The MENTAL HEALTH LEGAL ADVISORS COMMITTEE (MHLAC) helps children and adults with mental disabilities protect their rights and obtain appropriate services. We are an independent state agency of the Supreme Judicial Court that provides advice and direct legal representation to our clients on a wide range of legal issues including access to services, rights regarding treatment, custody and visitation, guardianship, insurance issues, education, housing and rights in institutional settings. In addition to providing direct representation, we also train advocates and clinicians, interpret and analyze legislation, and produce brochures and longer publications on legal matters pertinent to mental disabilities.
A Letter From our Executive Director
Welcome to the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee (MHLAC). For thirty-five years MHLAC has played an important role in protecting and advancing the legal rights of Massachusetts citizens involved in the mental health system. MHLAC helps children and adults with mental disabilities protect their rights and obtain appropriate services. We are an independent state agency of the Supreme Judicial Court that can provide advice and direct legal representation to our clients.
This website is intended to provide individuals and families with important information about the work of MHLAC and the ways MHLAC may be of assistance with a variety of issues related to mental disability. This website is also intended to be a resource to advocates, lawyers, mental health professionals and others interested in assisting individuals to assert their rights and advocate for themselves.
On this website you will find information about our intake help line, trainings for attorneys, and our publications as well as descriptions of our priority projects such as the DYS Advocacy Project and the Clubhouse Family Legal Support Project.
I hope you will find our website informative and useful. MHLAC welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions about our site via email mhlac@mhlac.org.
Frank Laski
Executive Director
Training
MHLAC's Training page contains information regarding all upcoming and previous trainings sponsored by MHLAC.
The next training, will take place on March 12, 2010 at Wstern New England College, Springfield, MA.
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The Chief Justice Edward F. Hennessey Fellowship
MHLAC has established a Fellowship for law students. For more information and the application, click here.
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Recent Legal Developments
MHLAC's Legal Updates page contains information regarding new legislation and court decisions relevant to persons with mental illness.
The page includes changes to the Parity Law and the new Guardianship and Conservatorship Law.
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News of Note
MHLAC recently released the Second Edition of the comprehensive resource: Just for Youth: Advocating for Youth in the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (2009)