DMH Adult Services Overview

A brief overview of services offered by the Department of Mental Health

For help navigating mental health services in Massachusetts, contact the Behavioral Health Help Line by phone or online. The Help Line is free and available 24/7.

The Department of Mental Health Provides adult services to eligible individuals who meet the clinical criteria for service authorization. Generally speaking, DMH provides services for the most severe and persistent cases of mental illness. If you are privately insured and seeking outpatient therapy and services, contact your insurer for information on mental health services. If you are insured by MassHealth, or uninsured, contact MassHealth for information on outpatient mental health services. 

Adult Services Offered

Service	Service Description
Inpatient/Continuing Care System	DMH-operated psychiatric inpatient facilities: two psychiatric hospitals; psychiatric units in two public health hospitals; five community mental health centers that promote treatment, rehabilitation, recovery.
Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS)	ACCS is a comprehensive, clinically focused service that provides clinical interventions and peer and family support to facilitate engagement, support functioning and maximize symptom stabilization and self-management of individuals residing in all housing settings. In addition, ACCS provides a range of provider-based housing options as treatment settings to assist individuals in developing skills, establishing natural supports and resources to live successfully in the community. More Information
Respite Services	Respite Services provide temporary short-term, community-based clinical and rehabilitative services that enable a person to live in the community as fully and independently as possible. Respite Services provide supports that assist persons to maintain, enter or return to permanent living situations and are provided in Site-Based locations or Mobile (in person’s home or other community setting).
Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)	PACT uses a multidisciplinary team approach to provide acute and long term support, community based psychiatric treatment, assertive outreach, and rehabilitation services in the natural environment of the person, and are available on a 24 hour, 7 day a week basis.
Clubhouses	Clubhouse Services are psychosocial rehabilitation services that provide supports through a membership-based community center. Clubhouse Services assists people served to recognize their strengths, develop goals, and enhance the skills people determine are needed to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. More Information
Recovery Learning Communities (RLCs)	The RLC is a peer support service for individuals who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness or who have experienced emotional distress or significant mental health challenges and who may also have or have had substance use issues, including self- help/peer support, information and referral, advocacy and training activities. More Information
DMH Case Management	State-operated service that provides assessment of needs, service planning development and monitoring, service referral and care coordination, and family/caregiver support.
Forensic Services	Provides forensic mental health assessments and consultations for individuals involved in the criminal justice system; court clinicians act as liaisons for court personnel on mental health issues in both adult and juvenile sessions. More Information
Homelessness Services	Homeless Support Services serve adults who are homeless, many of whom are chronically homeless; who are or are believed to be seriously mentally ill or emotionally disturbed. These individuals are living in shelters, on the streets, and in other places not meant for human habitation such as parks, under bridges and alleys. Homeless Support Services identify and engage individuals who are mentally ill and homeless with the primary goal of linking individuals to appropriate services including the DMH service system. Three types of Homeless Support Services include Outreach and Engagement, Stabilization and Housing First: Outreach and Engagement These services, provided by an Outreach Team, focus on making contact in the community with individuals who are experiencing homelessness in an effort to engage them and facilitate referrals for essential treatment, including behavioral health and primary care, employment services, housing and assistance in applying for benefits for which they may be eligible. Services include engagement, assessments, crisis intervention, and information and referral Stabilization Stabilization Services – Two service models: Safe Haven and Dual Diagnosis Shelter designed to provide homeless individuals with access to safe, stable housing, DMH services and other community services including access to mental health and physical health services. Housing First Housing First Services have 2 service models: Assertive Treatment and Relapse Prevention(ATARP) and Housing Options Program (HOP I and HOP 2) designed to provide supportive housing and lease management services for DMH authorized individuals experiencing homelessness.

DMH Applications for Adult Services

Applications for Adult Services (Multiple Languages Available)

How to Apply for Adult Services (Instructions on Completing and Submitting the Application)

Find your Nearest DMH Office (choose your town from the list)