Best bet
Massachusetts Community Behavioral Health Centers & Help Line
- Call or text the help line: 833-773-2445
- Chat online and more information: Masshelpline.com
- Behavioral health center locations
Provides 24/7 expanded and direct access for those that may be experiencing a mental and/or behavioral health crisis to clinical evaluations and treatments in communities across the Commonwealth.
COVID-19 resources
COVID-19: Trial Court substance use disorder and mental health resources
A collection of substance use disorder and mental health resources, including links to online support groups and recovery meetings, self-care resources, and hotlines and helplines.
Massachusetts laws
MGL c.6A, §§ 16P-16S Yolanda's law: enhancing children's mental health treatment:
- § 16P Coordination of clinically-appropriate behavioral health services for children; monthly report
- § 16Q Children's behavioral health advisory council; members; terms; powers and duties; annual report
- § 16R Geographically-based interagency review team for disabled children who qualify for services from multiple agencies
- § 16S Coordination of purchase of behavioral health services for children
MGL c.6A, § 16EE 24-hour 988 crisis hotline center
MGL c.6A, § 18L Silver alert community response system
Used to alert public and private safety departments when an adult with serious memory impairment such as Alzheimer's disease or other type of dementia is reported to a police department as a missing person.
MGL c.19 Mass. Dept. of Mental Health
MGL c.112, § 172A Protecting patient confidentiality
MGL c.118E, § 10O Medicaid coverage of mental health and community-based acute treatment without preauthorization requirement
MGL c.118E, § 10P Medicaid coverage for mental health or substance use disorder services delivered through the psychiatric collaborative care model
MGL c.118E, § 10Q Medicaid coverage for annual mental health wellness examinations
MGL c.118E, § 81 Non-discriminatory provision of mental health and substance use disorder benefits through Medicaid; children and adolescents
MGL c.123 Mental health
MGL c.140, §§ 131R-131Y Extreme risk protection orders (ERPO)
Provides a process for family and household members to petition the court to temporarily take weapons from people who pose a risk to themselves or others.
St.2022, c.177 An act addressing barriers to care for mental health
Among other things, this act addresses emergency room boarding, requires ERs to have a behavioral health clinician available, and will also create an online portal to speed up care for patients.
Massachusetts regulations and guidelines
104 CMR Mass. Dept. of Mental Health
Interpretive guidelines for 104 CMR 29 determining service authorization for children, adolescents and adults (Revised 12/1/2011)
Criteria for determining who is eligible for mental health services through the Department.
Massachusetts court rules and standards
Probate and Family Court Standing Order 4-11: Administrative process for uncontested Rogers reviews and extensions. A Rogers guardianship allows the court to give the guardian authority to agree to extraordinary treatment for an incapacitated person who can’t agree to treatment themself.
Massachusetts Executive Orders
EO 422 Services for mentally ill individuals under age 19
Forms
DMH forms, Mass. Dept. of Mental Health.
Including Complaint Form, Application for Care, Patients’ Rights and more.
Mental health forms, Mass. Trial Court.
Uncontested extension of order for antipsychotic medications (Rogers), Mass. Probate and Family Court.
Selected case law
Garcia v. Commonwealth, 487 Mass. 97 (2021)
The temporary involuntary hospitalization of a criminal defendant at a facility other than Bridgewater State Hospital, following a finding that he was not criminally responsible by reason of mental illness violated the defendant's substantive due process rights, where the hospitalization implicated a fundamental liberty right, and where the temporary commitment was not narrowly tailored to a compelling government interest.
In the Matter of D.B., 2020 Mass. App. Div. 74 (2020)
"By executing a health care proxy, an individual can determine in advance that her attorney or another competent person of her choice, rather than a judge, will make ... medical decisions on her behalf," including decisions about antipsychotic medication.
In the Matter of G.P., 473 Mass. 112 (2015)
"Discussion of G. L. c. 123, § 35, which authorizes... involuntary civil commitment ...where there is a likelihood of serious harm as a result of the person's alcoholism or substance abuse, or both..." Clear and convincing evidence as standard of proof.
