Center for Human Development – Springfield

The Center for Human Development (CHD) is a CARF-accredited nonprofit headquartered at Birnie Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts, just over an hour outside of Boston. Known as the “city of firsts,” Springfield has historically been the birthplace of many innovations including the first American dictionary and first gas-powered automobile which makes it a fitting place to start the next chapter of your life.

CHD has several locations throughout the state and a few in neighboring Connecticut. The organization’s Springfield locations include a residential home for teens and a behavioral health center that offers alcohol and drug rehab and general mental health care. Staff at the behavioral health center treat teens and adults and work with individuals as well as families. Outpatient (OP) services include medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and counseling. The team at the Birnie Avenue office can help direct you to the appropriate services for your needs.

One of CHD’s most positive attributes is that they take a holistic, person-centered, and trauma-informed approach to care. They consider the many factors that can contribute to substance use and strive to help people address these through evidence-based approaches, including MAT, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

Additionally, they strive to meet folks where they are. As part of CHD’s commitment to accessibility, they offer telehealth counseling, which makes it easy to access therapy from anywhere, at a time that works for you. They have video and audio-only appointments for people of all ages, which are covered by most private insurances, as well as MassHealth and Medicare. Besides substance use, clinicians can help with topics such as grief, trauma, marriage and relationship conflicts, and gambling addiction.

Another of the Center for Human Development’s other notable qualities is that, since its founding more than 50 years ago, it has made a concerted effort to advocate for vulnerable populations, including older adults, children, and people in marginalized groups.

All staff members go through diversity and inclusion training to help them better understand the perspectives and needs of people from backgrounds different to their own. Additionally, staff are multicultural, multilingual, and fluent in sign language so clients feel safe, comfortable, and understood. The organization’s prevention programs help mitigate common addiction risk factors like adverse childhood experiences, financial insecurity, and barriers to education, while promoting children’s health and well-being.