Spectrum Health Systems, Inc., a longtime not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive continuum of addiction treatment throughout Massachusetts, is pleased to announce that the Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) has awarded this year’s Outstanding Leadership Award to Tracy Desruisseaux, Director of the organization’s Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program with the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (MADOC).
“Tracy has been an incredible asset to our team over the past 20 years,” said Kurt Isaacson, President and CEO of Spectrum Health Systems. “With her keen attention to detail and patient-centric focus, she is always looking to improve access to care and deliver the most effective treatment possible for the clients we serve. We congratulate her for receiving ABH’s award in recognition of her groundbreaking work in addiction treatment.”
The honor was given to Desruisseaux at ABH’s 2021 Virtual Salute to Excellence event for her work in the planning, implementation and ongoing integration of best practices in Spectrum’s statewide MOUD program with MADOC. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to behavioral healthcare in Massachusetts.
“I am truly honored to receive the Outstanding Leadership Award from ABH, an incredible organization working to uphold evidence-based practices in behavioral healthcare,” said Desruisseaux. “Being a part of the Spectrum family is rewarding and impactful, and I am looking forward to driving even more change.”
Desruisseaux has been with Spectrum Health Systems since 2000. She began her career in the corrections division serving as a Regional Director, then transitioned to outpatient services where she steadily climbed the ranks to where she is today. In her most recent role, Desruisseaux was instrumental in growing the company’s network of outpatient centers and expanding access to treatment throughout the Commonwealth. She has led the MOUD program for inmates within the MADOC system since the program’s inception in 2020.
While serving as Director of Outpatient Services, Desruisseaux worked collaboratively with medical staff across Massachusetts to promote Spectrum’s continuum of care and ensure a smooth path through treatment for clients. In 2019, she helped implement the Collaborative and Transitional Treatment program, a first-of-its-kind program that provides low threshold access to buprenorphine and naltrexone for individuals with opioid use and alcohol use disorders.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Desruisseaux worked to quickly develop mobile medication administration for local shelters and residential programs to help limit patient traffic to and from Spectrum Health Systems’ outpatient treatment centers.
For more information about Spectrum Health Systems, visit our website or call 1-877-MyRehab.
About Spectrum Health Systems:
Based in Worcester, Mass. and founded in 1969, Spectrum Health Systems, Inc. is a private, non-profit substance use and mental health treatment provider. Spectrum offers the largest and most complete continuum of addiction treatment in New England — including medical detoxification, residential rehabilitation, outpatient services, medication for addiction recovery, and peer recovery support. Spectrum also offers inpatient detoxification and residential treatment for commercially insured and private pay clients through its subsidiary, The New England Recovery Center.
