Community Healthlink to reopen suspended program on April 1; 2 others yet to return
WORCESTER — One of three programs suspended last year at Community Healthlink after a surprise state inspection will reopen next month.
Thayer Transitional Support Services is scheduled to open April 1, said Stephanie Manzi, vice president of substance use disorder services at Community Healthlink. The nonprofit is affiliated with UMass Memorial Health and provides services in mental health, substance use and homelessness.
The reopening comes as Worcester faces a rising number of opioid-related overdose deaths, a homeless population that needs services and a shortage of shelter beds.
Manzi said having transitional support services back online next month should help alleviate overcrowding at local facilities. Some patients are ready to move to a lower level of assistance, but there isn't space for them. As a result, the beds at Community Healthlink's transitional services program could reduce the crunch and free up acute beds at other places.
"We're hearing from the community that those people (in acute facilities) are overstaying because there isn’t a next transition step,” said Manzi. The reopening of transition support services "should open more acute beds at other facilities.”
Two suspended programs yet to open
Two of the suspended programs won’t reopen next month. One is clinical support services, formerly called Passages, that provides short-term, intensive treatment for up to 30 days for individuals in the early stages of substance abuse recovery.
Detox is another program that temporarily closed and hasn't reopened. No firm date is set for the two programs to return.
Hiring and space upgrades for those programs continue. The goal, said Manzi, is to stagger their openings one month apart, with clinical support services first, then detox.
“The main reason is we want to make sure we do this safely and we’re meeting all the regulatory requirements of each program,” said Manzi to explain the staggered approach to opening the programs.
Meanwhile, the state Bureau of Substance Addiction Services reinstated the license for transitional support services. All three programs require the state to reissue their licenses.
80 workers laid off; hiring continues
Roughly 80 Community Healthlink employees were reportedly laid off after last year’s unannounced state inspection. Soon after the inspection, President Tamara Lundi left the organization. No reason was given for her departure.
At the time, more than 30 staff at Community Healthlink and supporters attempted to deliver a letter to UMass Memorial Health President and CEO Eric Dickson. The letter demanded Dickson commit to opening an investigation into what led to suspension of the programs and making the findings public, as well as working with frontline staff to safely reopen the programs as quickly as possible.
When all three programs are reinstated, 57 former employees will be rehired, according to Manzi, plus seven more, for a total of 64.
The breakdown of the 64 positions includes 14 in transitional support services, 23 in clinical support services and 27 in detox. The 64 satisfies staffing standards set by the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, according to Community Healthlink.
In addition, they plan to hire 10 managers, bringing the total staff count for the three programs to 74.
As the Telegram & Gazette reported in December, there will be fewer beds when the three programs are reinstated, from 131 before the state inspection to 86, representing a 34% decline.
The breakdown of the 86 beds includes 24 for detox, 30 for Thayer Transitional Support Services and 32 for Clinical Support Services. A 34% decline in beds is necessary, said Manzi, to refurbish space to give clients more room for group and private individual counseling sessions.
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on X: @henrytelegram.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Community Healthlink to reopen suspended program on April 1
