The Senate's Mental Health ABC Act: What You Need To Know

On Thursday, February 6, 2020, the Massachusetts State Senate released Senate Bill 2519: An Act Addressing Barriers to Care in Mental Health, otherwise knows as the Mental Health ABC Act: Addressing Barriers to Care (ABC). The Mental Health ABC Act is the first step towards putting the Commonwealth on a pathway to developing a more integrated system of mental health care delivery so Massachusetts residents can access the care they need and deserve. The Mental Health ABC Act removes barriers to timely quality care, provides the state with more effective tools to enforce existing mental health parity laws, and invests in the mental and behavioral health workforce pipeline.

Mental Health ABC Act Press Briefing

Senate President Karen Spilka explains that growing up with her father’s untreated mental illness affected her entire family - and laid the groundwork for her future work on reforms

Mental Health ABC Act Press Briefing

Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues explains how the Mental Health ABC Act will save the Commonwealth money in the long term

Mental Health ABC Press Briefing

Senator Julian Cyr, chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, details how the Mental Health ABC Act will help ensure residents will get timely, quality mental health care

Mental Health ABC Act Press Briefing

Senator Cyr discusses the collaboration that went into writing the bill

Mental Health ABC Act Press Briefing

Senator Cindy Friedman, chair of the Committee on Health Care Financing, outlines how the Mental Health ABC Act will enforce existing parity laws, and ensure certain treatment decisions are made by patients and their providers

Mental Health ABC Act Press Briefing

The Mental Health ABC Act removes barriers to timely quality care, provides the state with more effective tools to enforce existing mental health parity laws, and invests in the mental and behavioral health workforce pipeline

Mental Health ABC Act Press Briefing

The even was held in the Senate Reading Room on February 6, 2020

This legislation is driven by the recognition that mental health is as important as physical health for every resident of the Commonwealth, and should be treated as such. You can learn more about the bill here.

RESOURCES

Mental Health ABC Act Overview

Mental Health ABC Act Fact Sheet

Mental Health ABC Act Bill Text

Mental Health ABC Act Final Press Release & Video

VIDEOS

PRESS

Mental health care is vital to routine health care
Boston Globe

Bill seeks parity between care for mental, physical ailments
Associated Press

Spilka unveils legislation to ensure mental health access for all
Boston Business Journal

Mental Health Access Bill Up In Senate Feb. 13
State House News Service / WBZ Radio

Tele-psychiatry, emergency care coverage, licensing changes: Mass. Senate adds mental health bill to the mix
MassLive

Go the distance for mental health parity: Beacon Hill should act in this session to improve access to care for the mentally ill
Boston Globe

Senate passes mental health bill
Commonwealth Magazine

Mass. Senate Passes Bill To Boost Mental Health Care Access
State House News Service / WGBH

‘Mental health needs to be for everyone’: Massachusetts Senate passes bill to improve behavioral health care access
MassLive

Massachusetts Senate approves mental health parity bill
Associated Press

Editorial: Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020: Mental Health Parity
WCVB

INFOGRAPHICS