Page 12 - Healthcare News Nov_Dec, 2020

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
LISTED ALPHABETICALLY
FACILITY
SERVICES
ACHIEVE TMS EAST
47 Pleasant St., Suite 1-NW, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 203-6922; www.achievetmseast.com
ADCARE HOSPITAL OUTPATIENT SERVICES
117 Park Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089; (413) 209-3124 www.adcare.com
AUSTEN RIGGS CENTER
25 Main St., Stockbridge, MA 01262 (800) 517-4447; www.austenriggs.org
BAYSTATE FAMILY ADVOCACY CENTER
50 Maple St., Third Floor, Springfield, MA 01199 (413) 794-9816; www.baystatehealth.org/fac
BERKSHIRE FAMILY & INDIVIDUAL RESOURCES
771 South Church St., North Adams, MA 01247 (413) 664-9382; www.bfair.org
Providers
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ents to wear masks, making it more difficult to hear them or see their facial expressions. When clients use virtual platforms, they are also able to increase their engagement in the world.
“At times, going virtual has been frustrating for the client, but overall, it’s nice to have them experience an achievement like that,” Rivas said, adding that clients can now more easily connect with healthcare providers as well as family and friends, and hopefully become more engaged and feel less isolated.
While it’s not surprising that those with a his- tory of substance abuse would be more vulner- able during a pandemic, Rivas has observed an increase in substance use among people with no diagnosed substance-use disorders. The myriad factors include health concerns, increased isola- tion from not going out and socializing, and anxiety about finances. “It’s not unusual for people to manage stress with one too many beers or one too many glasses of wine.”
Winn noted that clinicians at BHN have observed an increase in people coming in to talk about alcohol use and overuse. “They are self-medicating because they feel more stressed, more unhappy, and more isolated.”
Edna Rodriguez, director of Clinical Assess- ment and Clinical Ambulatory Programs at Providence Behavioral Health Hospital, has noticed a trend during the pandemic of people
Treatment center works in collaboration with local healthcare providers to help people suffering from major depressive disorder using deep TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) therapy, an FDA-cleared treatment; additional locations in Springfield, Amherst, Holyoke, Worcester, and Pittsfield
Inpatient detoxification and rehabilitation; outpatient assessment, evaluation, and detoxification; individual and family counseling; intervention services; day and evening programs; outpatient services in West Springfield
Specializes in the long-term treatment of psychiatric disorders with intensive psychodynamic psychotherapy and a full range of psychiatric services, offered in a completely voluntary continuum of care that includes inpatient, residential, and day treatment programs
Healing children and families affected by trauma, including physical or sexual abuse and violence in the home or the community; special services for children and adults affected by homicide or suicide; individual, family, and group therapy in a child-friendly environment; a collaborative program with the Department of Pediatrics, serving all of Western Mass.
BFAIR is a diversified department that provides clinical services across the age span; utilizing applied behavior analysis, BFAIR provides services to children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, including comprehensive assessments and treatment in behavior, communication, life skills, and social skills; BFAIR’s clinical department also provides behavior analytic services for adults across all agency programs, including assessments, behavior analytic treatment, collaboration with community health providers, and staff training
AMHERST PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICE
48 N Pleasant St., Suites A & B, Amherst, MA 01002 (413) 461-4042; www.amhersttherapy.org
Provides therapy to all ages, from infants to elders, using the latest research-based treatments, such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and the neurosequential model of therapeutics
BAYSTATE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
3300 Main St., Springfield, MA 01199 (413) 794-5555; www.baystatehealth.org
At Baystate Medical Center, Springfield: adult inpatient psychiatry, adult and child partial hospitalization, adult and child neuropsychological testing, memory
disorders program, outpatient services for adults and children with medical co-morbidities, a psychiatric neurotherapeutics service, including inpatient and outpatient electroconvulsive therapy and outpatient transcranial magnetic stimulation; at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield: adult inpatient psychiatry and adult partial hospitalization; at Baystate Noble Hospital, Westfield: adult inpatient psychiatry and adult partial hospitalization; at Baystate Wing Hospital, Palmer: a 13-bed adult inpatient psychiatric unit and 15-bed geriatric inpatient psychiatric unit, outpatient behavioral health and addiction services in Belchertown, Palmer, and Wilbraham, counseling and psychiatric medication management for children, adults, couples, families, and groups, outpatient transcranial magnetic stimulation
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK INC.
