Clinical & Support Options Inc.

21/04/2026

Boarding of patients with conditions in hospital emergency departments remains a vexing problem, as The Boston Globe has recently reported.

In a letter to the editor published by the Globe, Association for Behavioral Healthcare President and CEO Lydia Conley notes that greater state investment in mental health clinics to treat issues before they become acute, as well as broadened insurance coverage for Community Behavioral Health Centers (CBHCs) can drive down boarding and help patients get discharged from the hospital sooner.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/10/opinion/letters-mental-health-community-care-centers/
(paywalled)

Community behavioral health centers are a vital part of the state’s behavioral health road map.

09/04/2026

CSO is proud of its Board member and local comic Jess Miller, who was presented last night with a award from BusinessWest for her work with The Kind Squad in helping others and practicing "micro-philanthropy" to make a big impact.

07/04/2026

Conversations about are becoming more normalized.

But that doesn't make them easy to have.

Today is . Consider taking a moment to learn more about how Mental Health First Aid certification can give you the skills to start making a difference.

Read more from National Council for Mental Wellbeing: https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org/news/5-things-you-can-do-mental-health-first-aid-certification

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𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗔𝗜𝗗 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚? CSO offers grant-funded mental health awareness training to groups, organizations, and teams throughout Western Mass. To learn more email Chase Giroux, LMHC, at 𝘾𝙂𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙭@𝙘𝙨𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙘.𝙤𝙧𝙜.

Mental Health First Aid certification gives you the skills to start making a difference -- you might be surprised at all you can do.

02/04/2026

An important reminder during , that we *can* make a difference.

As our Association for Behavioral Healthcare partners explain below, Civil War nurse Dorothea Dix championed mental health reform in the 1800s during a time when mental illness was treated as a crime. She successfully advocated for state funds for treatment facilities.

20/03/2026

CSO's CBHC Certified Peer Specialist Dave Mendoza is a retired US Air Force Major who helps clients connect with supports in .

Dave hosted an informational table at the MassMutual Center recently during a Expo and Appreciation Night with our partners, the Thunderbirds.

16/03/2026

Need behavioral health support? Help is available today in .

Clinical & Support Options (CSO) offers same-day access at our Springfield Urgent Care Clinic, located at 1 Federal Street (Building 102-3). Individuals and families can walk in or reach out for support without long waitlists.

For more than 75 years, CSO has provided trauma-informed, wraparound behavioral health care across Western Massachusetts. Our Springfield clinic is here to help people connect quickly to the care they need.

Services include:
• Urgent Assessments & Stabilization
• Outpatient Therapy and Groups
• Urgent Psychiatry and Medication Management
• Addiction Recovery Services
• Nursing Supports
• Care Coordination & Connections to Community Resources
• Multilingual Services Available

If you or someone you care about needs support, help is available today.

Learn more: https://www.csoinc.org

07/03/2026

Staff at our Behavioral Health Urgent Care clinic recently took a little time to be sweet to themselves during this month’s 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗘 gathering. 🌹

TRIBUTE — 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝘆 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 — takes place at CSO locations each month to celebrate teamwork and recognize the incredible work our colleagues do every day.

Feburary’s theme focused on self-compassion, with staff enjoying lunch, sweet treats, and creating 3-D roses filled with petals of self-affirmations.

If you'd like to work for a nonprofit behavioral health agency that invests in teamwork and a supportive environment, join CSO.

𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: https://www.csoinc.org/jobs

18/02/2026

CSO Board member and local comic Jess Miller is being honored for her philanthropic work with The Kind Squad as a 2026 "Difference Maker."

Jess has supported CSO family-clients with thousands of holiday toys, hundreds of back-to-school art supply kits, and thousands of coats for shelter guests. We couldn't be more grateful.

Her FunnyRaising Comedy Shows make generosity fun and full of laughs. We're proud to have nominated Jess for this award, and we're thrilled someone so caring is being recognized.

Comedian and Founder, The Kind Squad She Leads Thousands of People Whose Small Gifts Make a Big Difference Jess Miller has survived plenty of struggle. She lost her mother to […]

12/02/2026

CSO values . What is TIC?

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network explains, "TIC is care in which participants recognize, understand, and respond to the impact of traumatic stress."

The infographic below lists some TIC practices and perspectives.

05/02/2026

is a time to honor , culture, and leadership — and to reflect on the importance of inclusion and belonging, especially as it relates to .

At CSO, we recognize and celebrate our individual differences and are committed to creating a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment where everyone is respected and valued. Moving beyond tolerance, we strive to embrace the rich diversity within each person and community we serve.

Learn more about by visiting this Mental Health America page: https://mhanational.org/black-history-month

02/02/2026

Is social media all bad? This American Academy of Pediatrics' Youth Advisory Panel weighs in on the pros and cons of social media on mental wellbeing.

Read the National Council for Mental Wellbeing Blogpost:

What’s one thing you wish parents, educators or mental health providers better understood about how youth use social media today?

27/01/2026

"It really calls into question what the priorities and the decision making is at the federal level for mental health and substance programs." ~Karin Jeffers, CSO President & CEO in response to recent SAMHSA funding threats.

Read more in this Daily Hampshire Gazette story about the local impact on and services that federal funding priorities could have.

“Stability in funding is not a luxury — it is a necessity. Lives depend on it.” Karin Jeffers wrote that statement after receiving multiple letters from the federal government at 10 p.m. on Jan. 13, informing her that some $1.5 million had been cut from Clinical & Support Options (CSO), the No...