The Edinburg Center is proud to announce a new partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) to offer innovative Support and Stabilization Services to youth and families experiencing mental health challenges. The programs will serve families in the Greater Lowell, Haverhill, Metro North, Lawrence, Burlington, Waltham, and Framingham areas.
Through this collaboration, The Edinburg Center will operate two specialized programs designed to strengthen families, promote healing, and enhance long-term stability.
Edinburg’s Better Together Team provides Comprehensive Support and Stabilization (CSS) services to children and family members with disabilities. This program integrates evidence-based practices from Mental Health and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to address high-intensity and hard-to-manage behaviors that often go untreated in traditional settings.
While ABA is commonly used with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, or Acquired Brain Injury, research supports its effectiveness in addressing complex behavioral challenges across various diagnoses. The Better Together model bridges the gap by offering a collaborative, trauma-informed approach proven effective in situations where standard interventions may fall short.
The multidisciplinary team includes a seasoned Program Director, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Bachelor’s-level Outreach Workers, and consultation from Nursing and Occupational Therapy (OT) services.
Together, they provide comprehensive, in-home support focused on:
- Strengthening family relationships
- Addressing the effects of trauma
- Reducing interfering or unsafe behaviors
- Enhancing stability and safety in the home
- Building caregiver skills and confidence
“The Better Together model is uniquely designed to meet families where they are and to support real, sustainable change,” said Lauren Fisher, Director of Children’s Services at The Edinburg Center.
Edinburg’s Family First Team delivers CSS services through an intensive, home-based therapeutic model rooted in a family-systems lens. The multidisciplinary team – consisting of a Program Director, Licensed Clinicians, and Outreach Counselors – works collaboratively to ensure consistent communication, responsive treatment planning, and coordinated care.
Interventions are designed to:
- Strengthen caregiver-child relationships
- Address the impact of trauma
- Enhance safety and stability in the home
- Increase caregiver capacity and skills
“Our teams meet families where they are, literally and emotionally,” added Fisher. “By providing care in the home, we can build stronger relationships and trust with families, which leads to better outcomes. Other services often can’t offer this level of in-home support.”
These first two contracts mark the beginning of The Edinburg Center’s partnership with DCF. Participation in either program requires a DCF referral.
Through these initiatives, The Edinburg Center reaffirms its commitment to empowering families, promoting mental wellness, and delivering compassionate, evidence-based support to communities across Massachusetts.