Many families and children seeking psychiatric services have needs that require
a more intensive clinical intervention than traditional outpatient care is designed
to provide. Family Stabilization Team (FST) services are offered for children
and families with urgent behavioral health needs which cannot be met with outpatient
therapy. FST services are especially designed for children and adolescents who
are at risk for psychiatric hospitalization and home removal if problems persist
or worsen. FST is make up of teams of clinicians and case managers who provide
outreach services to the home at least twice a week. Brighside has one of the
oldest and most recognized FST programs in Massachusetts. Referrals can be made
by families and any healthcare provider. Bilingual Spanish speaking staff are
available.
The Brightside Family Stabilization Team is designed to be an intensive, therapeutic service to assist families in stabilizing
children during a psychiatric crisis in the home setting. It is designed to prevent
initial or repeated hospitalizations by providing intensive, in-home clinical/behavioral
services during psychiatric crisis, and by arranging successful linkage of the
family and child to community support and outpatient providers. Identified children
range from age 3 to 18, and the types of families served include intact, single-parent,
extended family, and long-term foster family systems. The FST team is comprised
of interdisciplinary and multicultural mental health, psychiatric, and paraprofessional
clinicians. Staff members are trained and knowledgeable about the environmental,
cultural, and socio-economic stressors that affect the families served. FST clients
present with a wide range of mental health diagnoses, including ADHD, Bipolar
Disorder, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Abuse, Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder, Dissociative and Psychotic Disorders, Intermittent Explosive Disorder,
Eating Disorders, Elimination Disorders, Anxiety/Panic and Reactive Attachment
Disorders, Oppositional/Conduct Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Specturm Disorders
and various developmental learning disabilities.
Typical services implemented to address these diagnoses and related behavioral
issues include individual and family therapy, behavioral therapy, instruction/education
in parenting strategies to address specific diagnoses and behaviors, anger management,
24 hours a day/7 days a week crisis intervention by assigned clinicians, and collateral
networking. Services may also include transportation planning, training and assistance
in decision making, vocational guidance, financial problem-solving, nutritional
planning, activities of daily living planning, and housing solutions. The treatment
plan is designed with the input of family and providers, and has a strength-based
perspective with measurable treatment goals.
Family Stabilization Team services can be funded by MassHealth and various private medical insurance programs. Bilingual Spanish speaking staff are available. Referrals to Brightside FST can be made directly to Maria Zygmont, Director of the Brightside FST at (413) 827-4279, or the FST Office at (413) 827-4377. Referrals will be screened for eligibility and medical necessity, and if appropriate for services, further instructions for intake will be provided.