HCRS

HCRS HCRS is a community mental health, substance use, & developmental services agency in southeastern Vermont 🌳

HCRS provides mental health, substance abuse, and developmental services for individuals and families in Windsor and Windham counties of Vermont. We serve over 4,500 individuals each year, giving them hope for a better future. HCRS' mission is to provide creative, collaborative, and compassionate health care services that are responsive to the needs of our communities. We envision a community where people are inspired, empowered, and supported to lead healthy and meaningful lives.

Snow is headed our way! ❄️ Based on the latest forecasts, HCRS is making a few adjustments to our operating hours tomorr...
02/22/2026

Snow is headed our way! ❄️ Based on the latest forecasts, HCRS is making a few adjustments to our operating hours tomorrow:

❌ Brattleboro offices - Closed due to higher expected snow totals. Staff will be working remotely where possible.
⚠️ Bellows Falls & Springfield - Opening at 10:30 AM (2-hour delay).
✅ All other locations - Open during regularly scheduled hours.

If you have an appointment scheduled, your provider will reach out if any changes are needed. Services remain available, and we’ll share updates if conditions shift. 🌨️💚

hcrs.org

💚 We’re proud to share a powerful story about what connection and support can make possible! When Matthew was facing hom...
02/21/2026

💚 We’re proud to share a powerful story about what connection and support can make possible!

When Matthew was facing homelessness and uncertainty about his future, he found his way to HCRS. With the guidance of his case manager and the encouragement to take meaningful next steps, he connected to community resources, discovered a passion for helping others, and began building a path forward. Today, Matthew is pursuing a degree in social work with a goal of giving back to the same kinds of supports that helped him along the way. 🎓

Stories like Matthew’s are a reminder of the impact our work has every day — turning moments of crisis into opportunities for hope and growth. 🌱

📖 Read his story: https://vtdigger.org/2026/02/11/from-homelessness-to-college-how-matthew-carey-found-his-calling/

hcrs.org

HCRS has been named one of Vermont’s Best Places to Work for the 6th consecutive year — a recognition that's driven larg...
02/20/2026

HCRS has been named one of Vermont’s Best Places to Work for the 6th consecutive year — a recognition that's driven largely by anonymous staff feedback.

We’re proud of our strong benefits and flexibility, but we’re even prouder of the trust, teamwork, growth, and real sense of purpose our staff talk about when they describe working here. To our 550+ team members across southeastern Vermont: this belongs to you. 💚

See the full list of honorees: https://vermontbiz.com/news/2026/january/30/65-firms-named-best-places-work-vermont-2026

hcrs.org

Taking care of others is beautiful work. It’s meaningful and it matters, and so often it’s what our days are built aroun...
02/14/2026

Taking care of others is beautiful work. It’s meaningful and it matters, and so often it’s what our days are built around.

But the care you give doesn’t come from nowhere. It grows from the quiet things you offer yourself first… rest when you’re tired, nourishment when you’re running on empty, patience when you’re stretched thin, kindness when you’re hard on yourself. 💚

Self-love isn’t indulgent or selfish. It’s maintenance, it’s sustainability, it’s how compassion keeps flowing instead of running dry.

This Valentine’s Day, consider this your reminder to refill your own watering can, check in with yourself, slow down, and be gentle. The care you deserve is just as important as the care you give! 🫶

hcrs.org

The start of the year marked continued growth for HCRS, with 8 new professionals joining our agency in January! Their ar...
02/13/2026

The start of the year marked continued growth for HCRS, with 8 new professionals joining our agency in January! Their arrival strengthens programs across the region and reinforces our commitment to making services accessible, responsive, and rooted in community. 😊

🎉 We’re happy to introduce the newest members of our team:

First photo from left: Federica Brito – Children’s Clinician I, Zachary Cote – Children’s Behavioral Interventionist, Martin Gawron – Residential Specialist.

Second photo from left: Alexander Baker – Children’s Behavioral Interventionist, Robert Myrland – Behavioral Support Staff, Natasha Lawson – Respite Provider, Alivia Emerson – Respite Provider, Melissa Dickerson – Office Generalist.

We’re excited to see the ways their work will make a difference and support more people in reaching their potential. 💚

hcrs.org

Mental health care gets stronger when people speak up about their experiences and decision-makers truly listen. 🗣️On Jan...
02/13/2026

Mental health care gets stronger when people speak up about their experiences and decision-makers truly listen. 🗣️

On January 29, advocates from across Vermont gathered for Mental Health Advocacy Day, hosted by NAMI Vermont and co-sponsored by HCRS.

People with lived experience, family members, providers, and community leaders came together for honest conversations about what’s working, what needs attention, and how we keep building a system that serves people better.

We’re also proud to share that our CEO, George Karabakakis, was surprised with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his decades of leadership and dedication to strengthening Vermont’s mental health system. Congratulations, George! 💚

hcrs.org

🎉 At our Brattleboro staff recognition event, we celebrated the kind of dedication that quietly shapes programs, strengt...
02/08/2026

🎉 At our Brattleboro staff recognition event, we celebrated the kind of dedication that quietly shapes programs, strengthens teams, and builds trust over time. This was a moment to honor staff whose years of service reflect deep commitment to the people, places, and work that make HCRS what it is.

