With the loss of dedicated funds from the alcohol sales tax and the end of federal stimulus funding, many Bay State behavioral health causes are concerned about looming budget cuts. Though we're all in this budget battle together, there are ways you, and your members can help.
The House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means are holding joint hearings to sort out the state budget for the 2012 fiscal year. As you know, this process will determine funding for mental health and substance abuse treatment (and everything else) for the next year. It is a crucial time to ensure that our programs remain a priority, especially on the heels of Patrick's planned reduction to funding for the Department of Mental Health. We must be involved.
How can you help?
Listen up. There are a number of hearings, that anyone can sit in on.
Be heard. Testify at the public hearing on Friday, March 4th at 10am in the Gardner Auditorium at the State House.
Write in. If you can't be there in person, submit written testimony to your local representative. ABH will be submitting testimony and will provide an advance copy to our members as a potential model for your own testimony.
On the Issues, People & Organizations in Behavioral Health in the Commonwealth
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Community-based system must undergo review
From The Boston Globe, Feb. 2, 2011
THE TRAGIC killing of Stephanie Moulton affects everyone who provides care and services to men and women with mental illness. Such tragedies are thankfully rare, but as the Globe noted in its editorial, the Department of Mental Health and private providers have an obligation to provide a safe environment for clients and staff (“Murder in Revere group home shows need for criminal checks,’’ Jan. 31).
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Yahoo! Buzz ShareThis .Both organizations mentioned by the Globe, North Suffolk Mental Health and Bay Cove Human Services, are members of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare. For decades, both have provided high-quality, professional, and compassionate care to individuals with mental illness in residential settings in and around Boston. All ABH members remain committed to providing community-based services to people struggling with mental illness to help them achieve recovery.
ABH and other mental health advocacy organizations have requested that Barbara Leadholm, the state’s mental health commissioner, appoint an independent third party to review systemic issues surrounding the publicly funded community-based mental health system. As our letter to her stated, “We believe DMH needs to forcefully and directly examine all the systemic issues raised by this tragedy, or that task could be assumed by others with an agenda to dismantle rather than to improve the system.’’
Community-based services for individuals with mental illness have improved the lives of countless men and women. The mental health community grieves Moulton’s loss, and we owe it to her, her colleagues, and clients to ensure that the community-based system promotes recovery in a safe environment.
Vic DiGravio
President and CEO Association for Behavioral
THE TRAGIC killing of Stephanie Moulton affects everyone who provides care and services to men and women with mental illness. Such tragedies are thankfully rare, but as the Globe noted in its editorial, the Department of Mental Health and private providers have an obligation to provide a safe environment for clients and staff (“Murder in Revere group home shows need for criminal checks,’’ Jan. 31).
Tweet Be the first to Tweet this!..
Yahoo! Buzz ShareThis .Both organizations mentioned by the Globe, North Suffolk Mental Health and Bay Cove Human Services, are members of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare. For decades, both have provided high-quality, professional, and compassionate care to individuals with mental illness in residential settings in and around Boston. All ABH members remain committed to providing community-based services to people struggling with mental illness to help them achieve recovery.
ABH and other mental health advocacy organizations have requested that Barbara Leadholm, the state’s mental health commissioner, appoint an independent third party to review systemic issues surrounding the publicly funded community-based mental health system. As our letter to her stated, “We believe DMH needs to forcefully and directly examine all the systemic issues raised by this tragedy, or that task could be assumed by others with an agenda to dismantle rather than to improve the system.’’
Community-based services for individuals with mental illness have improved the lives of countless men and women. The mental health community grieves Moulton’s loss, and we owe it to her, her colleagues, and clients to ensure that the community-based system promotes recovery in a safe environment.
Vic DiGravio
President and CEO Association for Behavioral
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