Fiscal Year 2024
The Children’s Mental Health Campaign tracks a number of line items within the state budget and strongly supports funding for children’s mental health programming and services. Below are the Campaign’s top priorities in the FY24 budget. For a more comprehensive list of programs and services we track in the state budget, please click Here
Our priorities for FY24!
Department of Mental Health
5011-0100: DMH Operations: Funding for the services and supports administered by the Department of Mental health to individuals of all ages with mental health needs.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$32,381,331 |
Level Funding |
$32,200,191 |
$32,200,191 |
$33,150,191 |
$33,150,191 |
$33,150,191 |
5042-5000: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Funding to support child- and adolescent-specific mental health services and supports.
Overall
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$113,088,937 |
Level Funding |
$118,014,950 |
$118,504,949 |
120,339,950 |
$120,604,949 |
$120,604,949 |
Earmarks
Amendment #504: MCPAP/MCPAP for Moms (Representative Balser): The Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP) employs a public health model that emphasizes universal behavioral health screening, maximizes access to services in the appropriate setting based on need, and mitigates the lack of child psychiatry resources. MCPAP provides consultation to pediatricians to meet mild to moderate behavioral health needs within their practice. MCPAP for Moms promotes maternal and child health by building the capacity of providers serving pregnant and postpartum women and their children up to one year after delivery to effectively prevent, identify, and manage mental health and substance use concerns. Despite growth in MCPAP’s programming, funding has remained level for several years
The CMHC requests a $625,000 increase to the MCPAP/MCPAP for Moms FY23 earmark (total funding $4.5M) to address workforce challenges, increase behavioral health education and training offerings for providers, support IT infrastructure and upgrades, and to fund research to improve programming.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$3,875,000 |
$4,500,000 |
Language Only |
$3,825,000 |
$3,875,000 |
$3,875,000 |
$3,875,000 |
Amendment #750: School Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center (Representative Decker): The statewide school-based behavioral health technical assistance (SBBH TA) center, codified in Chapter 177 of the Acts, provides technical assistance to school districts and partnering community providers to build and sustain district capacity to meet the social, emotional, and behavioral health needs of students.
The CMHC requests $1.275M in funding to support ongoing planning and collaboration with community stakeholders, and to support the statewide launch of the school-based behavioral health technical assistance center. This request also includes $75,000 to continue to make web based resources available to schools.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$150,000 (+$1,000,000 in ARPA Funding) |
$1,275,000 |
No Earmark |
No Earmark |
$1,275,000 |
$1,275,000 |
$1,275,000 |
1595-4512: Behavioral Health Outreach, Access and Support Trust Fund
Expenditures from the fund supplement and support efforts to increase access to a culturally competent workforce, provide equal access to behavioral health care, ensure a full continuum of behavioral health services ranging from wellness exams to inpatient treatment, and promote awareness and use of behavioral health services.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$20,000,000 |
Level Funding |
Not Included |
Not Included |
$20,000,000 |
$20,000,000 |
$20,000,000 |
5042-5000: Emergency Department Diversion: The ED Diversion program stabilizes youth experiencing behavioral health crises by offering alternative home- or community-based services. The CMHC requests level funding for this initiative in the FY24 budget.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$6,000,000 |
Level Funding |
$6,000,000 |
Not included |
Not included |
$6,000,000 |
$6,000,000 |
Department of Early Education & Care
3000-6075: Mental Health Consultation Services: Mental Health Consultation Services in Early Education and Care (EEC) programs help to expand the capacity of EEC providers to address the behavioral health needs of children in their care by connecting children and their families to appropriate community resources, limiting expulsions and suspensions for behavioral challenges, and providing trauma-informed professional development for EEC providers. This program is a key tool for supporting implementation of provisions in Chapter 177 that limit the use of suspension and expulsion in pre-school settings.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$3,500,000 |
Level Funding to FY24 H1 Budget Proposal |
$5,000,000 |
$5,000,000 |
$5,000,000 |
$5,000,000 |
$5,000,000 |
The CMHC supports the $5M funding level in the FY24 H1 budget.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
7061-9612: Safe and Supportive Schools Pilot: The Safe and Supportive Schools pilot includes facilitation of coordinated school-based models of support, substance abuse education and prevention programs, and developing a system for identifying and supporting at-risk students.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$600,000 |
