State Budget

Budget Priorities and Implications for People with Behavioral Health Conditions

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Massachusetts has made historic strides in advancing mental health and substance use reform, and improving access to timely, high-quality, and culturally responsive care. However, the Governor's FY26 state budget proposal threatens to undo these significant advancements.

This is a critical moment for Massachusetts - join us in ensuring that comprehensive, community-based mental health and substance use care continue to grow and thrive to meet the needs of our communities.

MAMH Budget Priorities Areas of Focus

Cuts to Behavioral Heath Services

Line Item Budget Priority

DMH 5046-0000 Adult Mental Health and Supports Services

MAMH requests $739.8M, a $61.5M increase in funding over the Governor's proposed budget, to restore the following Department of Mental Health (DMH) Adult Mental Health Services cuts:

  • - $9M in cuts for the expansion of Adult Respite, a short-term critical bridge service that helps individuals transfer from emergency departments to longer-term placements in community
  • - $19M in cuts to the expansion of Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS), which include peer and family support, vocational assistance and housing support services
  • - $10.54M in cuts to Adult Case Management, approximately 50% of the adult case management workforce, serving over 4,000 adults
  • - $14.2M in cuts to the Jail Diversion Program, which provides grants to police departments and behavioral health providers
  • - $8.8M in cuts to Pocasset Mental Health Center
  • - Maintain earmark in the Governor's proposed budget that $19M "may be expended for the DMH ED Diversion initiative to stabilize adults in crisis"

DMH 5042-5000 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

MAMH requests $138.6M, a $23.6M increase in funding over the Governor's proposed budget, to restore the following DMH Child, Youth, and Family Services cuts:

  • - $15M in cuts to Intensive Residential Treatment Programs (IRTPs) and Clinically Intensive Residential Treatment (CIRT), a 50% reduction in beds at this level of care for youth with the most serious behavioral health needs
  • - $5.2M in cuts to Flexible Services (includes emergency department diversion, clinical and therapeutic services, young adult peer mentoring and parent/caregiver peer support)
  • - $1.5M in cuts to the Program for Assertive Community Treatment for Youth (PACT-Y), a team- based intensive home and community-based service that includes access to a psychiatric prescriber
  • - $1.86M in cuts to Youth Case Management, approximately 50% of the youth case management workforce , serving around 400 children
  • - Maintain earmark in the Governor's proposed budget that $6M "may be expended for the DMH ED Diversion initiative to stabilize youth in crisis"

4512-0200 Bureau of Substance Addiction Services

MAMH requests $197M, a $18.9M increase in funding over the Governor's proposed budget, to restore Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) cuts, including:

  • - $3M for 116 beds across four low-threshold, temporary housing sites in Quincy, Boston, Leominster, and Springfield

Housing with Supportive Services

Line Item Budget Priority

HLC 7004-9033 Rental Subsidy Program for DMH clients

DMH 5046-0000 Adult Mental Health and Supports Services

DMH 5047-0001 Emergency Service Programs and Acute Inpatient Mental Health Care Services

MAMH requests $41M, a $5M increase in funding over the FY25 state budget, for the Department of Mental Health Rental Subsidy Program (DMH RSP)

($21.548M in HLC 7004-9033 + $19.5M in DMH 5046-0000 and DMH 5047-0001)

DMH 5046-2000 Statewide Homelessness Support Services

MAMH requests $29.7M, which is currently included in the Governor's proposed budget, to annualize the three Safe Haven Programs in Central Massachusetts, Northeast Massachusetts, and Western Massachusetts created in FY25

Criminal Legal Reform

Line Item Budget Priority

EOHHS 4000-0300 EOHHS and Medicaid Administration

MAMH requests adequate funding for the Middlesex County Restoration Center

Older Adult Services

Budget Priority Proposed Funding Level

AGE 9110-1640 Geriatric Mental Health Services

MAMH requests $2.9M, a $500K increase in funding over the Governor's proposed budget, for the Behavioral Health Outreach for Aging Populations (BHOAP) program

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!