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Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Services

Brenda Miele Soares MSW, LICSW, is the Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health Services.  Brenda has worked in community mental health and substance use recovery agencies since 1985. She has been employed with Advocates since 1990 and currently oversees the clinical and administrative operation of Behavioral Health Services.

In her role, she oversees Department of Mental Health-funded residential and outreach services for adults, as well as services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. She opened the first Deaf Respite program in Massachusetts.  In addition, she also oversees federal housing programs; two crisis stabilization programs; two social model substance use recovery programs; a two-location Community Behavioral Health Center; two additional outpatient counseling clinics; a forensic mental health team that provides behavioral health services for inmates at the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction; Mobile Crisis Intervention teams for thirty-nine cities and towns; emergency crisis clinicians for two hospital emergency departments; Integrated Care Management Teams; Co-Response Jail Diversion Programs; and jail and prison re-entry services.

Brenda has a master’s in social work from Boston College and a bachelor’s from Emerson College. She is a certified dialectical behavioral therapist, holds two Open Dialogue certificates from the Institute for Dialogic Practice, has an Alcoholism Counselor’s Certificate from Boston College, and received her certificate from Boston University Graduate School of Management’s Institute for Non-Profit Management and Leadership.