Level Funding |
$1,602,045 |
$650,000 |
$522,154 |
$650,000 |
$650,000 |
7061-0028: One-time School Social-Emotional Learning / Behavioral Health Money: The FY24 budget proposes $6M for one-time grants to school districts to support the adoption, expansion, or strengthening of multi-tiered systems of support to address the social, emotional, and behavioral health needs of students, families, and educators. This funding includes $1M to support a pilot programing to provide K-12 students with mental health screenings.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$6,000,000 |
Level Funding |
$6,000,000 |
Not Included |
$6,000,000 |
$6,000,000 |
$6,000,000 |
7061-9607: Recovery High Schools: Recovery High Schools are public schools that offer students support in their recovery from substances such as drugs or alcohol, and allow them to continue their education and receive a high school diploma.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$2,800,000 |
Level Funding |
$2,808,971 |
$2,808,970 |
$2,808,970 |
$2,808,970 |
$2,808,970 |
7061-9650- Student Wellness School Supports: This line item supports funding for the Support Healthy Alliance Reinforcing Education (SHARE) grant program which aims at addressing non-academic barriers to student success and establishing infrastructure to support the coordination between school and community-based resources.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$2,582,700 |
Level Funding |
$2,000,000 |
$2,000,000 |
Not Included |
$1,000,000 |
$1,000,000 |
Department of Public Health
4590-0250: School-Based Health Services: Funding for school health services and establishing health centers in schools
Overall
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$22,941,196 |
Level Funding |
$18,573,733 |
$18,698,733 |
22,941,196 |
$26,066,196 |
$26,066,196 |
Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT): The BRYT program aims to ensure that youth who have been out of school for psychiatric or other hospitalizations can successfully transition back to school by providing clinical and academic support.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$500,000 |
Level Funding |
No Earmark |
No Earmark |
$10,000,000 |
$10,000,000 |
$10,000,000 |
The CMHC requests level funding in the FY24 budget.
Screening, Brief Intervention, & Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a set of tools that helps identify alcohol or drug use and guides follow-up counseling and treatment if a problem exists.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
FInal |
|
No Earmark, Sufficient Resources in Line Item |
Level Funding |
No Earmark |
No Earmark |
No Earmark |
No Earmark |
No Earmark |
4513-2020: Behavioral Health Supports: Resources for behavioral health outreach, access and support, such as pilot programming for improving access to behavioral telehealth in schools, establishing a collaboration between colleges and behavioral health providers to expand the cultural, linguistic, and ethnic capacity of the behavioral health workforce, and promoting awareness of available behavioral health services through public awareness campaigns.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$2,500,000 Boarding Language |
Level Funding |
$12,534,773 |
$12,584,772 |
$12,534,773 |
$12,834,773 |
$12,834,773 |
4513-1027: Hey Sam (Samaritans Peer Support Line): The CMHC supports funding for Hey Sam, which provides peer-to-peer texting support for young adults who are struggling with mental health challenges. The CMHC requests level funding for this program in the FY24 budget.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$1,000,000 |
Level Funding |
$400,000 |
Not Included |
$1,000,000 |
$1,000,000 |
Not Included |
Department of Health and Human Services
4000-0950: Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI): CBHI provides comprehensive home- and community-based behavioral health services to children enrolled in MassHealth who are experiencing severe emotional disturbances.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$267,782,721 |
Level Funding |
$315,282,721 |
$315,282,721 |
$315,282,721 |
$315,282,721 |
$315,282,721 |
1595-1071: Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention Trust Fund: The purpose of the BHPP is to prevent substance use disorders and promote positive mental, emotional, and behavioral health among children and young adults.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$200,000 |
Level Funding |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
Not Included |
$200,000 |
$200,000 |
Department of Children and Families
4800-0200: Family Resource Centers: FRCs support children and families in need by providing evidence-based parent education groups, information and referrals, mentoring, educational support, housing support, mental health services, and school related supports and other opportunities.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$28,300,000 |
Level Funding |
$24,807,519 |
$24,807,518 |
$33,800,000 |
$33,800,000 |
$27,807,519 |
The CMHC requests level funding to sustain the effective operation of FRCs.
