In The News

Chicopee, MA — The Mental Health Association, Inc. (MHA) is pleased to announce the promotion of six key leaders within the organization, aimed at further enhancing its commitment to providing high-quality health services. Sarah Smith has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer, Christine Palmieri to Chief Operating Officer, Amy Conklin to Vice President of Recovery Services, Olivia Bernstein to Vice President of Supportive Housing Services, Sara Kyser to Vice President of Quality and Professional Development, and Ebonie Bethea to Vice President of New Way Services. Each of these dynamic leaders brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in their respective areas. Sarah Smith, formerly Vice President of Fiscal, will now oversee MHA’s financial operations, ensuring fiscal responsibility and strategic growth. Christine Palmieri, who previously served as Senior Vice President of the Division of Recovery and Housing, will lead the organization in streamlining operations while enhancing the quality of care provided to clients. Amy Conklin, transitioning from her role as Senior Director of Residential Recovery Services, will focus on advancing MHA’s recovery programs, fostering a supportive environment for individuals on their journey to wellness. Olivia Bernstein, who previously held the position of Senior Director of Supportive Housing, will continue to expand housing services that play a critical role in the recovery process. Sara Kyser, who previously served as Vice President of New Way Services and Professional Development will now oversee MHA’s Quality Department, bringing with her decades of experience in program leadership, licensing, compliance, and policy development across multiple contracts. Ebonie Bethea previously served as Senior Director for Residential Services of MHA’s New Way Division and will now lead the strategic vision for all acquired brain injury programming as Vice President of New Way Services. “We are thrilled to promote such talented individuals who are deeply committed to our mission,” said Cheryl Fasano, President & CEO of MHA. “These roles will help us scale our operations and streamline processes. MHA remains dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by mental health challenges and is excited to embark on this new chapter of growth and innovation." For more information about MHA and its services, please visit www.mhainc.org or contact Jennifer Ducharme, Vice President of Development & Community Relations at jducharme@mhainc.org or (413)233-5343. MHA (Mental Health Association) helps people live their best life. MHA provides access to therapies for emotional health and wellness; services for substance use recovery, developmental disabilities and acquired brain injury; services for housing and residential programming, and more. With respect, integrity, and compassion, MHA provides each individual served through person-driven programming to foster independence, community engagement, wellness, and recovery. To learn more, visit www.mhainc.org.

MHA is pleased to announce Springfield Pharmacy as the 27th Annual Wellness Classic Exclusive Fairway Sponsor.

MHA's Vice President of New Way Services & Professional Development, Sara Kyser, sat down with Mass Appeal's Co-host Patrick Berry to discuss MHA's Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) program, The Resource Center (TRC), and its upcoming open house. MHA is actively seeking referrals for The Resource Center. If you or somebody you know is interested in learning more, TRC will be hosting an open house on April 8th from 1:00-3:00 pm at 47 Capital Drive in West Springfield. To learn more, visit www.mhainc.org/resource-center.

MHA welcomes Traci Heath as its new Director of Development.

MHA is thrilled to announce the launch of our new Community Support Program (CSP), which is part of our BestLife Clinic. The program aims to help individuals who are facing social, economic, and environmental factors that significantly impact their ability to access healthcare and live independently. CSP is a mobile, short-term (3-6 months) intensive case management service that helps clients who are dealing with unemployment, food insufficiency, transportation, and housing issues.

The Mental Health Association, Inc. (MHA) is delighted to announce the official opening of our new corporate office located at 350 Memorial Drive in Chicopee, Massachusetts. This significant move is attributed to the tremendous growth that MHA has experienced over the last several years. This newly renovated 80,000-square-foot facility streamlines MHA’s operations, introduces new programming, and provides greater access to our services for individuals throughout Western Massachusetts. “We are thrilled to be in this new facility,” said Cheryl Fasano, MHA’s President & CEO. “This move represents a significant investment in our mission and demonstrates our commitment to providing quality services to the people in our care.”

The Mental Health Association, Inc. (MHA) is thrilled to announce the unveiling of our new agency logo. After months of careful crafting and exploration, we have overhauled our logo to better align with our values and vision. We believe this new image better represents who we are and where we are headed. With the move to our new corporate headquarters in Chicopee and the expansion of our services, we were presented with the unique opportunity to refresh our brand.

In celebration of Disability Pride Awareness Month, we wanted to highlight the new adaptive technology MHA’s The Resource Center (TRC) is utilizing in their day-to-day programming. Tools such as the assistive grips, kitchen tools, and the MusicGlove aid in the recovery process by making it easier and more accessible for our program members to accomplish daily tasks while having fun in their recovery. Working in tandem with our care team, TRC works with the members to foster greater independence for our members on their journey to recovery.

This week we would like to share the story of Misael Suarez. Misael, 41, is a graduate of GRIT Yale Street who came into the program in 2021 to treat a fentanyl and benzodiazepines addiction. Before entering Yale Street, Misael was repeatedly in and out of halfway houses over 12 years. Eventually, Misael sought help and entered a Transition Support Services program where his case manager told him about MHA’s new GRIT Yale Street program that is specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community. When his case manager explained the program, Misael was immediately interested.

This week we would like to share the story of Lauren Guild. Lauren, 64, came into the GRIT Yale Street program in late 2021 after struggling with alcohol addiction.