In 2012, after child advocates spent years trying to reduce punitive suspensions in schools, Massachusetts passed sweeping education reforms, kickstarting a longstanding policy shift away from exclusionary discipline methods. Nearly 15 years later, out-of-school suspensions are falling, but emergency removals — a mechanism allowing administrators to immediately remove a student from school due to severe behavior for up to two days — have increased.
mental health
Posted inOpinion
Massachusetts promised community-based care for those with serious mental illness. Budget cuts could undermine that.
In April 2024, the state signed on to the Marsters v. Healey settlement, a federal court-enforced agreement to transition at least 2,400 residents with serious mental illness and other disabilities out of nursing facilities and into community settings over eight years, backed by projected investments exceeding $1 billion.
Posted inThe Codcast
When health care access is a legal puzzle
On the monthly Health or Consequences episode of The Codcast, John McDonough of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute talk with Matt Selig, the executive director of Health Law Advocates. They discuss the blur between medical and legal access issues, the group’s history and capacity, and their current litigation focuses.
Posted inCourts
When the courthouse leads to the therapist’s office
The mental health courts make a compelling offer: If the participants agree to use it, the system will connect them with long-term and accessible mental health supports often out of reach for people in prison or just trying to navigate the crunched behavioral health landscape. But they are expensive, resource intensive, and serve just a fraction of the people in need of mental health services in and out of the criminal justice system.
Posted inOpinion
I don’t want to close any more mental health centers
The cost of operating our clinic with optimal staffing simply exceeded by a wide margin the amount we received from insurers – largely the state Medicaid program MassHealth – to operate it.
Posted inOpinion
Addressing inequities requires policy solutions, not elimination of standards
An economic development bill approved by the Massachusetts House of Representatives includes a proposed amendment that seeks to eliminate the examination requirement for social work licensure. While the amendment is intended to support social workers, the Association of Social Work Boards strongly opposes this proposal.
Posted inOpinion
Looking at 911 mental health calls in a new way
A SPOUSE, A SISTER, or a brother suffers an acute mental health crisis. Family members call 911 as a last resort. A Boston Globe analysis reports that these calls—there are a […]
Posted inOpinion
Incorporate mental health education into phys ed curriculum
GROWING UP IN MASSACHUSETTS, I witnessed the devastating impact of mental illness on individuals, families, and communities. After the death of a close friend to suicide, I sought to advocate […]
Posted inHealth Care
House plans vote on mental health bill
THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE on Thursday plans to vote on a mental health bill that would improve access to mental health care, particularly for children, while ensuring that the health care […]
Posted inOpinion
Companies are recognizing value of mental health supports
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS provides an opportunity to recognize the constructive role that the business community plays in addressing the mental health needs of workers and highlights practical new opportunities to […]
Posted inOpinion
Youth mental health trends are alarming
AS WE FACE the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is little doubt that the effect on our mental health has been profound. For young people – teens and […]
Posted inHealth Care
Staffing woes plague mental health agencies
THERE IS NO question that the residential treatment facilities operated by The Home for Little Wanderers for teenagers with mental health problems are desperately needed. The current mental health crisis […]
Posted inHealth Care
Senate unveils major mental health bill
LEADERS IN THE Massachusetts Senate on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive mental health bill, which would set a floor for the rates insurers must pay for mental health services, address the […]
Posted inHealth Care
Senate ARPA bill includes $400m investment in mental health
LEADERS IN THE Massachusetts Senate will unveil a plan on Wednesday to spend $400 million improving the mental health system, part of a larger proposal for how to spend federal […]
Posted inOpinion
Getting 911 right for mental health emergencies
IF YOU’VE EVER called 911 for a medical crisis, you likely received the response you expected and needed. An ambulance with trained emergency medical technicians arrived to assist, with competence […]
Posted inHealth Care
For pediatric mental health patients, days stuck in the ER
JILL CUMMINGS’ SON is a smart, loving 13-year-old with serious impulse control problems and mental health diagnoses that include ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder. The West Boylston teen, who is […]
Posted inOpinion
Professor’s job increasingly includes mental health component
A SURVEY OF NEARLY 1,700 college and university professors across the country indicates faculty members are on the frontlines of a worsening student mental health crisis. The survey, conducted by […]
Posted inOpinion
Teens need our help coping with COVID
BEING A TEENAGER has never been easy. These days, the challenge of developing and maintaining a healthy self-image is even more challenging in an era where life is dominated by […]
Posted inHealth Care
Senate passes mental health bill
SEN. JULIAN CYR has struggled with anxiety and depression since childhood. As a boy who was gay, he was bullied in school, had panic attacks and developed an eating disorder. […]
Posted inUncategorized
Boston’s congestion can be hazardous to your health
WHEN TRAFFIC IS at a standstill – as it is all too often in metro Boston these days – there are big-picture economic and environmental impacts. But congestion can also […]