417 Liberty St., Springfield, MA 01104 (413) 747-0705; www.bhninc.org
Comprehensive, compassionate behavioral healthcare for adults, veterans, children, youth and family; healthcare integration/care management; full range of services for addictions, mental health, and developmental needs; 24/7 emergency services; forensic/criminal justice services; domestic-violence services; in-home, residential, and clinic- based services throughout Western Mass., including Springfield, Westfield, Holyoke, Northampton, Greenfield, Pittsfield, Ware, Agawam, and Ludlow
BERKSHIRE MEDICAL CENTER
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health 725 North St., Pittsfield, MA 01210
(413) 447-2167; www.berkshirehealthsystems.org
Comprehensive mental-health and substance-abuse services; inpatient psychiatry; inpatient chemical dependency; partial hospital program; child-crisis stabilization unit; two adult acute crisis houses, halfway houses; rehabilitation programs; seven outpatient clinics; crisis team; clinical collaborative with the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for most long-term outpatient services; clinical stabilization services for substance abuse
having relapses and abusing alcohol after years of being clean and sober. She cited one example of a person who relapsed after five years of sobri- ety. Clients tell her they start drinking again out of boredom and being stuck at home.
“In my opinion, since COVID hit, we’ve seen an increase in the glorifying of alcohol use,” Ro- driguez said, noting social-media memes about people day drinking and taking Zoom calls with a drink in hand. While meant to be humorous, she explained, these messages are dangerous for people with substance-use disorders, especially when so many are feeling less connected to the community.
“Distractions that were healthy, like going
to the gym, going to church, or programs that encourage people to live healthy lifestyles, have all been reduced or eliminated,” she said. “We’re in a moment of depleted connections.”
Because the pandemic creates uncertainty for everyone, Winn encourages anyone who has a question about their substance use to reach out to BHN or one of the other local agencies.
“If you’re struggling with something, reach out and ask for help. We’re all doing telehealth, so it’s safe in terms of social distancing.”
Heal Thyself
Providers face a dilemma of trying to help people while at the same time feeling their own stress and uncertainty about the coronavirus. Ro- driguez said many of her colleagues are experi- encing ‘pandemic fatigue.’
“I wish there was a book on my shelf titled
‘How to Treat Substance Use Disorders During a Pandemic,’ but we don’t have that book; we’re all new to this, and we’re still learning.”
Rodriguez and her colleagues are supporting each other by having conversations about how to stay grounded. She mentioned a ‘comfort cart’ that goes around to staff with bottles of water, soda, and treats like chocolate and candy.
“It’s a way of recognizing that everyone is stressed and needs something to comfort them- selves,” she said. “The more we take care of each other, the better resource we’re going to be for our patients.”
Rivas said she often reminds her staff about the importance of self-care.
“It’s easy to forget about yourself when you’re trying to take care of someone else,” she noted, adding that, among other changes since CO- VID-19, staff can no longer use their offices for one-on-one meetings because they are too small to accommodate proper social distancing.
As everyone is still trying to figure out how to stay safe from a virus that just won’t fade away, Rodriguez said her normal work process now in- cludes thinking about how to take care of herself as a provider.
Yet, she remains hopeful the scientific and therapeutic communities will use their creativity to develop new ways for everyone to deal with coronavirus. “These times are calling for an hon- est and humble review of how we administer treatment, how we approach our patients, and how we approach ourselves as providers.” v
12 WWW.HEALTHCARENEWS.COM NOV./DEC. 2020