Bill > S2584

This bill aims to address barriers to care for mental health in Massachusetts. Key provisions include: - Requiring the development of an online portal to track data on children and adolescents boarding in emergency rooms, awaiting residential mental health placements, and in state custody awaiting discharge. This includes tracking bed availability and utilization. - Establishing an Office of Behavioral Health Promotion to coordinate state-level behavioral health promotion and prevention efforts. - Designating 988 crisis hotline centers to provide 24/7 crisis intervention and care coordination services statewide. - Expanding health insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services, including requiring coverage for the psychiatric collaborative care model and eliminating pre-authorization requirements for certain acute mental health services. - Strengthening enforcement of mental health parity laws, including requiring insurers to submit annual compliance reports and empowering the Division of Insurance to conduct market conduct examinations. - Creating a complex case resolution panel to rapidly address barriers to accessing appropriate behavioral health services for children. - Establishing a voluntary rehabilitation program for licensed healthcare professionals with mental health or substance use disorders. The bill also includes various other provisions related to behavioral health workforce, data collection, and suicide prevention efforts.

Budget and Finance

Senate Committee on Ways and Means (S)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2584