MAMH Blog
MAMH Policy Summary: Tele-Behavioral Health in Schools
Jul 8, 2025
In this summary, you'll find proposed legislation that advances effective, sustainable, and scalable tele-behavioral health programs in schools in the Commonwealth, and has positive implications for the broader Massachusetts behavioral health delivery service system.
Tele-behavioral health can be a useful option to help improve access to care for the growing number of youth and their families who are experiencing mental health issues. While it should not replace in-person services when they are available and if they are preferred, tele-behavioral health when offered in schools or when a referral comes from a school can be one option among an array of services available to students as part of comprehensive systems of school-based behavioral health supports. The Tele-Behavioral Health for Middle and High School Students: Best Practices and Policy Considerations report, published my MAMH in January 2025, described a variety of tele-behavioral health initiatives, programs, and supports in Massachusetts and detailed best practices and key considerations for behavioral health providers and schools looking to launch or augment a tele-behavioral health program in a school. The findings, best practices, and policy considerations in the report were informed by a literature review, key informant interviews, youth listening sessions, a parent and caregiver survey, site visits to programs in Maine and Texas, and the deliberations of an Advisory Council.
The Proposed Legislation that Advances Tele-Behavioral Health in Schools: Massachusetts 2025-2026 Legislative Session policy summary highlights proposed bills in the 2025 – 2026 legislative session that would advance tele-behavioral health in schools. Much like the policy considerations in the full report, the proposed legislation described in the policy summary would not only advance effective, sustainable, and scalable tele-behavioral health programs in schools in the Commonwealth, but they would also have positive implications for the broader Massachusetts behavioral health delivery service system.
The policy summary focuses on legislation related to:
- Digital equity
- Enhanced reimbursement for and expanded access to behavioral health services
- Enhanced reimbursement for clinical extenders
- Strengthening school-based mental health
- Mental health education
- Licensure for behavioral health providers
- Interstate compacts
Organizations and individuals can reference the policy summary to support their advocacy efforts. Those interested in supporting any piece or pieces of legislation can contact their state legislators via email, letter, or phone to express their support, can attend public hearings or submit written or oral testimony in support of a bill, or share their support via social media.
Read the full tele-behavioral health policy summary here. Read the previously published full report here.
Please note: We use the spellings of “telehealth” and “tele-behavioral health” unless referring to the formal name of a program where the terms are spelled differently.
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