State Budget
Budget Priorities and Implications for People with Behavioral Health Conditions
MAMH's FY24 budget requests reflect our diverse priorities in the areas of access to care, workforce, housing, legal system reform, and substance use, as well as our commitment to addressing the needs of special populations including youth, older adults, and refugees. With our advocacy partners, MAMH urges investing in promotion and prevention services, ensuring access to evidenced-based treatment, and expanding recovery supports and services.
On August 9, Governor Healey signed the $56 billion FY24 budget bill with $272.42 million of vetoes. The Legislature overrode 23 vetoes, restoring about $80 million and finalizing the FY24 budget on October 5, 2023. You can learn more about MAMH's budget priorities and the final funding amounts secured below. A more robust brief on the budget's implications for behavioral health will be available soon.
Study of Private Insurance Coverage of Behavioral Health Services for Youth
[CHIA 4100-0060] With the Children’s Mental Health Campaign (CMHC), MAMH requested $500K for the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) to research a concern that youth with private insurance are not receiving certain community-based behavioral health intermediate care services, known as BHCA services, despite the growing need for such services.
Learn more about this budget request here.
Lead organization: Children's Mental Health Campaign
MAMH FY24 Goal: $500K
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding
House budget- No funding
Senate budget- No funding
Conference Committee budget- No funding
Final FY24 budget- No funding
DMH Adult Emergency Department Diversion Program
[DMH 5046-0000] MAMH requested an increase to expand mobile and site-based respite services to address the ongoing problem of adult emergency department (ED) boarding, evidenced by the 407 adult patients who were boarding in Massachusetts acute care hospital EDs and medical-surgical units as of March 20, 2023. Respite is a supportive and therapeutic alternative in the community.
Learn more about the budget request here.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $19M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- $4M
House budget- No funding
Senate budget- $19M
Conference Committee budget- $19M
Governor's veto - $3.75M
Final FY24 budget- $15.25M
Peer-led Outreach and Voluntary Community Services
[DMH 5046-0000] MAMH requested $450K so that DMH and an organization led by peers with behavioral health lived experience may contract for a study of peer-led and operated programs to engage individuals who are declining services and supports and may initiate a pilot of a consensus model.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $450K
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding
House budget- No funding
Senate budget- No funding
Conference Committee budget- No funding
Final FY24 budget- No funding
Peer Respite Programs
[DMH 5046-0000] MAMH requested $2M for a minimum of three new DMH-contracted peer respite programs, one in each of the three DMH service areas currently without a peer-respite program.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $2M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding for new programs
House budget- No funding for new programs
Senate budget- No funding for new programs
Conference Committee budget- No funding for new programs
Final FY24 budget- No funding for new programs
Parity Enforcement
[DOI 7006-0029] MAMH requested additional funding for the Division of Insurance (DOI) to expand the Health Care Access Bureau’s mental health parity enforcement capacity.
Learn more about this budget ask here.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $500K
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding over the FY23 budget
House budget- No funding over the FY23 budget
Senate budget- $250K
Conference Committee budget- $250K
Final FY24 budget- $250K
Workforce and Housing
Rates for Behavioral Health Workforce
[EOHHS 1599-6903] With our partners, MAMH requested funding to increase rates for behavioral health and human services providers so that employee salaries can be benchmarked to the 75th percentile of MA Bureau of Labor Statistics baseline salaries.
Lead organization: Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH)
MAMH FY24 Goal: Salaries benchmarked to the 75th percentile
Current Status:
Governor's budget- Salaries benchmarked to the 53rd percentile
House budget- Salaries benchmarked to the 53rd percentile, with additional requirements
Senate budget- Salaries benchmarked to the 53rd percentile, with additional requirements
Conference Committee budget- Salaries benchmarked to the 53rd percentile, with additional requirements
Final FY24 budget- Salaries benchmarked to the 53rd percentile, with additional requirements
DMH Rental Subsidy Program
[DHCD 7004-9033] MAMH requested $20.548M, a $8M increase in funding for the Department of Mental Health Rental Subsidy Program, to address the projected demand for housing in FY24. The increased need is based on the substantial number of people with severe and disabling mental health conditions stuck in hospitals, emergency departments (EDs), nursing homes, and on the streets in the absence of affordable and supported community-based housing.
Lead organization: MAMH and the State Mental Health Planning Council
MAMH FY24 Goal: $20.548M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- $12.548M
House budget- $12.548M
Senate budget- $16.548M
Conference Committee budget- $16.548M
Final FY24 budget- $16.548M
Safe Haven Program
[DMH 5046-2000] MAMH requested a $3M increase in funding for the Safe Haven program, which provides transitional housing for individuals who are chronically unhoused and who have severe and often co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. As of 2023, Massachusetts has 14 Safe Haven programs with 113 beds. This funding would help ensure equitable access across the Commonwealth. $500K is the annual cost to operate a Safe Haven; $3M would create six new Safe Haven programs.
Learn more about this budget request here.
Lead organizations: MAMH, Housing Subcommittee, and the State Mental Health Planning Council
MAMH FY24 Goal: $3M for program expansion to address the need
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding for program expansion to address the need
House budget- No funding for program expansion to address the need
Senate budget- $4M for program expansion in a manner that ensures geographically equitable access
Conference Committee budget- $4M for program expansion in a manner that ensures geographically equitable access
Final FY24 budget- $4M for program expansion in a manner that ensures geographically equitable access
Legal System Reform and Substance Use Services
Middlesex County Restoration Center
[EOHHS 4000-0300] MAMH requested $2.5M to support the establishment of the Middlesex County Restoration Center, which will help support ongoing law enforcement diversionary efforts across New England’s most populous county while also expanding the community capacity for mental health and substance use treatment. The Center will also serve as a model for future centers across the state. The plan is for the center to open in 2023.
