The Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Overview

Mission

The brien center provides a continuum of care for children, adolescents, adults and families living with significant and persistent mental health and substance use disorders. We are guided by the belief that everyone in berkshire county benefits when people are emotionally healthy.the brien center's mission is to provide high quality, comprehensive mental health and addiction services to berkshire residents through community-based programs that promote the highest possible degree of recovery, independence and quality of life of those served. We will provide access and supports to meet the behavioral health needs of individuals of all ages, races and cultures and culturally competent care to promote recovery. We will accomplish this by working in partnership with state agencies, individuals, families, and other providers.

What it reported doing in 2024

The behavioral health community partner program provides community based integrated care management system working with individuals with medical and behavioral health issues to ensure comprehensive and coordinated care is provided in the right place, at the right time, and by the right providers. The objective of this program is to reduce the need for an expense of higher levels of care, such as hospital emergency departments, medical or psychiatric hospitalization, or detox treatment.the brien center's community behavioral health center (cbhc) serves as an entry point for masshealth clients who receive timely, high-quality and evidence-based treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorders, including routine appointments, urgent visits, and 24/7 community-based crisis intervention as an alternative to hospital emergency departments. Cbhcs will provide the following services, in person and via telehealth: integrated mental health and addiction treatment; same-day access to intake and brief assessment, urgent and crisis treatment including medications, and drop-in treatment and support (e.g., group sessions, peer supports); 24/7 mobile and community crisis response with community crisis stabilization for youth and adults; telehealth and flexible service delivery locations (e.g., home, school, etc.); peer supports; care coordination; ability to serve all ages, including child and family-specific treatment models and models for older adults; evidence-based and evidence-informed treatments to meet individual needs, including interventions and close coordination for individuals with behavioral health needs who are involved with other systems, including the justice system or children in the care and custody of the commonwealth.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 96% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042081870
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Pittsfield, MA, USA
Phone
4134990412
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Health

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 76
  • Transparency & Controls: 84
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 32
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 81.3%; rating input score 81
  • Program expense ratio: 82.4%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 0.7%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.52; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.39; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.9%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 81.3% of revenue deployed · 82.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 5 filed program accomplishments · $29.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $351K · 24 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $2.9M reported
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 9 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

24 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • M CHRISTINE MACBETH (PRESIDENT AND CEO END 5/30/25): $351,415 total reported compensation
  • KRISTEN ACCETTA (CLINICIAN): $220,198 total reported compensation
  • REBECCA PHELPS-SMITH (DIVISION DIRECTOR): $216,442 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.