LOWELL, Mass. (March 31, 2026) — Community leaders, behavioral health providers, and public safety officials today celebrated the opening of the Restoration Center of Greater Lowell, an innovative new resource designed to support individuals experiencing substance use and mental health crises with compassionate, immediate care.

The center represents the culmination of more than eight years of research and planning led by the Middlesex County Restoration Center Commission, a collaborative effort bringing together behavioral health care providers, law enforcement leaders, policymakers, and community advocates to reimagine how Massachusetts provides support to those experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

Operated by Vinfen in partnership with Spectrum Health Systems, the Restoration Center provides a low-barrier, trauma-informed alternative to hospital emergency departments and the criminal justice system. The center will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, welcoming walk-ins as well as drop-offs from police and other first responders.

Services available at the Restoration Center include triage and medical clearance, a peer-led living room offering supportive space, short-term sober support beds, inpatient detoxification and clinical stabilization services, outpatient counseling, medication for addiction treatment, and short-term respite care in a supervised therapeutic environment.

“Across Massachusetts we have expanded access to behavioral health services, but individuals in crisis too often still end up in emergency departments or in the criminal justice system,” said Jean Yang, President and CEO of Vinfen. “The Restoration Center creates a welcoming, trauma-informed place where people can receive immediate care, stabilization, and connection to treatment, strengthening the entire behavioral health continuum across the Greater Lowell region.”

“At Spectrum Health Systems, we know that timely access to treatment can change the course of someone’s life,” said Kurt Isaacson, President and CEO of Spectrum Health Systems. “Too often individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions fall through the cracks of fragmented systems. The Restoration Center helps close those gaps by providing immediate stabilization, clinical expertise, and clear pathways into treatment and recovery.”

The Restoration Center of Greater Lowell launches as a pilot program serving Middlesex County. It was developed through collaboration among health care providers, public safety leaders, and local and state partners who share a commitment to expanding access to care. Those efforts were coordinated by the Middlesex County Restoration Center Commission, a legislatively-funded commission jointly led by Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian and Danna Mauch, PhD, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH).

“Today’s opening marks a major step in a process that was thoughtful, deliberate and collaborative,” said Dr. Mauch and Sheriff Koutoujian. “As we celebrate the commitment and expertise of the diverse range of individuals and organizations that have brought us to this moment, on behalf of people living with complex behavioral health need, we know that more work is ahead as we formally begin to provide critical services to the community.”

Facing opioid overdose death rates far above the state average and emergency departments stretched by rising behavioral health crises, Greater Lowell has become a clear example of why new approaches to care are urgently needed.

Located at 10 Technology Drive in Lowell, the Restoration Center is designed to be a welcoming, recovery-oriented environment that emphasizes dignity, stabilization, and connection to ongoing care.

About Vinfen
Vinfen is a nonprofit provider of community-based health and human services, supporting individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and other life challenges. Through innovative programs and strong community partnerships, Vinfen helps people access care, build independence, and achieve meaningful lives within their communities. Founded in 1977, Vinfen serves thousands of individuals and families each year across Massachusetts and Connecticut. Learn more at www.vinfen.org

About Spectrum Health Systems
Spectrum Health Systems, Inc. is one of New England’s leading nonprofit providers of addiction treatment and recovery services. Founded in 1969, Spectrum offers a comprehensive continuum of care including detoxification, clinical stabilization services, residential treatment, outpatient counseling, medication for addiction treatment, and peer recovery support programs. Spectrum operates treatment programs across Massachusetts and works closely with health care providers, public safety partners, and community organizations to expand access to effective, evidence-based treatment and support long-term recovery. Learn more at www.spectrumhealthsystems.org

About the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office
The Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) serves one of the largest counties in Massachusetts and is committed to advancing public safety through innovative programs, rehabilitation, and community partnerships. Under the leadership of Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, MCSO has developed nationally recognized initiatives focused on reentry, behavioral health, and diversion programs that connect individuals to treatment and support rather than incarceration when appropriate. The office works collaboratively with law enforcement, health providers, and community organizations to strengthen outcomes for individuals and communities across Middlesex County. Learn more at www.middlesexsheriff.org