5 years of service - Patrick Carroll, Jennifer Coke, Jade Hodgdon, Erika Korb, Elizabeth Reis, Knowles Wentworth

10 years of service - Joshua Buchman, Patricia Eslin, Christine Fields, Brooke Kearney, Barbara Parizo, Christa Porter, Miriam Schuldenfrei, Deborah Shaw, Danielle Southwell

15 years of service - Nickie Godin, Ashley Wohlford

20 years of service - Lance Cutler, Timothy Wood

25 years of service - Jan Bellville, Kevin Houston

These milestones represent relationships built, challenges navigated, and care that has evolved alongside the people we support — especially within Brattleboro and The Kindle Farm School, where consistency and connection matter so deeply. Thank you so much for the knowledge, heart, and power you bring to your work! 🌱🧡

hcrs.org

🎉 At our Springfield Staff Recognition Event, we presented our Encore Awards — peer-nominated honors that celebrate staf...
02/07/2026

🎉 At our Springfield Staff Recognition Event, we presented our Encore Awards — peer-nominated honors that celebrate staff whose care, leadership, and consistency stand out to the people they work alongside every day!

🌟 2025 Encore Award Recipients:

Lindsey Boulter - For steady, thoughtful leadership that brings clarity, calm, and strong support to both staff and residents.

Laura Fairbanks - For extraordinary dedication to peer support and meeting every person with dignity, care, and belief.

Lauren Iraci - For compassionate, skilled crisis care that builds trust and helps families feel safe in difficult moments.

Kah Jarvis - For reliability, growth, and consistently stepping up with integrity, kindness, and commitment.

Michelle Ovitt - For balancing complex work with patience, precision, and a deeply person-centered approach.

Encore Awards reflect impact that’s felt day after day — often quietly, but ALWAYS meaningfully. Congratulations, and thank you so much for the care you bring to HCRS! 🌱🧡

hcrs.org

We had the chance to pause and celebrate something pretty special at our Springfield staff recognition event: time, comm...
02/06/2026

We had the chance to pause and celebrate something pretty special at our Springfield staff recognition event: time, commitment, and the people who keep showing up for our community! 💚

5+ years of service - Alexander Belliveau, Shawn Bobar, Lindsey Boulter, Karen Chandler, Amanda Clarke, Eric Jacobson, Caleb Kerr, Jennifer Lynch, Melanie Murphy, Sarah Rogers, Manuel Soares

10+ years of service - Melisa Beaulieu, Christine Fields, Jillian Hill, Barbara Parizo, Christa Porter, Sophie Reed, Robert Withrow

15+ years of service - Annette Buskey

20+ years of service - Alice Bradeen

Each person on this list represents relationships built and invaluable impact. Thank you for the steadiness, heart, and expertise you bring to HCRS and to the people we support every day. We’re so lucky to have you! 🌱

hcrs.org

For some families, school can become a source of stress rather than growth, filled with worry, tough conversations, and ...
02/05/2026

For some families, school can become a source of stress rather than growth, filled with worry, tough conversations, and the feeling of running out of options. 🌱

This sponsor spotlight, made possible by Vermont Care Partners, captures why therapeutic schools like The Kindle Farm School matter. It reflects what can happen when students are met with understanding, consistency, and care, and when families finally feel supported.

For 30 years now, Kindle Farm has helped students rebuild trust, confidence, and the core belief that every kid deserves a chance. 💚

Learn more 👉 https://vtdigger.org/2026/02/02/why-therapeutic-schools-matter-for-vermont/

kindlefarm.org

During a recent Developmental Services onboarding, new team members took part in a hands-on activity that brought one of...
01/31/2026

During a recent Developmental Services onboarding, new team members took part in a hands-on activity that brought one of our core beliefs to life: every part of a person’s support is connected. 🤝

Using cards to represent key moments in the services process and a strand of gold yarn, staff worked together to build a visual “web” showing how a person’s story, planning, documentation, and day-to-day support all rely on one another.

As the web took shape, the group reflected on what happens when a connection is missed—and how even small gaps can affect the quality of support for the person at the center.

This kind of learning helps ensure that, no matter someone’s role at HCRS, we’re all working from the same understanding: people deserve care that is thoughtful, coordinated, and connected from start to finish. 💚

hcrs.org

January staff anniversaries at HCRS! 💚 We’re celebrating team members marking 5+ years, representing an incredible 185 y...
01/30/2026

January staff anniversaries at HCRS! 💚 We’re celebrating team members marking 5+ years, representing an incredible 185 years of care and commitment! Thank you all for the experience, consistency, and heart you bring to your work each day.

👏 January anniversary crew:

Drew Gradinger (28) • Timothy Wood (21) • Gary Graff (18) • Jennifer Merrill (16) • Nickie Godin (16) • Nancy Schaefer (14) • Libbi Keith (11) • Kolby Nicholas (10) • Carol Ferreri (8) • Catherine Chivers (7) • Jade Hodgdon (7) • Alena Pardue (6) • Manuel Soares III (6) • Jessica Stehle (6) • Tia Horton (5) • Ernesto Sanchez (5)

hcrs.org

Address

390 River Street
Springfield, VT
05156

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+18028864500

Website

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