It was a day nearly two years in the making, when Vinfen leadership and clinical staff came together with elected officials, community partners, and other Lowell-area neighbors on March 31 for a special ribbon-cutting signifying the opening of our latest program, the Restoration Center of Greater Lowell.  

This innovative mental health and substance use disorder center—operated by Vinfen and developed in collaboration with the Middlesex County Restoration Center Commission and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS)—offers an alternative to emergency rooms and incarceration for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises. 

The event at 10 Technology Drive in Lowell brought together key figures who helped spearhead the Restoration Center and make it a reality, including elected officials like Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, Sen. Cindy Friedman, Congresswoman Lori Trahan, and Lowell City Manager Thomas Golden; Dr. Danna Mauch, president & CEO of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health; and Kristin Nolan, chief behavioral health officer at Spectrum Health Systems, Vinfen’s provider partner at the program. Attendees heard from stakeholders and toured the facility. 

“We have been given the privilege of operating this groundbreaking program,” Vinfen President & CEO Jean Yang remarked to the crowd in attendance, “and we ask for your continued guidance, scrutiny, and support as we work to offer services that are supportive, non-invasive, and dignified to individuals with the greatest need.”