity since opening and has a long waitlist.
A decision is set to be made in 2022.
Several of the Keenan House for Women staff members have completed internal applications for other programs within the Brien Center after being provided with a list of open positions, said officials. There are currently six full-time employees and three part time.
Macbeth is confident that most of the staff will remain within the behavioral health and addiction center.
In regard to future staffing, she recognized that recruitment has always been an issue in Western Massachusetts.
"Berkshire County is in a rural location in Western Massachusetts, which has always posed recruitment challenges," Macbeth wrote. "The current pandemic has exacerbated the workforce situation. Recruitment efforts will resume including online postings (e.g. Indeed), communication with area universities/colleges and regional newspapers."
Tags: Brien Center,
