FY27 Priorities:

The Children’s Mental Health Campaign (CMHC) is asking for funding to be protected for critical DMH Child and Adolescent Services and School-Based Behavioral Health (SBBH), essentials to the well-being of Massachusetts’ children and families.

H2 includes $4.180M in proposed cuts to Line Item #5042-5000: 

• Flex ($2.3M cut) – set of prevention-oriented, community-based, individualized supports for children and youth who are DMH-eligible, designed to prevent out-of-home placements and help keep young people living successfully in their homes, schools, and communities    
• Intensive Home-Based Therapeutic Care [IHBTC] ($1M cut) – designed to work with children and their families in the home and community, rather than in hospitals or residential facilities, to prevent and shorten the need for out-of-home treatment and support stabilization and skill building in natural environments for youth
• Therapeutic Day Services ($800K cut) – provide youth with an array of after school supports, including recreational and skill building activities, as well as intensive clinical services in a structured program

The Campaign is requesting level funding at $500K for the SBBH Technical Assistance Center which supports districts in building and sustaining integrated behavioral health systems for students at no cost to schools. 

The Campaign is requesting a match to H.2 proposal at $6M for the Statewide SBBH Framework which will fund further development, stakeholder collaboration, and early implementation of the Birth-Through-Higher-Education Mental & Behavioral Health framework, improving long-term outcomes and reducing reliance on higher-cost care.

 

FY26 – Key Successes:

House 1 contained $26M in proposed cuts to Line Items #5042-5000 and #5095-0015. The CMHC successfully ensured funding for critical DMH Child and Adolescent Services in these areas:

• $15.3M for intensive psychiatric residential treatment programs, impacting Clinically Intensive Residential Treatment (CIRT) for children ages 6-12 years and Intensive Residential Treatment Program (IRTP) for adolescents ages 13-18
  • Protecting the only one 12-bed program for this age group in the entire state
• $10.6M for community-based programs ($5.2M in Flexible Supports & $5.4M in PACT-Y), impacting ED boarding and services dedicated to keeping youth in their home and communities instead of institutions

 

Additionally, CMHC successfully advocated for resources for long standing programs that were under the threat of cuts, including: 

• $5M for Mental Health Consultation in Early Education and Care Settings
• $3.3M for the Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids
• $500K for the School-Based Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center
• $4.375M ($674K for MCPAP for Moms & $500K for MCPAP for Schools)=