The mission of Fenway Health is to enhance the wellbeing of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and all people in our neighborhoods and beyond through access to the highest quality health care, education, research and advocacy.
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Services Offered
Behavioral Health
Psychotherapy At Fenway Health, we view the mind and body as one. Our psychotherapy services allow patients to discuss their behavioral health needs with a skilled psychotherapist. Also known as talk therapy, psychotherapy is a proven way to better understand one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and to learn how to better cope with life's challenges. Care at Fenway Health is confidential, compassionate, and accessible to all, regardless of individual financial situations.
Psychiatry Fenway Health offers support for psychiatric care and management of psychiatric medications. Our staff of professional psychiatrists will work with you to determine if medication is the right path and, if so, which medications will work best to address your specific needs and improve your overall quality of life. Our psychiatric care is confidential, compassionate, and accessible, regardless of individual financial situations.
Addiction Recovery & Wellness Program There are many resources available if you or a friend or loved one is struggling with addiction, whether to alcohol, drugs or gambling. Fenway Health's Behavioral Health Department offers counseling and support groups designed to help with addiction issues, especially for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
Therapy & Support Groups Group Psychotherapy Program and Support Groups Fenway Health offers a variety of short-term, skill-based psychotherapy groups, longer-term psychotherapy groups, and support groups. Whether longer-term or short-term in nature, group therapy is a very effective form of treatment. Years of research prove that group therapy can be just as effective as individual therapy, and in many instances, even more effective. Group therapy will give you the opportunity to better understand yourself, interact with and get support from peers who share similar problems, improve your interpersonal relationships and help you grow as an individual. Our short-term, skill-based groups give you the added benefit of acquiring education and skills that will help you cope better with specific emotional and/or behavior problems.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Group for Anxiety For anyone who struggles with anxiety, social phobia, or panic attacks, this weekly therapy group uses CBT techniques to teach members tools for decreasing anxiety and taking control of worry. A commitment to daily mood and thought tracking and relaxation practice will be required as part of the group. The group will meet for 8-10 sessions. For more information, please contact Meghan McGrath, LICSW at 617.927.6187. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Group for Depression For anyone who struggles with depression, this weekly therapy group uses cognitive and behavioral techniques to teach members tools for decreasing depressive symptoms, and fostering a sense of empowerment. A commitment to daily mood and thought tracking and an openness to behavior modification will be required as part of the group. The group will meet for 10 sessions. For more information, please contact Laura Stevens, LICSW at 617.927.6274.
Compulsive Sexual Behavior For gay or bisexual men who are struggling with out of control sexual behaviors, this skilled based therapy group is designed to empower individuals with knowledge and skills, peer support, and improved motivation to make healthier choices and positive changes regarding sexual activity. Groups are offered at both the 1340 Boylston Street and Fenway: South End locations.
DBT Skills Group Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), developed by Marsha Linehan, focuses on learning and incorporating four types of skills: Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. This model is effective for Anxiety, Depression, Borderline Personality D/O, and other mental health struggles. DBT helps identify behaviors and ways of thinking that are either not helpful or damaging in one's life and explores ways of building on existing strengths using the skills from each module. This is a 12 week skills based group. For more information, please contact Sonia Gooden-Alexis at 617-927-6252. Exploring Sexual Orientation Group This is a short-term group for people of all gender identities for exploration and/or support of different expressions of sexual orientation. It is appropriate for people who: -may clearly be coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or attracted to people of all gender identities -who may be uncertain and want to explore or better understand their sexual orientation -who are more certain about their sexual orientation but struggle with issues of acceptance/self-disclosure with regards to work, school, friends, family of origin and/or dating situations. -Please contact Denise Nunez at 617.927.6202 for more information.
Substance Abuse For those who want to break the cycle of drug or alcohol abuse, Fenway offers a variety of Substance Abuse Services, including the following groups: -Sobriety Skills and Support Group -Sobriety Support Group -Relapse Prevention Group
Violence Recovery Program Groups -Trauma Education Group -Relationship Skills Group -Male Survivor Group -Asylum Seekers Group
Violence Recovery Program Free counseling and advocacy, specializing in services to the LGBTQ community. Fenway Health's Violence Recovery Program (VRP) provides counseling, support groups, advocacy, and referral services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and anti-LGBTQ hate violence. VRP staff have specialized training and experience in working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals.
Fees and Payment
While Fenway Health accepts all major insurance plans and participates in a number of managed care plans, no single plan is likely to cover all the services we offer. Therefore, we recommend that you confirm with your insurer that you are covered for a specific service or provider before obtaining treatment.
If you belong to a managed care plan, you must inquire about our physicians/providers by name; Fenway Health will not be listed as a participating provider, although our doctors will be. When checking with your health plan, make sure that the service is covered and that you can be seen at Fenway.
While Fenway can estimate the costs of services, actual costs will vary based on the services that occur during your visit. For more on the services Fenway provides call 617.927.6000. For questions about your insurance coverage, please call your insurer directly.
Fenway Health, Fenway: South End and the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center all accept most major health plans, including the following: MassHealth Medicaid Blue Cross Blue Shield Harvard Pilgrim Tufts Cigna Klais Consolidated Neighborhood Health Plan Aetna United Health Care
This list is by no means exhaustive and we accept many other types of insurance. If your insurance carrier is not on this list, please call Fenway's main number at 617.267.0900 and ask to speak to someone about insurance coverage.
For eligible clients, medical services may be available at no cost or reduced cost through special grants or free-care programs, such as MassHealth. Behavioral health services may be available on a sliding scale, based on a client's ability to pay.
In order to receive this help, you must apply for financial assistance at the time of service.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual LGBTQ
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono Medicare Medicaid
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Qualifying for assistance from Massachusetts' program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to Massachusetts' program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.