New community behavioral health center to open in Waltham

The new CBHC is part of a state initiative to provide affordable and equitable mental health care, including for people in crisis who would otherwise go to a hospital emergency room for care.

The center will open in January 2023 and will serve 31 communities in eastern and central Massachusetts. It will operate as part of a statewide network of 25 centers that will help meet the growing demand for mental health services caused in particular by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Advocates is excited to be part of this new model and standard of care that will facilitate access to high-quality, community-based care for everyone, from those experiencing routine behavioral health issues to those in crisis," Diane Gould, president and CEO of Advocates, said in a statement. "We are grateful to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for working to develop new solutions at a time when so many members of the community are struggling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and for taking a collaborative approach to this problem."

In addition to Waltham, Advocates CBHC will also have a service site in Framingham. It will provide same-day assessments and access to treatment and maintain evening and weekend hours to ensure maximum accessibility.

Advocates will partner with two other social service agencies, Spectrum Health Systems and Wayside Youth & Family Support Network, to manage CBHC. Other services will include acute behavioral health care, clinical and peer support services, crisis intervention and crisis stabilization beds.

New Advocates CBHC will serve people and families in Acton, Ashland, Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Boxborough, Burlington, Carlisle, Concord, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Marlborough, Natick, Northborough, Sherborne, Southborough, Stowe, Sudbury, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Westborough, Wilmington, Winchester and Woburn.