Amendment #806: Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids (MHAP) (Representative Lawn): MHAP for Kids improves the health and educational success of children with unmet mental health needs who are at risk for possible or further court involvement, by providing legal assistance to improve access to needed mental health services. MHAP for Kids legal services are provided to families statewide by 15 Staff Attorneys who are based in Family Resource Centers (FRCs) across the state. These attorneys are based in FRCs in Boston, Brockton, Everett, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Hyannis, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Quincy, Springfield, and Worcester.
The requested funding level of $2.9 million, a $600,000 increase, will support increased capacity for the Suffolk/Boston and Essex areas and enhanced data collection and evaluation. The resources provided through the state budget are vital to allowing MHAP for Kids to serve families in districts with fewer resources and focus on meeting critical mental health needs.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
$2,300,000 |
$2,900,000 |
Not Included |
No Earmark |
$3,000,000 |
$3,000,000 |
$3,000,000 |
FY 24 New Funding Requests Requests
Amendment #444: Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) Study of Behavioral Health for Children and Adolescents (BHCA) Utilization (Representative Barber): The Division of Insurance and Department of Mental Health jointly issued Bulletin 2018-07 to clarify that insured health plans must include specific benefits for Behavioral Health for Children and Adolescents. This set of services, known as BHCA, is similar to the array of services covered by the Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI). Despite this clarification, there is an ongoing concern that youth with private insurance are not receiving these community-based behavioral health intermediate care services through BHCA, despite the growing need for such services.
Funding is requested to support the Center for Health Information and Analysis in studying utilization rates for BHCA services across commercial plans.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
(new request) |
$500K |
Not Included |
Not Included |
Not Included |
Not Included |
Not Included |
Department of Mental Health
Amendment #509: Behavioral Health Consultation for Foster Children: Earmark in DMH Line Item #5042-5000 (Representative Livingstone): The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) classifies children in foster care as a special healthcare needs population. According to the AAP up to 80 percent of children entering foster care have a significant mental health need, and mental and behavioral health are the largest unmet need among youth in foster care. Yet, youth who enter foster care without a behavioral health provider often wait for months to get an appointment. With philanthropic support, The Foster Child Evaluation Services Clinic at UMass Medical Center in partnership with the UMass MA Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP) team have developed an expedited care model that allows primary care providers in Central MA enrolled in MCPAP to refer a youth who is in foster care for a trauma informed psychiatric consultation, diagnostic face to face evaluation and referral services. This funding would support formalizing and expanding the service to the entire Western/Central MCPAP region and provide a platform to test and develop strategies for statewide implementation.
As part of a strategy to make this program available statewide, the CMHC requests $350,000 to support formalizing and expanding this bridging service to the entire Western/Central MCPAP region.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 House Final |
FY24 Senate Final |
Conference |
Final |
|
(new request) |
$350,000 |
Not Included |
Not Included |
$350,000 |
$350,000 |
$350,000 |
Young Adult Access Centers: Earmark in DMH Line Item #5042-5000: These community-based centers emphasize trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, peer-focused support, and provide welcoming and safe spaces for young people to connect with various resources and supports, including employment and education resources, housing information, and arts and social activities.
The CMHC requests $1.42M to support the creation of two young adult access centers, one in South Worcester County and one on the Cape/Islands, and to maintain the Gloucester and Lowell Access Centers through the last quarter of FY24.
|
FY23 GAA |
FY24 Ask |
FY24 Governor |
FY24 HWM |
FY24 SWM |
Conference |
Final |
|
(new request) |
$1,424,758 |
Not Included |
Not Included |
Not Included |
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