Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Boston Medical Center (BMC)-led Coalition proposing for the Shattuck Hospital site?

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The Morton Street Campus proposal – developed by BMC in partnership with a coalition of community-based providers of health, addiction, and supportive housing services – proposes a coordinated mix of clinical programs and supportive housing to meet the needs of individuals facing mental illness, addiction and homelessness. This proposal includes 446 treatment beds (272 clinical beds and 174 emergency shelter and transitional programming beds) and 405 units of supportive housing for individuals and families.

Who are the members of the coalition?

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The coordinated clinical and housing model being proposed for Morton Street was developed by the following expert providers:

  • Providers of clinical and support programs: BMC, Bay Cove Human Services, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, Health Care Resource Centers, Victory Programs and Pine Street Inn.  These providers offer unmatched experience providing clinical and social services to community members in Boston.
  • Housing developer partners:  The Community Builders and Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation have partnered with communities and government to produce and manage thousands of supportive and affordable housing units across the Boston region, integrating supportive services into every aspect of design and operations.

How is BMC qualified to lead this proposal?

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BMC, the largest essential hospital in New England, is committed to a healthier, more equitable and thriving community. BMC is nationally known for its research and clinical programs in addiction and mental health and has assembled a team of best-in-class service providers and supportive housing developers, owners and operators for the proposed redevelopment of Shattuck Hospital Campus at Morton Street.

What clinical services does this proposal include?

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We are proposing comprehensive and coordinated clinical services for individuals with mental illness, substance use disorder and related clinical care needs. Our goal is to create a coordinated and connected set of services in one location, to support improved outcomes for patients, helping them stay in recovery. The specific clinical services we are proposing include a mix of services already existing at the Shattuck site, as well as new programs largely geared toward people at later stages of recovery.

This mix of existing and new services includes:

  • 32 Acute Treatment Service (also referred to as Inpatient Detox) beds
  • 48 Clinical Stabilization Services (CSS) beds
  • 112 Residential Rehabilitation Service (RRS) beds
  • Outpatient Services (e.g., primary care services, Opioid Treatment Program)
  • 48 Intensive Inpatient Psychiatry beds
  • 32 Behavioral Health Respite Unit beds

What is supportive housing?

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Supportive housing provides residents with case management, job training, life skills, counseling, transportation, and other supports. Residents will be tenants who sign a lease and pay rent. Experience shows that supportive housing is an effective public health strategy, supporting individuals with substance use disorder, mental illness, and related behavioral health needs in successfully achieving their goals for improved health and stability.

Many of the coalition partners have extensive experience in developing and operating supportive housing for individuals with behavioral health and substance use disorder needs; the model is effective and in place in multiple communities throughout Greater Boston. Our model of housing on the site will be affordable and with the goal of building community, and we will work with the City and State and consider community feedback to determine how to prioritize potential residents.

What housing services does this proposal include?

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The population we expect to serve will significantly benefit from supportive housing services, including long-term housing with access to a wide array of support services and case management. In addition, we have proposed a highly structured set of short term/emergency housing. The proposal includes:

  • Supportive housing
  • 405 new units of supportive housing (including 200 units for individuals proposed in Phase One and managed by the Pine Street Inn, and 205 units for families proposed in Phase Two and managed by the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation).
  • Emergency shelter and transitional programming
  • 90 Emergency Shelter/transitional beds, 54 beds for Structured Outpatient Addiction Program participants, 30 Safe Haven Program beds (managed by Pine Street Inn).

This site is so close to Franklin Park; what are you doing to expand open space?

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Our team prioritized a significant expansion of publicly accessible open space, with improved, welcoming routes to the park and new pedestrian, bicycle, and transit connections. By limiting above-ground parking, we can develop additional, accessible green space adjacent to the campus – for a total of more than seven dedicated acres of green, pedestrian and plaza space. We hope to collaborate with the community about different types of public amenities and recreation that could be put in this green space.

Why is the Shattuck Hospital site being used for public health needs?

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The public health use for the site was established by the Commonwealth decades ago. The Coalition – all of whom have experience serving the communities near or surrounding the site – collectively considered the needs of nearby communities, past experiences and successes, and learnings to create a proposal that transforms and improves this site. This includes new clinical buildings designed to meet current clinical care needs, limited above ground parking, and a significant increase in the amount of public open space.

Will this project recreate the Mass & Cass crisis at this location?

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No. Our proposal creates programs that work together to address the root causes of mental illness, substance use disorder and homelessness to prevent another crisis. Every aspect of the proposal – from the mix of uses, the role of supportive housing and the clinical programs – is designed to keep a Mass & Cass level crisis from occurring. The site would prioritize longer-term care for people recovering from opioid use, with those in acute treatment accounting for less than 10% of the population on site.

At the same time, our Coalition realizes that we need to pay significant attention to safety and security on the site, and BMC and the Coalition partners will work with the State, City, and surrounding community to develop a strong public safety program.

The proposed supportive housing is significantly more than the minimum of 75-100 units requested in the Commonwealth’s Request for Proposals (RFP); why did you propose a project of this size?

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While the RFP specified a minimum of 75-100 units of supportive housing, the need for supportive housing far exceeds the minimum in the RFP. Because the need for housing overall is so great, the Coalition considered an appropriate level of proposed supportive housing, including family housing.

Who would be responsible for safety/security?

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BMC and coalition partners will invest in a comprehensive public safety plan and operations on site and will work in collaboration with public safety officials (including BPD and state officials) on issues related to any public spaces adjacent to the site.  BMC has a strong public safety team and will consult with outside experts and the community in developing a plan based on the final mix of uses approved for the site.

In addition to a site-wide approach, specific security measures will be put in place that correspond to the needs for each program across the site. For example, the supportive housing units will have separate secured and monitored entrances. BMC will provide signage and wayfinding that allows visitors to navigate to their location on the site safely.

We expect to partner with the community on issues related to safety and community accessibility to the site.

How will this project get paid for?

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This proposal will require a sizable investment on behalf of the Coalition partners, as well as government partners at the City and State level. We expect to contribute philanthropic dollars/private fundraising as well. The Coalition members recognize that this proposal is one piece of a broader solution to address the challenges of addiction and mental illness, often resulting in homelessness.

Boston recently announced plans to rebuild the bridge to Long Island and begin providing services there again.  How does this proposal relate to plans for Long Island?

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We need a range of services across the state to meet the needs of individual patients, create and maintain thriving communities, and to repair the current fragmented system of care. We believe services at Long Island can complement the service mix proposed for the Morton Street Campus.

Does this proposal include the temporary cottages currently on the Shattuck site?

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The Coalition proposal does not include maintaining the temporary cottages currently on the site.