This poignant story from The Boston Globe about a PACT consumer in Chelsea shows the real-life impact of state budget cuts on Massachusetts residents. The Governor and Legislature can still save this important program.
Yesterday, we learned that state tax receipts are on the rise. If cost-effective programs life PACT are eliminated, the impact in the coming fiscal years will be enormous.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/12/19/more_than_100_people_have__benefited_from_a_hospital__without_walls_but_state_cuts__are_threatening_their_gains/
On the Issues, People & Organizations in Behavioral Health in the Commonwealth
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lobby Day to SAVE PACT SERVICES
Today's State House Lobby Day was a huge success -- more than 100 people from Springfield, Boston and other parts of the state came to lobby to save the PACT services with legislators. Our rally also coincided with publication of a comprehensive story in the Springfield Republican (http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/12/patricia_dickson_of_springfiel.html) that will help to increase awareness of this critical program. Thanks to North Suffolk and CHD, our other ABH members and our friends at MPOWER and NAMI for helping to organize the rally today.
It was especially heartening to see so many consumers turn out to help put a face and a story to this effort. Legislators and the Governor's office need to understand that these short-sighted budget cuts will harm real people.
Now, get those postcards and emails in!
It was especially heartening to see so many consumers turn out to help put a face and a story to this effort. Legislators and the Governor's office need to understand that these short-sighted budget cuts will harm real people.
Now, get those postcards and emails in!
Monday, December 7, 2009
The new state sales tax in alcohol sold in stores is working
From the Boston Business Journal: “The DOR said a decision earlier this year to increase the state’s sales tax rate to 6.25 percent from 5 percent and the elimination of a sales-tax exemption for alcohol sales contributed to around $88 million in new tax revenue in November. Without those changes, November’s total tax collections would have fallen by around 4.5 percent on a year over year basis, according to figures reported by the DOR.”
So the bad revenue news would have been worse without the new alcohol tax and increased sales tax. Despite the obvious need for funds to buttress badly needed services, the package store owners continue with their campaign to repeal the measure. They gathered enough signatures to move forward toward the November 2010 ballot.
So the bad revenue news would have been worse without the new alcohol tax and increased sales tax. Despite the obvious need for funds to buttress badly needed services, the package store owners continue with their campaign to repeal the measure. They gathered enough signatures to move forward toward the November 2010 ballot.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Alcohol tax repeal campaign clears first hurdle
According to news reports, the Massachusetts Package Store Association has collected enough signatures to place a question on the ballot in 2010 that would ask voters to repeal the sales tax on alcohol sold in retail stores. The association relied on volunteers and paid help to gather 115,000 signatures – more than enough to make the ballot. After the signatures are certified by city and town clerks, they must be delivered to the Secretary of State by December 2.
The 6.25 percent tax on alcohol was passed this summer a statewide advocacy effort by the Campaign for Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Recovery, which consists of over 70 organizations across the state. This year, in the midst of unprecedented state budget pressures, the proceeds from this revenue stream helped preserve critical services for individuals struggling with substance use disorders. Rolling back the alcohol tax would be irresponsible fiscally, and harmful to the cause of substance abuse prevention and treatment. We will follow this effort to undo a successful public health initiative very closely in the coming weeks.
The 6.25 percent tax on alcohol was passed this summer a statewide advocacy effort by the Campaign for Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Recovery, which consists of over 70 organizations across the state. This year, in the midst of unprecedented state budget pressures, the proceeds from this revenue stream helped preserve critical services for individuals struggling with substance use disorders. Rolling back the alcohol tax would be irresponsible fiscally, and harmful to the cause of substance abuse prevention and treatment. We will follow this effort to undo a successful public health initiative very closely in the coming weeks.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
2 PACT services facing cuts
As I mentioned on Thursday, vigilance is critical in order to preserve specific mental health services in the coming months. On Friday, we learned that DMH has targeted for elimination PACT (Program for Assertive Community Treatment) programs at North Suffolk Mental Health in Chelsea and the Center for Human Development in Springfield. Each program works with 55-65 adults with severe mental illnesses, providing them the supports they need to live in their communities.
These individuals have not been able to engage in more traditional services such as outpatient and community rehabilitative services. They live independently in the community (not in residential programs) and the PACT team works with them 24/7 to help support their recovery and success in the community. PACT provides psychiatry, nursing, medications, vocational support, housing assistance and outreach. The program costs about $50.00 per day per client – the two contracts set to be eliminated total a little over two million dollars. There is not an appropriate substitute service or set of services for these very ill and very vulnerable individuals.
The PACT programs are being terminated as part the “swap” for the DMH case manager layoffs that were rescinded by the Governor’s office in an agreement with SEIU 509 earlier in the week. There are just 12 PACT teams in the state, with a new one starting up soon in Beverly.
The elimination of these PACT teams will severely impact the ability of consumers to remain living independently in their communities. The Department of Mental Health does not have alternative programs available to adequately meet the needs of affected consumers. Community Based Flexible Supports (CBFS) do not have the capacity to provide the intense level of nursing and psychiatry and other supports that PACT provides for these clients.
This is a classic case of making short-term budget cuts that will have much greater long-term costs in other social service and healthcare programs. There are other ways to trim costs from the state budget than to eliminate services that provide crucial community supports for the most vulnerable residents of Massachusetts.
These individuals have not been able to engage in more traditional services such as outpatient and community rehabilitative services. They live independently in the community (not in residential programs) and the PACT team works with them 24/7 to help support their recovery and success in the community. PACT provides psychiatry, nursing, medications, vocational support, housing assistance and outreach. The program costs about $50.00 per day per client – the two contracts set to be eliminated total a little over two million dollars. There is not an appropriate substitute service or set of services for these very ill and very vulnerable individuals.
