Bill > H4891

This bill aims to address barriers to care for mental health in Massachusetts. Key provisions include: This bill establishes or expands several programs and initiatives to promote behavioral health and prevent substance use disorder, including facilitating interagency initiatives, developing a comprehensive prevention plan, advancing evidence-based practices, and collecting and analyzing data on population-based behavioral health indicators. It creates an online portal to provide real-time data on children and adolescents who are boarding, awaiting residential placement, or in state custody awaiting discharge, as well as information on available pediatric behavioral health beds. The bill also establishes an interagency review team to collaborate on complex cases involving children and youth with disabilities or complex needs. The bill requires acute-care hospitals to have licensed mental health professionals available in emergency departments to evaluate and stabilize individuals with mental health presentations. It also prohibits discrimination between patients with mental health/substance use conditions and those with medical/surgical conditions. The bill expands insurance coverage in several ways, such as requiring coverage for mental health acute treatment, community-based acute treatment, and intensive community-based acute treatment without prior authorization, as well as coverage for an annual mental health wellness examination. The bill includes provisions to increase the diversity and competency of the behavioral health workforce, such as developing a continuing education program on military service-related behavioral health conditions and establishing a scholarship program. The bill also aims to improve school-based behavioral health services, such as by developing a model medical and behavioral health emergency response plan and limiting the use of suspension and expulsion in early education and care programs.

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H4891