Counseling Resources

Guide to College Mental Health for Students and Parents

The National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Jed Foundation has released a new guide about mental health for students and their parents. Called Starting the Conversation: College and Your Mental Health, the guide is designed to help parents and other family members discuss mental health issues with their children before they leave for college. The guide includes information on prevalence of mental health conditions, warning signs, mental health care on campuses, and health and privacy laws.

Mental Health Resources

Find a Therapist: Find detailed professional listings for Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Therapists, Counselors, Support Groups and Treatment Centers in the United States and Canada.

Mass 2-1-1: People can dial 2-1-1 or log on to the website, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to talk to a counselor about available resources such as; food, shelter, rent assistance, counseling, child care, senior services, and much more

Multicultural Wellness Center (MWC): The Multicultural Wellness Center (MWC) is a non-profit mental health clinic founded in 2005 by Debra Maddox. The mission of the MWC is to provide mental health services to diverse communities that have historically been underserved and underrepresented in the mental health field. They can be found at 44 Front Street, 2nd Floor, Worcester. If you have any questions, please call (508) 752-4665 and follow the prompts.

Clinical and Support Options, Inc: Clinical and Support Options provides outpatient services to individuals and families who need help dealing with mental health and/or substance abuse issues.

Athol Office: 491 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331
Athol Office Phone: 978-249-9926

Gardner Office: 205 School Street, Gardner, MA 01440
Gardner Office Phone: 978-630-9400

Community Health Connections: Community Health Connections provides accessible and affordable healthcare for all ages. Here you will find compassionate staff and a wide range of services to meet your healthcare needs. We offer primary medical care, full-service dental, behavioral health, optometry and pharmacy services. Community Health Connections accepts Mass Health, Health Safety Net, and most commercial health insurance plans. We also help the uninsured enroll in health insurance and offer a Sliding Fee Discount to those who qualify. Offices located in Fitchburg, Leominster, and Gardner, please refer to website for additional information.

Community Health Link: The Outpatient Mental Health Department specializes in services for individuals in Worcester and Worcester County with serious mental illness. Outpatient care might include individual, family or group psychotherapy, psychiatric services, medication management, crisis management or case management.
Bilingual staff who speak Spanish and Vietnamese are available to assist clients. Community Health link, Inc. counseling centers are located in Worcester, Clinton, Fitchburg, Leominster, and feature services for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.

Worcester: 508-860-1260
Mental Health Emergencies: 1-800-977-5555 or 1-866-549-2142
If you are in immediate danger, call 911

South Bay Mental Health: South Bay provides a continuum of community-based services to children, adults and families in Massachusetts. South Bay offers Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse counseling, Day Treatment and Partial Hospital Programs and Early Intervention services. This comprehensive range and intensity of services, combined with our community-based approach to treatment, makes South Bay expertly qualified to care for children, adults and families at its Centers, or in the client’s natural environment.

508-791-4976
80 Erdman Way
Leominster, MA

Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center, Inc: The Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center provides food pantries, benefits assistance, veteran disability, veteran support groups, specialized information and referral. Provides individual and grou, support and counseling for veterans

978-632-9601
268 Central Street
Gardner, MA 01440

Domestic and Sexual Violence Resources

  • First and foremost, call 911 if you are in danger. Police will still respond to calls for help.
  • YWCA Domestic Violence Services 24-hour safe and confidential assistance: Helpline 508-755-9030 and Chatline www.ywcahelp.com
  • If you need help with or have questions about restraining orders, you can reach the Gardner Court SAFEPLAN Advocate directly at 774-312-3772 during regular business hours.
  • DTA (Dept Transitional Assistant) Domestic Violence Specialist (Fitchburg) 978-665-8713
  • DTA for assistance go to the web site for the application process https://dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.gov/SNAP assistance line, 877-382-2363.
  • LUK, Inc Domestic Violence 978-345-0685 (8-5) After 5pm 800-579-0000
  • PATHWAY FOR CHANGE, INC Sexual Violence 800-870-5905
  • Safe Link state-wide Hotline 877-785-2020 (24/7) (keeps inventory of shelter beds)
  • FHCD remote line to apply for shelter, 866-584-0653
  • National DV Hotline: Can help by text when talking isn’t safe – Text LOVEIS to 22522
  • Call PAVE, Intimate Partner Abuse Education Program, 978-466-3820 x 8967 if you are at risk of hurting someone and want help.
  • If you are at risk of losing housing and need financial assistance see wayfindersma.org/hcecassessment or call a domestic violence advocate listed above.
  • Think about your support system and who you trust. Talk with that person about how they could help if you need to get out quickly and come up with a code word you can use to let them know you need help. Keep your phone charged. Consider contacting a domestic violence advocate to plan for safety or see https://www.thehotline.org/help/pathtosafety
  • Depending on their ages, talk to your children about your concerns and make a plan for where they should go and who they should call in an emergency. Reassure them this isn’t their fault.

If you are concerned about someone; use these 3 steps Recognize (know what abuse is), Respond, (give them this sheet for resources), Refer (Call a Domestic Violence Advocate or Safe Plan Advocate)

You are not alone, and your community cares!!!

Thanks to the Gardner Domestic Violence Task Force for this comprehensive list. You can find them on Facebook or at 978-230-6446.

Substance Abuse/Addiction

Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline: The Helpline is a Massachusetts resource providing free and anonymous information and referral for alcohol and other drug abuse problems and related concerns.  The Helpline is committed to linking consumers with comprehensive, accurate, and current information about treatment and prevention services throughout Massachusetts.  Information on over 600 programs can be accessed through the Helpline website or visitors may call the Helpline, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm to talk with a referral specialist.  Helpline services are anonymous and free. After hours, click here to find treatment. The Helpline is a project of Health Resources in Action, a nonprofit organization committed to health promotion through education and research, and funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.

Helpline: 1-800-327-5050

Gardner, MA Free Alcohol & Drug Rehab Centers Guide

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you may be wondering where to turn for help. Rehab can be expensive, but there are free rehab centers available in Gardner, Massachusetts. We help people take the first steps toward getting help for their drug and alcohol usage and having drug-free lifestyles. To contact an alcohol/drug abuse counselor, please Call Toll Free 1-866-972-0589.

 

LGBTQ Resources

Safe Homes/The Bridge: We are Safe Homes, a program supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people, and their straight allies, between the ages of 14 and 23. The group is led by youth peer leaders, professional staff, and volunteers who offer support, resources, and opportunities for socialization in a safe and nurturing environment. Safe Homes is a program of The Bridge of Central Massachusetts, a human services agency headquartered in Worcester. Safe Homes is one of 52 programs operated by The Bridge and is the only program in the area which provides specialized services to LGBTQ youth.

508-755-0333
4 Mann Street
Worcester, MA 01602

Fenway Health: For more than forty years, Fenway Health has been working to make life healthier for the people in our neighborhood, the LGBT community, people living with HIV/AIDS and the broader population. Fenway was founded in 1971 as part of the free clinic movement by students who believed that “health care should be a right, not a privilege.” In its early days, Fenway was a drop-in clinic providing free blood pressure checks and STD screenings. Over the years, Fenway obtained permanent space and incorporated as a freestanding health center with a staff of one volunteer doctor, one nurse and one intake worker. Today, Fenway Health has a budget of more than $90 million, a staff of 500 and a patient population of more than 28,000.
Fenway Health is a Federally Qualified Community Health Center.

617-267-0900
1340 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215