Community Health Link Closure and Transition

At a glance

What: Community HealthLink (CHL; the minutes also write 'Community Health Link') told the state it plans to close, and its programs are being taken over by an acquiring organization the minutes give as 'PHN' (not otherwise identified).
Where it stands: ongoing. On 2026-08-03 the Board of Health approved unanimously a motion by Michael Perotto to receive updates on the transition.
Next: an update is on the 2026-09-14 agenda.

Seema Dixit said the merger had caused staff reductions and voluntary departures.
The Division of Public Health is joining coordination calls to connect residents at risk of losing coverage with resources including pro bono legal help.
State contracts, programs, staffing and union matters are being worked through.
One city opioid-abatement mini-grant had supported CHL's mobile shower program for unhoused residents.

The original closure date was June 30; CHL has asked for an extension and has not announced a completion date. Seema Dixit said CHL notified the state around the end of March and has roughly 20 state contracts to transfer.
Services are being distributed among Behavioral Health Network, Open Sky, CSO and CMHA (as captioned).
Perotto cited about 238 layoffs from press reports; Dixit could not confirm and noted both layoffs and departures. He hoped displaced staff get hiring priority.
Chair Frances Anthes stressed the Board is concerned that service levels not drop.
Opioid-grant link: see Opioid Abatement Funding and Stakeholder Meetings.

Perotto moved, and the Board approved unanimously on 2026-08-03, that it receive updates on the transition and invite CHL leadership to a future meeting.
Dixit suggested waiting until the transition is final and expects the acquiring organization to address the Board afterward.
An update is on the 2026-09-14 agenda.

At the Public Health and Human Services Committee, a Parent/Professional Advocacy League director said the state's Motivating Youth Recovery (MYR) overnight program for youth addiction ended with the Community HealthLink transition, leaving families with nowhere in the state to send youth needing that level of care (her account, per auto-captions).
Representatives of Behavioral Health Network (captioned loosely) said they will operate the Community HealthLink Worcester programs: the addiction continuum transitions September 16 and the community behavioral health center September 30. Khrystian E. King said MYR once had around 20-plus inpatient beds and offered to help; the BHN speaker said they would discuss adolescent residential options.
This is the likely acquirer the Board minutes abbreviate as 'PHN' (unconfirmed).

About 7 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-08-03 - Board of Health	7

2026-09-14 - Board of Health - Agenda only: 'Community Health Link Update' by Commissioner Dixit.
2026-08-24 - Public Health and Human Services Committee - Public comment at the youth vaping hearing: loss of the Motivating Youth Recovery overnight program raised; Behavioral Health Network said it takes over the addiction continuum on September 16 and the community behavioral health center on September 30.
2026-08-03 - Board of Health - Board discussed the merger's effect on staff and services; unanimous motion to receive updates and invite CHL leadership.