Mental Health, Substance Use & Recovery

The Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse works on matters concerning behavioral health, drug detoxification, homeless mentally ill, Mental Health Department oversight, mental illness, mentally ill services and more. MHA is a strong supporter of behavioral health parity, which calls for mental illnesses to be treated – and covered by health insurance – at the same level as physical illnesses, injuries and conditions.
02.17.2020  | Senate Passes Mental Health Parity Bill
The Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a sweeping mental health reform bill last Thursday that takes a large step towards "parity."
02.10.2020  | State Senate Releases Proposed Mental Health Bill
The Massachusetts Senate this week is expected to begin debate on a comprehensive mental health bill.
07.29.2019  | MHA Offers Testimony on Behavioral Health Workforce Bill
MHA testified in support of HB1737 / SB1147, An Act Establishing a Behavioral Health Workforce, during Tuesday’s meeting of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use & Recovery.
04.18.2019  | Legislative Package
Legislative Package
01.07.2019  | Governor Baker’s Second Term and a New Legislative Session
Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito were sworn into their second terms last Thursday.
08.07.2018  | Behavioral Health Report on Implications of Nurse Staffing Ratios
The Massachusetts Behavioral Health System: Implications of Mandated Nurse Staffing Ratios August 2018
01.22.2018  | Baker Testifies on His Opioid Bill; MHA Offers Strong Support
Governor Charlie Baker and EOHHS Secretary Marylou Sudders on the governor’s major bill to stem the opioid epidemic.
10.31.2017  | The HEALTH Act
An Act Furthering Health Empowerment and Affordability by Leveraging Transformative Health Care (the HEALTH Act)
09.11.2017  | MHA Testifies in Support of Safe Injection Facilities
Saying that healthcare providers have “a moral obligation to help patients remain alive and healthy until they can choose recovery,” MHA on Wednesday testified in support of a Massachusetts senate bill that would allow DPH to implement safe injection
09.06.2017  | SB1081 Authorize Public Health Workers to Pursue New Measures to Reduce Harm and Stigma
SB1081 Authorize Public Health Workers to Pursue New Measures to Reduce Harm and Stigma for People Affected by Substance Use Disorder
07.11.2017  | Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment
MHA appreciates the opportunity to submit comments on the following bills regarding mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
04.10.2017  | MHA: State's Marijuana Law Needs Improvement
The commercial sale of marijuana has been legalized in Massachusetts – but that doesn’t mean that the law as passed by ballot question last November is without fault and can’t be improved.
04.10.2017  | Opioid Treatment Scam
Attorney General Maura Healey issued an advisory this week cautioning against recruiters that are luring Massachusetts residents in need of treatment to out-of-state facilities that provide “little or no care to the patients.”
04.10.2017  | Task Force Complete Study On Infant Opioid Exposure
The state’s Interagency Task Force on Newborns with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome issued its final report this week that assesses existing services and programs in the commonwealth for mothers and newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome
04.01.2017  | MHA Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Task Force
The Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Task Force (SUDPTTF) was developed at the direction of the MHA Board of Trustees to develop provider focused strategies to help address the high incidence of opioid misuse.
09.17.2015  | Mental Health, Telemedicine
The Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA), on behalf of its member hospitals and health systems, appreciates the opportunity to offer comments on the many bills highlighted below.

Resources

Click on the links below for easy access to important information related to state healthcare issues and advocacy.


Visit the Commonwealth of Massachusetts websites below to find information on legislative hearings and other meetings of interest to the healthcare community.


To guide your navigation of the legislative process and assist your advocacy efforts, please visit the following state websites: