Brien Center Opens Residential Program for Women

In an area where no one has gone unaffected by the opioid epidemic, Pittsfield is continuing to provide services for those trying to change their lives. Yesterday the City of Pittsfield proudly celebrated The Keenan House for Women, located on Seymour Street, with an open house. The 17 bed Keenan House provides residential services for those in recovery, and is branch of The Brien Center. The original Keenan House, located on Bradford Street, has provided residential services for years, but was always co-ed living.

The Brien Center saw the value in opening a home which focused on women's needs, including the ability to house pregnant women, and women with infants up to one year in age. Open since November of last year, the Kennan House beds are full, and residents of the program agree that an all female living situation, allows them to open up more and form stronger bonds and relationships, all elements key to successful recovery. There is no time table as to how long a residents stays, the women set their own goals and leave the program once they have achieved them. The residential program is a crucial step in recovery, after a patient finishes detox, and before they are back on their own. Previously, the only option for female patients looking for residential programs through the Brien Center, was the co-ed Keenan House.

The Keenan house for women is paid for in part by $600,000 a year in state funds from the Governors office along with grants from the state's Bureau of Substance Addiction Services and the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership. Women can participate in the program free of charge, but living at the Keenan House is no free ride. The Women are responsible to work together on house work and making grocery lists, along with sharing and teaching each other the skills the posses from their life before the group home.