While the town worries about parking convenience, the employees of ServiceNet are worrying about their clients. More than 150 residents of Greenfield, Turners Falls and Shelburne with severe mental (and many also with physical) health conditions are provided with recovery services through ServiceNet’s Community Based Flexible Supports (CBFS) Outreach Program, located in the Department of Mental Health building at 13 Prospect St.
As it is, ServiceNet pays $200/year per employee to park in the lower lot next to the building. Staff, clients and visitors already share this lot with YMCA members, business owners and residents. Come Oct. 1, when the new courthouse opens, where will clients and the staff who provide them with much needed services park their cars for the day?
Many staff provide services to clients at their homes or in the community, coming and going from the office multiple times per day to check-in with supervisors and drop off clients. Other staff provide clients with medication, representative payee services and counseling from their offices. How will disabled clients continue to be able to receive this assistance if they have to circle the lot or walk blocks from their parking spots?
While the majority of people don’t understand the significance of these services, the reality is that CBFS Outreach provides crucial, life and money saving services to this community. Without CBFS Outreach, crisis services, police and emergency rooms would be overwhelmed. Outreach services can mean the difference between people thriving in their own homes or being hospitalized downstate.
As the town continues to debate and the state continues to deny assistance for a parking structure, staff will continue to provide services to their clients. Whether or not they will be able to do so effectively after Oct. 1 is uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the need for these services will remain.
Keri Harshbarger
Greenfield