The Family Services Department's mission is to provide a wide range of behavioral health treatment to children, adolescents, and adults, regardless of their ability to pay. Although its services are available to the community at large, in order to promote collaboration with primary care providers, priority is given to medical patients of Brookside Community Health Center. Our staff consists of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, addiction counselors, community resource specialists, and a domestic violence advocate. Our bilingual, culturally competent staff provides services in English and Spanish. Translation is available for other languages through the Brigham and Women's Hospital Interpreter Services.
Services Provided
The department provides treatment for adults, adolescents, and children dealing with the following issues:
- Alcohol and other substance use disorders
- Depression and anxiety
- Family violence
- Domestic violence
- Acute and chronic trauma
Our Staff
Juan Avila, MD
Education: University of Michigan School of Medicine; University Hospital Ann Arbor and University Hospital Boston, Residency in Psychiatry; Boston University Hospital, Fellowship in Psychiatry
Interests: Psychopharmacotherapy; bipolar disorder; cross-cultural psychiatry; major depressive disorder; medical psychiatry; mood disorders.
Languages: English and Spanish
Carol Bell, LICSW
Education: University of Michigan School of Social Work, MSW
Interests: Adolescent and family care; addiction; trauma; use of mind/body techniques
Languages: English
Raquel Bustillo, BA, Community Resource Specialist
Languages: English and Spanish
David De La Cruz, BA, Housing Community Health Worker
Languages: English and Spanish
Kate Gasparrini, LICSW, Family Services Manager
Education: Boston College, MSW
Interests: Trauma, adolescent mental health, yoga, mindfulness and meditation, cognitive behavior therapy, mind-body interventions
Languages: English and Spanish
David Green, MD
Education: Union Theological Seminary, M.Div.; Michigan State University College of Human Medicine; Menninger School of Psychiatry, Adult Psychiatry; Boston Children's Hospital, Child Psychiatry
Interests: Cross-cultural issues and class bias in healthcare; third-culture children; poetry and photography
Languages: English and Spanish
Manuela Gonzalez, Manager of Community Support
Joanna Imbert, LCSW, Medicaid ACO Social Worker
Education: Salem State University, MSW
Interests: Healthcare inequities, cross-cultural impacts on health, chronic mental health conditions, trauma, grief, mood disorders, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy
Languages: English and Spanish
Sabaska Laracuente, PhD
Education: Carlos Abizu University, PhD in Clinical Psychology
Interests: Mood disorders; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Dialectical Behavioral Therapy; domestic violence
Languages: English and Spanish
Judith Lischetti, LICSW
Education: Boston University School of Social Work, MSW
Interests: Addictions/Dually diagnosed individuals; domestic violence; trauma; issues related to sexual orientation.
Languages: English and Spanish
Courtney Loring, LICSW
Education: University of Chicago: MSW
Languages: English, Spanish
Interests: Trauma, Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, EMDR, Children and Adolescents, Mind/Body Techniques, Immigration and Cross Cultural Living
Brenda Ramos, Practice Assistant
Languages: English and Spanish
Carmen Santiago, Practice Assistant
Languages: English and Spanish
Miriam Shapiro, LICSW
Education: Simmons College, MSW
Interests: Working with children, adolescents and adults; meditation and stress reduction
Languages: English and Spanish
Stephanie Valerio, Community Resource Specialist
Languages: Engish and Spanish
Katherine White, LMHC
Education: Boston University, M.Ed in Counseling
Interests: Working with children, adolescents and adults; trauma; mood disorders; use of mind/body techniques
Languages: English and Spanish
Other Resources
The Brookside Family Services Department works with the Brigham and Women's Passageway Program, which offers domestic violence prevention and intervention services through Passageway, run by the Center for Community Health and Health Equity.
Contact Us
The Brookside Family Services Department can be reached at 617-983-6047 (Fax 617-983-6069).
