Harrington HealthCare Taps Katie Adams as Director of Mental Health

SOUTHBRIDGE — Katie Adams has been named director of Mental Health for Harrington HealthCare System.

She spent the last six years in clinical social work, but said as Harrington became more known throughout the community, she took an interest in the healthcare system. After learning more about available programs and the dual-diagnosis unit being built in Webster, she was sold.

“Typically in the healthcare field, behavioral health is pretty low on the totem pole,” she said. “But right out of the gate, it was clear that’s not the case here.”

Harrington already has one of the most expansive behavioral-health programs in Massachusetts, including adult mental health, child and family psychiatry and counseling, recovery services, intensive outpatient programs, a partial-hospitalization program, and an expansive patient-access program, reaching across all of Southern Worcester County. Harrington has offices in Webster, Dudley, Southbridge, and East Brookfield.

Adams would like to see an expansion of school-based services, and has already met with a number of superintendents in the area. She is also looking at the structure of the current outpatient program with hopes of focusing on a team-based care approach.

Adams earned her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University and her master’s degree in social work from Rhode Island College.