The PACT programs are being terminated as part the “swap” for the DMH case manager layoffs that were rescinded by the Governor’s office in an agreement with SEIU 509 earlier in the week. There are just 12 PACT teams in the state, with a new one starting up soon in Beverly.
The elimination of these PACT teams will severely impact the ability of consumers to remain living independently in their communities. The Department of Mental Health does not have alternative programs available to adequately meet the needs of affected consumers. Community Based Flexible Supports (CBFS) do not have the capacity to provide the intense level of nursing and psychiatry and other supports that PACT provides for these clients.
This is a classic case of making short-term budget cuts that will have much greater long-term costs in other social service and healthcare programs. There are other ways to trim costs from the state budget than to eliminate services that provide crucial community supports for the most vulnerable residents of Massachusetts.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Holding the line on funding for mental health and substance abuse services
The past six weeks has been filled with great uncertainty for community-based mental health and substance abuse treatment providers. Fears of mid-year “9C” budget cuts has kept many providers and consumers up nights worrying about impending cuts to services funded by the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Public Health/Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, and MassHealth.
Fortunately, community-based treatment services were relatively spared from 9C cuts this time. This has been a great relief to members of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare and the consumers with whom we work. Our members feel particularly fortunate when we see the struggles of some colleagues and friends in other parts of the human service world.
There are many reasons why community-based mental health and substance abuse services were spared during this round. The ongoing advocacy of ABH members and our coalition partners such as NAMI – Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition, M-Power, MOAR, and the Recovery Home Collaborative certainly played a role in reinforcing for Governor Patrick and the Legislature the vital role community-based services play in promoting recovery.
Governor Patrick deserves credit for not cutting substance abuse treatment services and thereby honoring commitments to advocates who pushed for the repeal of the sales tax exemption on alcohol. The Governor kept faith with the Campaign for Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Recovery by making sure new revenue was dedicated to expanded treatment.
Health and Human Services Secretary JudyAnn Bigby deserves credit as well for being a forceful advocate for community-based services. Her commitment to preserving community services for individuals living with mental illness as the Commonwealth shuts down state hospitals demonstrated her commitment to Community First.
The Legislature deserves credit for preserving access to vital MassHealth services for people with behavioral health needs such as Day Treatment and Clinical Stabilization Services.
In spite of all this, there are many potential pitfalls ahead of us. The Governor may need to implement further 9C cuts later in this fiscal year. And the outlook for fiscal year 2011 looks even bleaker. State agencies are preparing for potential cuts in the range of 12 – 15%.
So the message we must take away from the past weeks is that while we successfully avoided devastating cuts so far this year, this may only be a temporary reprieve. We need to stay vigilant and continue to educate Governor Patrick and the Legislature about the importance of community-based care. We need to continue to publicize the wonderful work all of ABH members are doing on a daily basis.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the past six weeks and the challenges facing us in the months ahead.
Fortunately, community-based treatment services were relatively spared from 9C cuts this time. This has been a great relief to members of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare and the consumers with whom we work. Our members feel particularly fortunate when we see the struggles of some colleagues and friends in other parts of the human service world.
There are many reasons why community-based mental health and substance abuse services were spared during this round. The ongoing advocacy of ABH members and our coalition partners such as NAMI – Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition, M-Power, MOAR, and the Recovery Home Collaborative certainly played a role in reinforcing for Governor Patrick and the Legislature the vital role community-based services play in promoting recovery.
Governor Patrick deserves credit for not cutting substance abuse treatment services and thereby honoring commitments to advocates who pushed for the repeal of the sales tax exemption on alcohol. The Governor kept faith with the Campaign for Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Recovery by making sure new revenue was dedicated to expanded treatment.
Health and Human Services Secretary JudyAnn Bigby deserves credit as well for being a forceful advocate for community-based services. Her commitment to preserving community services for individuals living with mental illness as the Commonwealth shuts down state hospitals demonstrated her commitment to Community First.
The Legislature deserves credit for preserving access to vital MassHealth services for people with behavioral health needs such as Day Treatment and Clinical Stabilization Services.
In spite of all this, there are many potential pitfalls ahead of us. The Governor may need to implement further 9C cuts later in this fiscal year. And the outlook for fiscal year 2011 looks even bleaker. State agencies are preparing for potential cuts in the range of 12 – 15%.
So the message we must take away from the past weeks is that while we successfully avoided devastating cuts so far this year, this may only be a temporary reprieve. We need to stay vigilant and continue to educate Governor Patrick and the Legislature about the importance of community-based care. We need to continue to publicize the wonderful work all of ABH members are doing on a daily basis.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the past six weeks and the challenges facing us in the months ahead.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to the new Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) blog!
As we launch the new name and identity of our organization (formerly the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Corporations of Massachusetts, Inc.) we also begin to engage with the online community in a more direct manner through this new blog. We hope to establish an invaluable forum for people to turn to for information and perspectives on public policy issues relating to behavioral healthcare in
Engaging with online advocacy and healthcare communities will enable ABH to amplify its presence and impact. We are excited about the opportunities that open up as our advocacy group enters the online conversation.
Inevitably, the backdrop of our new organizational initiatives is colored by the economic conditions that have sharply reduced public spending in
ABH is working with Legislators and the Executive agencies to shore up spending on these programs. The sales tax on alcohol -- one of our core policy initiatives for 2009 – has helped fund crucial programs at the Bureau of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services.
We look to better times in the near future, and new models and ideas for delivering services in the coming year.
Meanwhile, we invite you to explore the resources on this blog, share links and information, and pass the word about ABH.
-- Vic DiGravio
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