What Can Western Massachusetts Do To Promote Youth Mental Health?

At Massachusetts Health Policy Forum’s November 2023 convening, the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts (PHIWM) presented a Youth Mental Health Roadmap for Western MA that builds on the state’s Promote Prevent Special Commission, the Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform, and the Mental Health ABC Act. The policy recommendations in the report include three bills that are currently before the Massachusetts Legislature:

• An Act establishing a child and adolescent behavioral health implementation coordinating council (H.1979)
• An Act relative to MassHealth reimbursement to schools (S.794)
• An Act relative to mental health education (H.497/S.240) 

Join us for a free webinar to learn about what these bills could do—if passed—to promote and support youth mental health.  PHIWM endorses these bills, which are priorities of the Children’s Mental Health Campaign.  At the end of the presentation, there will be time for questions and discussion.

Facilitator: Jessica Collins, Executive Director, Public Health Institute of Western MA

Guest Speakers:

• MA State Senator John Velis, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use & Recovery
• Courtney Chelo, Assistant Director of Government Relations with the MA Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) and Coordinator of the Children’s Mental Health Campaign.