Project COPE and Bridgewell Complete Merger

After years of thoughtful planning, Bridgewell and Project COPE completed a merger this past January.  The two greatly respected organizations, representing close to a combined century of service and expertise, have had a management agreement since May, 2013.

For 40 years, Project COPE has provided community-based prevention, education and treatment services for individuals and their families struggling with addiction.  Bridgewell is now partnering with Project COPE to strengthen supports in the community and bring essential services to a wider population.

“Both our organizations have always created settings of caring, excellence, integrity, dedication and effectiveness for their clients. We are entrepreneurial in that we are continually identifying unmet needs and creating ways to address those needs, pulling funding from multiple sources and enabling all individuals to fulfill their highest potential, fully integrated into the community wherever possible,” said Bridgewell President and CEO Bob Stearns.

Project COPE Executive Director Mark Kennard, pictured above with Stearns, will continue to lead Project COPE as a subsidiary of Bridgewell and also serve on Bridgewell’s Leadership Team.

Mark has held a variety of clinical, educational and executive roles in the substance abuse arenas since 1981.  In addition, he has served as an Adjunct Faculty member of the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program at North Shore Community College and at the Salem State University Department of Social Work.

Two longtime COPE board members have joined the Bridgewell board. We are very pleased to welcome Peter Sheckman, MD and Nicholas Sarantopoulos, PhD.

“Given the economic pressures of the last several years, including cutbacks in state and federal funding, it has become increasingly difficult for small, independent non-profits like Project COPE both to maintain current levels of client services and respond to new opportunities and community needs,” said Kennard.

“We could not be more pleased with the opportunities and resources this merger provides to our programs and clients.”

Project COPE information will be added to the Bridgewell website shortly.

Click here  to view a brief overview of Project COPE’s service.