Hiring surge at BHN: Network expands operations to address mental health care ‘crisis’

SPRINGFIELD — Behavioral Health Network is taking on a Herculean task — slashing wait-times for mental health patients while expanding its operations to address a mental health care “crisis.”

“Mental health is deemed a public health crisis by the (U.S.) surgeon general,” said BHN senior vice president Kathy Mague. “Having access to trained and available staff who can support people’s needs is important,” she told The Republican.

BHN is in the midst of a hiring surge, adding 75 new employees to its current staff of 2,500 workers.

The business is also rapidly growing its footprint across the commonwealth, adding two new patient care centers — one in Springfield, the other in Boston — while taking control of six substance use disorder treatment centers in the eastern part of the state, acc