MHA Introduces Community Support Program (CSP)

Published August 2024.



MHA is thrilled to announce the launch of our new Community Support Program (CSP), which is part of our BestLife Clinic. The program aims to help individuals who are facing social, economic, and environmental factors that significantly impact their ability to access healthcare and live independently. CSP is a mobile, short-term (3-6 months) intensive case management service that helps clients who are dealing with unemployment, food insufficiency, transportation, and housing issues.

CSP services are available to individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorder. To qualify for these services, individuals must have had either a psychiatric hospitalization discharge within the past 180 days (6 months); multiple emergency room visits within the past 90 days, or documented barriers to accessing and consistently utilizing essential medical and behavioral health services. Clients must be at least 18 years old and actively enrolled in therapy through the BestLife Clinic. Additionally, clients must be residents of Hampshire or Hampden County and are not receiving other case management services.

Clients who qualify will work with MHA’s behavioral health case managers to improve their overall lives by developing their daily living skills and helping them access critical resources such as benefits, housing, and healthcare. Clients will also receive assistance with accessing recovery-oriented peer-support groups and temporary assistance with transportation to essential medical and behavioral health appointments.

“Community Support Programs are very important for our participants as well as for our other service providers, such as clinicians, recovery coaches, and medication prescribers. The services they provide allow for our clinicians, recovery coaches, and medication prescribers to focus on their main tasks of providing therapy, peer support, and treatment, while they also serve as another set of eyes helping to monitor our participants’ needs and overall well-being,” says René Piñero, vice president of behavioral health and clinical operations.

CSP services are available via community outreach, telehealth, and in-person. MHA accepts referrals through its Central Intake Department and accepts MassHealth and some insurances.  To get in touch please call 1-844-MHA-WELL or email the BestLife Clinic at bestlife@mhainc.org.

MHA (Mental Health Association) helps people live their best life. MHA provides access to therapies for emotional health and wellness; services for substance use recovery, developmental disabilities and acquired brain injury; services for housing and residential programming, and more. With respect, integrity, and compassion, MHA provides each individual served through person-driven programming to foster independence, community engagement, wellness, and recovery. To learn more, visit www.mhainc.org.