 |
Local outpatient mental health clinics provide critical access to mental health therapy and medication for children, youth, and adults. Today, there are hundreds of patients with behavioral health needs boarding in hospital emergency departments across the state, due in large part to lack of access to outpatient care. Mental health clinics are also a primary training grounds for emerging therapists. If clinics were adequately resourced, they could effectively recruit and retain clinicians and expand access to affordable mental health care.
Clinic settings play an essential role in addressing the behavioral health needs of residents across the Commonwealth. As such, ABH’s Campaign to Fund Mental Health Clinics Fairly is advocating for H.2006/S.760, An Act relative to behavioral health clinic rates, which would require MassHealth to immediately and permanently raise reimbursement rates for all outpatient mental health services.
Click here to access ABH's "Fund Mental Health Clinics Fairly" Fact Sheet.
Click here to access ABH's Testimony in Support of S. 760, An Act relative to behavioral health clinic rates.
ABH In The News
CommonWealth Beacon Magazine has published an opinion piece submitted by ABH on the urgent need to fund clinics fairly. CommonWealth Beacon is widely read by civic and political leaders in Massachusetts.
December Fund Clinics Fairly Bill Hearing
Too many vulnerable individuals, children, and families continue to wait months to access basic mental health treatment services. Reimbursement rates for mental health clinics fall far short to ensure access to services and to recruit and retain the clinicians needed to meet the demand of care.
ABH has filed legislation, S. 760/ H. 2006, to provide additional funding for mental health clinics. There is a public hearing on these bills on December 4th. Please email your legislators and ask them to support this critical legislation!
Thank You for Joining Our October Fund Clinics Fairly State House Day!
These bills had a public hearing at the State House on Tuesday, October 17th. About 100 providers from across the state went to the State House to meet with their legislators and ask for support and pass this important legislation. Thank you to all who brought your voices to Beacon Hill in support of these bills!
ABH Issue Brief: Outpatient Mental Health Access and Workforce Crisis
This brief provides a snapshot of exacerbated longstanding workforce challenges in behavioral healthcare settings as of 2021, based on a survey by the Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH). This survey was conducted between October and November 2021, and gathered information on current challenges in outpatient mental health treatment and the mental health workforce. The survey asked questions related to workforce recruitment and retention, vacancies, and access to outpatient mental health services.
