Page 7 - Healthcare News July/August 2022

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home-like setting.
The act also requires that school committees and
I’d also like to thank the countless individuals, families, advocates, providers, and others who stood up for the common-sense idea that mental health is just as important as physical health, and to everyone who has fought for mental-healthcare reform in Massachusetts and never gave up.”
economic status, race, ethnicity, gender, or any other factors that may impact their ability to access it. This legislation will bring us closer to being able to provide top-notch care to our constituencies, and I couldn’t have been more excited to support it.”
Never Give Up
Baker’s signature on Aug. 10 wasn’t in doubt, but medical leaders still expressed great relief at the ABC Act’s passage into law.
“This is a groundbreaking day for mental health- “ “incidence of life-threatening medical emergencies care in the Commonwealth,” said Steve Walsh,
ber has access to the resources and care they need.” Dr. Theodore Calianos, president of the Massa-
chusetts Medical Society, added that “the COVID-19 public-health crisis amplified myriad challenges
our patients face in accessing timely, high-quality, comprehensive mental healthcare, challenges that can be especially insurmountable for the most vulnerable residents of the Commonwealth. Provisions in this bill will empower patients and physicians to make de- cisions that will more often lead to optimal outcomes for those who need and seek mental healthcare.”
Dr. Grace Chang, president of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society (MPS), agreed. “With the passage of the Mental Health ABC Act, we are at the dawn of a new day for mental-health treatment in the Com- monwealth,” she said. “We are now leading the nation in parity for mental healthcare just when it is most needed. MPS congratulates the Massachusetts Legis- lature on its visionary measure and looks forward to assisting in its implementation.”
On Aug. 1, state Senate President Karen Spilka talk- ed about making a decision many years ago to share the story of her family’s struggle with mental illness, which she believes encouraged others to speak up for accessible, high-quality mental healthcare.
“We all deserve to have access to the mental health- care we need, when we need it,” she said in thanking the legislative leaders who worked toward the final bill. “I’d also like to thank the countless individuals, families, advocates, providers, and others who stood up for the common-sense idea that mental health is just as important as physical health, and to everyone who has fought for mental-healthcare reform in Mas- sachusetts and never gave up.” v
Commonwealth charter school board trustees ensure that every school under their jurisdictions have a written emergency-response plan to address both medical and behavioral-health crises to reduce the
and behavioral-health crises and to promote efficient and appropriate responses to such emergencies.”
“Supporting the workers that provide these essen- tial services, which this legislation does, is paramount to ensuring the system is functioning in the best possible way,” Gomez added. “High-quality, afford- able, and accessible mental and behavioral health is
a right that should be afforded to any citizen of the Commonwealth regardless of where they live, socio-
president and CEO of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Assoc. “This law is grounded in systemic changes to guarantee long-promised parity, bolster the behavioral-health workforce, and — perhaps most critically — better address the mental health needs of children. Behavioral health has been a top priority of every healthcare organization in Massachusetts since before the pandemic began, and they remain deeply committed to ensuring that every community mem-
SEN. KAREN SPILKA