BHN Holds Grand-opening Celebration for New Ware Family Resource Center Location

WARE — Behavioral Health Network Inc. (BHN) recently held a grand-opening celebration for its new Ware Family Resource Center location at 82 Main St. Jose Monteiro, director of Community and Family Engagement for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF); state Rep. Todd Smola; Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan; Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane; and BHN staff gathered to celebrate the new, larger facility.

The BHN Ware Family Resource Center (FRC) was previously located at 78 Main St. and has now moved to a new, larger facility that provides more space for its programs to serve youth and families in Western Mass.

The grand-opening event featured a program with remarks by BHN President and CEO Steve Winn, BHN Senior Vice President Katherine Mague, Ware Family Resource Center Program Director Amy Breton, Cahillane, Smola, Sullivan, Massachusetts DCF Director of Community and Family Engagement Jose Monteiro, and Amanda Hellyar, aide to state Sen. Ryan Fattman. Attendees were also able to tour the new facility.

The FRC provides free support and access to community resources for families and their children in Western Mass. Center programming is designed to help children develop social and emotional skills, bring people together for mutual support; link families to services and community opportunities, respond to family crises, and support parents while strengthening parenting skills.

“We are pleased as an organization to open this new, larger facility as we grow to meet the needs of families in Ware and the region,” Winn said. “Being here for our community is critically important. Our new facility, right on Main Street, helps us really be here when you need us.”

In addition to assisting families with finding resources, FRCs support families with youth who are at risk of needing court involvement because of their behavior. A main goal of FRCs is to serve as a diversion from the court system.

The Ware Family Resource Center is part of a statewide network of FRCs that help families and individuals resolve challenges, strengthen their bonds, connect to others, and engage in their communities. FRCs are supported through funding from the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. For more information about the BHN Family Resource Center, visit www.bhninc.org/frc.