Massachusetts General Hospital v. C.R., 484 Mass. 472 (2020)
Discusses "boarding" of mentally ill patients in emergency departments until an appropriate bed can be found.
Pembroke Hospital v. D.L., 482 Mass. 346 (2019)
Discharge. If a judge denies a petition for involuntary commitment, the hospital must release the person from involuntary restraint. "A mental health facility discharges an individual under G. L. c. 123 only when that individual is set at liberty from involuntary restraint, and not when he or she is released from care."
Rogers v. Commissioner of the Dept. of Mental Health, 390 Mass. 489 (1983)
Outlines the requirements to be met in order to involuntarily administer anti-psychotic medications.
Web sources
Agreement between the United States and the Massachusetts Department of Correction, December 20, 2022.
An agreement between the Massachusetts state prison system and the U.S. Dept. of Justice regarding mental health care for incarcerated individuals.
Apply for mental health services, Mass. Dept. of Mental Health.
How to apply for services. There is now one application for both adults and children.
Campus mental health know your rights: a guide for students who want to seek help for mental illness or emotional distress, Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, 2017.
Children's Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI), MassHealth.
Helps "MassHealth children with behavioral, emotional, and mental health needs and their families with integrated behavioral health services and a comprehensive, community-based system of care." These services are also sometimes called "Rosie D. services." See also: Quick reference Children's Behavioral Health Initiative (Rosie D. services) [2013] and Health service finder.
DMH resource guides, Mass. Dept. of Mental Health, Health and Human Services.
- DMH resource guide
A handy listing of the cities and towns will direct you to the appropriate DMH site office and contact - DMH consumer and family resource guide
Tailored to the needs of consumers and families - DMH multicultural populations resource guide
Contains information about agencies and institutions in the Commonwealth that offer culturally and linguistically appropriate services - DMH young adult resource guide
Developed to reflect the changing needs of the young adult population who need assistance in reaching their goals - Emergency Services Programs (ESP) resource guide
Lists all ESPs statewide and toll-free crisis number - Extreme risk guide
"This guide provides information on resources that may be helpful to individuals, who are seeking an extreme risk protective order, or who had an extreme risk protective order issued against them."
Mental health care, Mass. Legal Help.
Geared toward dealing with insurance companies or MassHealth. "This part of the website tells you how to get insurers like MassHealth to pay for your or your family's mental health services. We do not talk about how to get onto MassHealth or where to get free services. We do answer questions about how to get services paid for once you have public or private insurance."
Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee. An independent agency of the SJC, provides both advice and direct representation. Their Resources and Publications include:
- DMH complaint process
- Hospitalization in connection with a criminal case
- Managing credit and debt
- Movement rights on an inpatient psychiatric unit
- Restraint and seclusion in hospitals, including emergency rooms
- Rights regarding provider and treatment choice
- Six fundamental rights of persons receiving services at inpatient mental health facilities in Massachusetts
- Your rights regarding hospitalization and discharge
- Your rights under the community residence tenancy (CRT) law
- and many more
Parents' how-to guide to children's mental health services in Massachusetts, 3d ed., 2011, Boston Bar Association.
Includes steps for getting help, paying for services, services in your child's school, and more.
Section 35 Commission report (7-1-2019)
Recommendations of the committee charged to study Section 35 commitments, or involuntary inpatient treatment for people with a substance abuse disorder in Massachusetts.
Veterans mental health, Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
Learn about treatment and benefits. Includes a list of resources by mental health topic.
What to know about section 35 civil commitments in Massachusetts, WBUR, July 3, 2019.
Provides an overview of the process and statistics concerning involuntary commitment for drug or alcohol addiction.
Print sources
CPCS mental health proceedings in Massachusetts: a manual for defense counsel, MCLE, 2020.
Mental health law (Mass Practice v.53), Thomson West, 2007 with supplement.
Contact
Online
| Last updated: | January 3, 2023 |
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