Pathlight, ServiceNet, both agencies serving people with disabilities, to merge

BY ADAM FRENIER

NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2024

Pathlight, a major provider of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in western Massachusetts, is merging with another larger agency, ServiceNet.

The transaction was announced on Thursday.

According to the agency, Pathlight has been around for more than seven decades. Its president, Keith Kendall said the organization is financially solvent and could have kept operating on its own, but did not have the capacity to grow further.

Instead, the move is being made to help grow services across the area. He says for the people Pathlight serves, there will be no changes because of the merger.

“The people who care for the individuals, the leadership in the local facilities will be the same,” Kendall said. “We’re not going to disrupt people in that way. That’s really important if we’re going to live to the desire of our mission, to improve service to our individuals.”

All of the approximately 500 Pathlight employees will keep their jobs and work for ServiceNet, which will end up with about 2,200 people on its payroll.

Keeping all current Pathlight employees working was a major piece of choosing to join ServiceNet, according to Kendall.

“We have no desire to put people on unemployment in western Massachusetts,” Kendall said.

ServiceNet’s president, Susan Stubbs, said the merger will make things smoother for the people both agencies serve.

“We’re well-acquainted with each other’s staff and some of the individuals are already being served by both organizations,” Stubbs said. “By combining forces we can provide more holistic care, more whole person care for the people that we both serve.”

One elected official reacting to the news was Northampton mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, who worked for Pathlight prior to being elected.

“Pathlight is near and dear to my heart and I’m so happy they have found this partnership with ServiceNet which will allow expanded services and supports for the people they serve,” the mayor said in a statement.

Both officials for Pathlight and ServiceNet, Kendall and Stubbs, said the hope the merger will be completed by the end of this year.

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