MISSION STATEMENT

CMHS prides itself on the ability to provide a variety of client services in a manner reflecting a deep commitment to professionalism. Each member of the CMHS team is expected to behave in accordance with a set of standards which emphasize:

• belief in the dignity of each client, and respect for the right of each client to lead the most meaningful life possible;
• respect for the client's person, right to privacy, right to opinion, and

• awareness of the personal responsibility of each member of the direct care staff to create and maintain affirmative, growth-producing relationships with clients and with other staff members;
• a willingness to contribute to a climate of respect among clients, staff and program administrators;
• a willingness to contribute to collaborative, team efforts which promote effective personal and social change for system clients;
• a commitment to the on-going process of developing the knowledge, skills and values which enhance the quality and usefulness of direct care service;
• an openness to cooperative learning and interdependent problem solving;
• a value for courtesy and consideration when dealing with those people who share the same world of work;
• a sense of pride in being part of work which enhances the welfare of

Description:
CMHS, Inc. provides nurturing home environments for individuals. These homes strive to be non-institutional and fully engaging of each individual based on his/her abilities.

Located throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, these homes provide an invigorating community experience for those whom we serve. The individual's living experiences are enhanced by trained caring staff who assist and encourage the people in their daily lives.

History:
Comprehensive Mental Health Systems, CMHS Inc., is a private, non-profit human service agency founded in 1978 to provide innovative, effective clinical services to community-based clients with a range of developmental and psychiatric disabilities.

During its initial phase, CMHS worked in close cooperation with the New Bedford Area Office of the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to design and deliver the Commonwealth's first free-standing psychiatric emergency service/crisis hostel program. CMHS has also designed and delivered Day Habilitation programming for community based clients under DMH auspices, and in 1980, began its on-going commitment to provide therapeutic community residential services to men and women with developmental disabilities. MR residential programming has become a significant service involvement for the agency, working with the Department of Mental Retardation to provide residence programs in New Bedford, Dartmouth and Wareham.

Since 1984, CMHS has been actively involved in providing Day Habilitation programming for mentally retarded, mentally ill (MI/MR) men at Bridgewater State Hospital under contract with the Department of Mental Health's Division of Forensic Mental Health, again, breaking new ground in service delivery to a special client population.

CMHS professionals have worked under contract to design and deliver comprehensive training programs for mental health workers enrolled in CETA/JTPA programs, and have worked with DMH to recruit, train and place mental health workers from ethnic and immigrant groups tradition-ally underserved by the mental health service system.

The award of numerous contracts, for provision of Residential Services to 16 clients with Traumatic Brain Injury, and one for the design and provision of Day Treatment services, recreation planning and development and supported work programming to approximately twenty such clients continues CMHS' leading edge service provision.

CMHS' has worked with the underachieving senior and junior high school students, as well as, their teachers and administrators, using the experiential learning concepts found in Adventure Based Education, representing another aspect of our service provision.

In the areas of training, CMHS has a history of contracting with the New Directions program, a federally funded, quasi-public organization to train and make ready for the Human Service workforce, previously unemployed and underemployed individuals.

Some service areas change over time; new needs arise, new resources emerge. Provision of effective, innovative Mental Health, Retardation and Rehabilitative services remains a dynamic and evolving challenge that the people who make up CMHS have accepted as a way of building new opportunities for the clients the agency exists to serve.

Contact people:

Cliff Hankin, Treasurer, (phone), (email) James Riley, President, (phone), (email) John Winterhalter, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (508) 999-7115

Address:

331R State Road North Dartmouth, MA 02747 (See a map)

Web Site: None specified

Directions:

From 195 take the Faunce Corner exit towards the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth. Proceed through the lights at the intersection of Faunce Corner Road and Route 6. Turn in at the Second Driveway on the right and drive behind. . . (more)