Learn more about this budget request here.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $2.5M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- $1M
House budget- $1M
Senate budget- $1.25M
Conference Committee budget- $1.25M
Final FY24 budget- $1.25M
Equitable Approaches to Public Safety (EAPS)
[DPH 4512-2020: Municipal Public Safety Reform] MAMH requested increased funding for the EAPS program, which gives grants to municipalities to implement public safety reforms and/or alternative investments to promote equitable public safety and public health outcomes. This program will expand non-police responses to mental health crises and is part of the development of alternative crisis responses, along with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Behavioral Health Help Line, and Mobile Crisis Intervention.
Lead organization: NASW-MA
MAMH FY24 Goal: Increased funding
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding
House budget- $200K
Senate budget- $3.5M (Including grants to municipalities proposing alternative emergency responses conducted by unarmed community-based human service or behavioral providers)
Conference Committee budget- $3.5M (Including grants to municipalities proposing alternative emergency responses conducted by unarmed community-based human service or behavioral providers)
Final FY24 budget- $3.5M (Including grants to municipalities proposing alternative emergency response conducted by unarmed community-based human service or behavioral providers)
Suicide Prevention in Jails and Prisons
[EOHHS & EOPPS accounts] MAMH requested funding to address the suicide crisis in Massachusetts jails and prisons. Between 2000 and 2019, there were 61 prisoner suicides in Massachusetts state prisons and 80 in Massachusetts jails. This funding would be used to conduct a review of each Department of Correction (DOC) carceral facility, each county house of correction, and each county jail, including an environmental review.
Learn more about this budget request here.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: Funding
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding
House budget- No funding
Senate budget- No funding
Conference Committee budget- No funding
Final FY24 budget- No funding
Technical Assistance and Training on Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions
[DPH 4512-0200] MAMH requested $3M so that the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) can offer technical assistance and training to providers on how to treat individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $3M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- Does not reflect $3M ask
House budget- Does not reflect $3M ask
Senate budget- Does not reflect $3M ask
Conference Committee budget- Does not reflect $3M ask
Final FY24 budget- Does not reflect $3M ask
Special Populations
Children, Youth, Older Adults, and Refugees
For Mental Health Education in Massachusetts Public Schools
[DMH 5042-5000: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services] MAMH requested funding to curate and/or develop mental health curricula and resources for K-12 students, using the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework as a guide. The process would involve staffing and compensating an advisory group, retaining experts, and conducting investigation into existing practices. The goal is to make mental health education resources more readily available to schools across the Commonwealth.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $1.275M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- No funding
House budget- $75K
Senate budget- $1.275M
Conference Committee budget- $1.275M
Final FY24 budget- $1.275M
Student Behavioral Health Services at State Universities and Community and Municipally Owned Colleges
[DOHE 7066-1123] MAMH requested $10M to address the mental health needs of students at Massachusetts universities and colleges. This funding may support crisis services, therapy, the assessment of learning disorders, responses to sexual assault, substance use condition services, and assistance to students struggling with stress, anxiety, or other mental health needs.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $10M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- $4.428M
House budget- No funding
Senate budget- $4.228M
Conference Committee budget- $4.228M
Final FY24 budget- $4.228M
Elder Mental Health Outreach Teams
[EOEA 9110-1640: Geriatric Mental Health Services] MAMH requested $3.5M for Elder Mental Health Outreach Teams (EMHOTs). EMHOTs bring vital community based behavioral health supports to older adults in their own homes and reduce reliance on emergency rooms and expensive congregate care settings such as nursing homes. Demand exceeds supply, but providers are available to provide additional services if funding becomes available. The goal is to make EMHOTs available in all communities statewide.
Learn more about this budget request here.
Lead organization: Older Adult Behavioral Health Network (OABHN)
MAMH FY24 Goal: $3.5M
Current Status:
Governor's budget- $2.5M
House budget- $2.5M
Senate budget- $2.5M
Conference Committee budget- $2.5M
Final FY24 budget- $2.5M
Grants to Community-based Organizations for Refugee Mental Health
[ORI 4003-0111 - Administration and Operations] MAMH requested an increase in funding for the state Office of Refugees and Immigrants (ORI) so that ORI may provide additional behavioral health services for refugees and immigrants, particularly those with past histories of trauma. This funding would provide additional resources to ORI’s contracted community-based organizations for their staff to participate in trainings and provide additional behavioral health programming to their refugee communities.
Lead organization: MAMH
MAMH FY24 Goal: $300K increase
Current Status:
Governor's budget- Does not include an increase for mental health supports
House budget- Does not include an increase for mental health supports
Senate budget- $300K
Conference Committee budget- $300K
Final FY24 budget- $300K
The Federal COVID Relief/American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Spending Bill
The FY24 Conference Committee budget includes $192M to appropriate federal COVID Relief/ARPA dollars in the Behavioral Health Trust Fund to enhance and expand access to mental and behavioral health supports and services, including investments in loan repayment assistance and scholarship programs for health professionals.
MAMH served on the Behavioral Health Advisory Commission, which made recommendations on the disbursement of money in the fund. MAMH also submitted written testimony with recommendations for how to invest the dollars in the fund.
Interested in getting involved? Learn more about efforts to expand access to behavioral health care, decriminalize mental health, and promote wellness, and Take Action here!