ATHOL – At the dedication of the new Hillis Medical Office Building and The Starrett Center for Emergency Care at Athol Hospital last month, Karin Jeffers, president and CEO of Clinical & Support Options, told the audience, “We are looking forward to setting a national standard for models of care.”
Two weeks ago, CSO moved from its 491 Main St. office to the entire top floor of the Hillis building at 2033 Main St. The office is fully operational and opened for service June 24.
The Northampton-based CSO provides outpatient mental health and addiction services, Family Support Services, Intensive Care Coordination, and Emergency Services (Crisis Evaluations and Stabilization), and accommodates same-day walk-in visits.
“We are extremely excited to be in this location, not only for the value to our staff, but for the much improved and deserved surroundings for our clients,” Jeffers said. The location and space will allow them the chance to develop and implement “truly integrated models of care between physical health and behavioral health providers, and ensure some of the best access in the State to behavioral health services.”
CSO employs 64 people and Jeffers hopes to add up to 12 new clinicians and case workers at the Athol site. Two newly hired full-time child psychiatric nurse practitioners will join the staff in the next two months. “This will drastically improve the access to expert child psychiatry services throughout the service area,” she said.
According to Jeffers, CSO has provided services to 1,760 people over the past year, and will now have the capacity to expand even further.
Because the indoor link between the main hospital and the new building is not yet open, CSO visitors can park in the lower lot near the office’s Mechanic Street entrance. Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, visit www.csoinc.org or call 978-249-9490.