CHD, Hawthorn Services Announce Merger

SPRINGFIELD — The Center for Human Development (CHD) and Hawthorn Services announced a merger between the two nonprofit agencies that will enhance CHD’s capacity to deliver elder services and enable Hawthorn to better serve its clients through CHD’s behavioral health clinics, occupational therapy program, and nursing and psychiatric services, coupled with CHD’s efficient administrative structure.

Hawthorn provides adult day health programs for elders in Chicopee, West Springfield, Springfield, and Ware; maintains residential homes for elders in Chicopee and Holyoke; and provides outreach services to elder adults who live independently in the Greater Springfield community.

Founded in 1979, the Chicopee-based Hawthorn Services has a $4 million annual operating budget. Programs operated by Hawthorn pre-merger will continue to be known as Hawthorn programs. The agency’s 100-member staff will become CHD employees, with Hawthorn Executive Director Jim Callahan becoming vice president of a new elder-services division of CHD.

“Hawthorn has a long track record of providing the highest-quality care to its clients, and we couldn’t be happier about their decision to join with CHD,” said CHD President and CEO Jim Goodwin. “The merger is consistent with our goal of providing a full spectrum of wraparound services to clients wherever they are in their lives. With Hawthorn, CHD’s services now include everything from infant care through our early-intervention program, all the way through elder care.”

Callahan said Hawthorn began exploring a merger with CHD about a year ago. He cited changes in human-service delivery models and public support, particularly in the state’s provision of mental-health services, as a reason to seek the merger.

“For the good of at-risk elders in the community, it makes sense to combine with an agency that is equipped for the restructuring of human services that lies ahead,” he said. “We are strongly looking forward to this new partnership.”