800-784-1361
About The Brien Center – Child Stabilization Unit
The Brien Center Child and Adolescent Crisis Stabilization Unit on Second Street in Pittsfield, Massachusetts helps children and youth up to the age of 17 who are having a mental health or behavioral crisis. Their outpatient services are for those who cannot receive the support needed while in their home environment.
The main goal of the Brien Center is to ensure each client is safe and supported in a way that ensures a happier, healthier daily life. They attempt to keep families together and children or adolescents at home whenever possible. Sometimes an individual’s mental health or behavior can make it unsafe for them or others. This is when the CSU is available to provide that support.
Evidence-based, trauma informed treatment is offered to help children and youth deal with the emotional impact of past abuse and trauma. They have a program for adolescents who are struggling with alcohol or substance abuse issues. This is often a coping mechanism for individuals who haven’t yet learned the skills and developed the tools to deal with their emotions and stresses in a healthy manner. Substance abuse and addiction is often used as a way to self-medicate when trying to cope with a mental illness as well. The Brien Center helps children and youth learn these skills to better deal with the stresses life throws at them.
Most major insurance plans are accepted and The Brien Center is in-network for many. It is important to verify with your personal health insurance provider what coverage you have and whether you with personally be financially responsible for any associated costs.
Payment Options
Medicaid 
Private insurance 
Self-pay options 
Financial aid 
Financing available 
Sliding scale payment assistance 
Medicare 
Military insurance
Levels of Care
Outpatient
Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.
Intensive Outpatient
Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) are for those who want or need a very structured treatment program but who also wish to live at home and continue with certain responsibilities (such as work or school). IOP substance abuse treatment programs vary in duration and intensity, and certain outpatient rehab centers will offer individualized treatment programs.
Inpatient
The Brien Center’s CSU provides a safe, supportive environment for short-term, acute residential treatment for youth 4-17 years old who need 24 hour care to resolve a psychiatric crisis. Recognized by the state as one of the premier programs of its kind, the CSU seeks to both stabilize the child and create a long-term treatment plan to ensure continuity of care. Keeping youth safe and cared for in their community – not in distant facilities – minimizes separation trauma for youth and their families. Daily clinical and psychiatric assessments, intensive behavioral management, family assessment and discharge planning, individual and group counseling, and full integration with Berkshire County’s comprehensive treatment network of pre-and post-acute care services for youth comprise this state-of-the-art program.
Intervention Services
Intervention services helps family or friends of addicts stage an intervention, which is a meeting in which loved ones share their concerns and attempt to get an addict into treatment. Professional intervention specialists can help loved ones organize, gather, and communicate with an addict. They can guide intervention participants in describing the damage the addict's behavior is causing and that outside help is necessary to address the addiction. The ideal outcome of an intervention is for the addict to go to rehab and get the help they need.
Aftercare Support
The Brien Center provides a “Continuum” of community-based wraparound services that are designed to maintain youth, referred by the Department of Mental Health or Department of Children and Families, within their homes and support families as their primary caregivers. Services also include long- and short-term out-of-home care for youth who cannot be maintained safely at home. The Brien Center subcontracts with Berkshire Children and Families and the Key Program to provide out-of-home care. The same treatment team follows the Youth along at various placement levels, ensuring family and youth choices and voice in treatment decisions. This fully integrated model provides smoother transitions between levels of service and greater continuity of care.
Sober Living Homes
Pre-Independent Living Group Home: A small, therapeutic group home providing 24 hour residential care in a community-based, open setting. The focus is on developing the skills necessary for independent living and Youth will be finishing high school, attending college or vocational training, or working. Most Youth will transition to living on their own after successfully completing treatment and move into independent apartments and into the Independent Living Program. Independent Living: This program will provide outreach and home-based support for Youth living on their own in the community. Services include regular visits, medication management and reinforcement of independent living skills.
24-Hour Clinical Care
At certain points in the recovery process, it's important to have support available 24/7. 24-hour clinical care offers a safe environment in which to recover from drug or alcohol addiction in peace, knowing medical detox and other treatment will happen with professionals on hand.
Programs
Adolescence program
Children program
Program for men
Program for women
Settings & Amenities
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Residential setting -
Private setting -
Recreation room
Treatment
Dual Diagnosis
Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Mental Health
Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.
Clinical Services
Eating Disorder Treatment
Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and dysfunctional eating patterns. Many psychologists and other mental health professionals consider eating disorders to be food addictions, meaning food is being used in an addictive way (similar to drug or alcohol addiction). Certain substance abuse treatment programs will have treatment for eating disorders as one of the services offered. An eating disorder may also present as a co-occuring disorder or dual diagnosis alongside drug and alcohol addiction.
Experiential Therapy
Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.
Family Therapy
Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.
Group Therapy
Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.
Individual Therapy
In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.
Life Skills
Life skills trainings involve all the skills a person must have in order to function successfully in the world. These include time management, career guidance, money management, and effective communication. Truly successful addiction recovery is based on the ability to not only live substance-free, but to thrive. Life skills teaches the practical necessities of functioning in society, which sets clients up for success in life, and therefore sobriety.
Trauma Therapy
Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.
Contact
(413) 499-0412 
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