78 Layoffs Planned For Central MA Behavioral Health Center

WORCESTER, MA — A behavioral health center affiliated with UMass Memorial Health will lay off dozens of employees this year as it prepares for significant program transitions and an eventual organizational closure.

Community Healthlink will lay off 78 employees in Worcester, Leominster and Webster by June 30, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification it filed with the state on Friday. Earlier this month, the center announced in a memo to its staff that it would close.

• Read more about the closure here: Community Healthlink Prepares For Eventual Closure

In the memo, CHL President Gordon Benson told staff that new operators will begin hiring processes for the programs, and CHL caregivers will be eligible to apply. He also said the organization will work with SEIU leadership on transition planning and will support efforts to identify job opportunities within UMass Memorial Health.

“We have also initiated discussions with SEIU leadership to explore transition plans that support and retain our caregivers,” the memo stated.

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The memo also outlined that most CHL programs will transition to either Open Sky Community Services or Clinical and Support Options pending regulatory approval, though exact timelines are still being finalized. A number of programs are still awaiting a determined transition plan.

CHL leadership said it will continue providing updates as regulatory approvals are finalized and timelines become clearer. “My goal is to remain transparent and keep you as informed as possible,” he wrote.

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