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The PACT programs are being terminated as part the “swap” for the DMH case manager layoffs that were rescinded by the Governor’s office in an agreement with SEIU 509 earlier in the week.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.