Two Kennebec County behavioral health centers merge
Two behavioral health centers in Kennebec County said they have joined together in order to integrate their expertise and offer a broader range of services.
Kennebec Behavioral Health and Crisis & Counseling Centers said the merger became effective Dec. 1.
"Our priority is to provide uninterrupted, comprehensive care to our clients,” said Thomas McAdam, CEO of Kennebec Behavioral Health. “By integrating the strengths of both agencies, we will enhance our service offerings and reach even more individuals in need."
Origins
Kennebec Behavioral Health is a community-based mental health provider with locations throughout central Maine.
Its administrative offices and a clinic are at 67 Eustis Parkway in Waterville. It has been providing comprehensive community mental health services in Maine since 1960, offering clinic-based services including medication management and outpatient counseling for mental health, substance use disorder and co-occurring disorders at five clinic locations in Augusta, Winthrop, Waterville, Farmington and Skowhegan.
The agency also provides community-based services including case management services, residential services from daily community support services to 24/7 on-site support, school-based services, home and community therapy and multi-systemic therapy services throughout the mid-Maine region and beyond, according to its website.
Outreach services are also offered in the community for adults, families and youth who are experiencing homelessness.
Crisis & Counseling Centers has its mailing address in Augusta. It has approximately 100 employees across five facilities and numerous community-based settings statewide, according to its website.
Originally founded by a group of young idealists as a teen drop-in center, under the name of Rap & Rescue, Crisis & Counseling Centers opened in Hallowell in 1970 to address a spike in substance use-related crises in the Kennebec Valley. By 1974 the agency changed its name to Crisis & Counseling Centers and extended services into schools and correctional facilities. It continued to add services and partnerships to offer a full range of behavioral health services.
Transition
The transition is being managed to ensure it is as smooth as possible for clients and staff, with a focus on maintaining high-quality support and care, according to a news release.
"We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for everyone involved," said Amber Kruk, executive director at Crisis & Counseling Centers. "Our clients' well-being remains our top priority, and we are confident that this joint venture will ultimately benefit the entire community."
The combination of resources and expertise is expected to result in a broader range of services.
A wide array of mental health services and programs, including Crisis Stabilization and Mobile Crisis, will now be offered under the name Kennebec Behavioral Health.
Kennebec’s mission is to promote the well-being of persons who experience mental illness, emotional difficulties or behavioral challenges.
In a message to the community posted on the Crisis & Counseling Centers website, Kruk said that all of the organization’s services will continue to be available under the Kennebec Behavioral Health brand, with the same staff, who will become employees of Kennebec Behavioral Health.
“This includes vital Crisis Services in Kennebec and Somerset counties, as well as the statewide GEAR Parent Network, which supports parents and caregivers,” she wrote.
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