Gándara Center opens new women’s recovery residence in South Hadley

Community partners, state officials and the Gándara Center leadership team gather at the grand opening of Hermanas Del Rio on May 15.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo

SOUTH HADLEY — For women working to rebuild their lives after addiction and hardship, Hermanas Del Rio is offering more than recovery services. It will also provide a space to regain stability, independence and hope for the future through supportive residential care.

Gándara Center officially celebrated the opening of the new women’s recovery residential program with a ribbon-cutting and open house on May 15 at 87 Canal St.

Community members, local legislators, elected officials, partners, and supporters attended and toured the newly established program space designed to support women on their recovery journey in a safe, welcoming and culturally responsive environment.

Hermanas Del Rio, which translates to “Sisters of the River,” reflects healing, connection and the strength found in community. The opening of Hermanas Del Rio represents Gándara Center’s continued commitment to expanding access to compassionate, community-rooted recovery services for women across Massachusetts.

The program creates a space where women are supported with dignity, care, and connection throughout their recovery journey, according to the organization.

Vice president of behavioral health, substance use and Recovery services, Chelsea Bryant, talked with Reminder Publishing about the newly opened facility.

“There’s a lot of thought into making it look like a home and not just another facility,” Bryant stated.

The space includes a 19-bedded co-occurring program so the team can serve women who have a substance use and a mental health diagnosis. One of the beds is identified for pregnant and postpartum mothers.

The facility also has a wellness room so individuals can have some peace, and a dining room where they can eat as a family, according to Bryant.

Hermanas Del Rio provides on-site treatment, case management, and wraparound services to help individuals on their path to recovery with housing and financial stability. They also connect women with the community.

“It’s really a safe place for individuals to continue on their path to recovery and finding stability in their life,” Bryant stated.

Bryant said that community, local, and state government support are important to helping women in recovery.

“It’s really important to have community partners in our state legislation behind us because we have so many things going against us with insurance, with all sorts of staffing issues, so it’s always nice to be able to open a program and have your community wrap around you, because that’s what the individuals that we’re going to serve are going to need. They’re going to need that same community and that same legislation pushing to support substance use treatment and mental health treatment,” Bryant explained.

Those looking to get help or learn more about Gándara Center can visit gandaracenter.org. Bryant said they can call the number on the website. The organization also takes self-referrals or referrals from other providers.

Bryant explained that there is an intake team that will review the request to determine which of the center’s eight programs best helps the individual.

For nearly 50 years, Gándara Center has provided culturally responsive behavioral health, substance use recovery, prevention, and educational services to more than 18,000 individuals, families and children annually across Massachusetts through more than 70 locations statewide.