Find Massachusetts Behavioral Health Resources

SFS works with Massachusetts K-12 schools to support healthy and safe learning environments for students. Current SFS priorities include: 1) Early Learning, 2) Educational Stability, 3) Extended Learning Opportunities, 4) Adolescent HIV/STD Prevention, 5) Safe & Healthy Learning Environments, and 6) Service Learning. SFS provides resources, information, self-assessment/implementation tools, and grants to promote best practices in within these areas.  

Highlights:  

• Learn more about the McKinney Vento Homelessness Education Assistance Act 

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Learn more about all SFS programs, initiatives, and opportunities for your school  
• Please contact @email to learn more 

The Safe and Supportive Schools Commission, established in 2014 by the State of Massachusetts, works to foster safe, healthy, and inclusive school environments for all Massachusetts students. Members, selected for expertise in the fields of education and behavioral health, meet regularly to make recommendations on effective legislation, evidence-based practices to support student mental health, staff training and professional development, and effective school-family collaboration practices. The Safe and Supportive Schools Commission identifies overall strategies to increase schools’ capacity to implement comprehensive behavioral health services.  

Highlights: Check out the Safe and Supportive Schools Self-Reflection Tool to aid schools in reflecting on and improving behavioral health supports for students!  

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• The public is welcome to attend meetings!  
• Learn more about other tools, resources, and recommendations for schools

In response to the Rosie D. class action lawsuit, MassHealth Office of Behavioral Health established the CBHI, a community-based system of care to support MassHealth eligible children with social, emotional, and behavioral needs.   

CBHI partners with Community Service Agencies (CSA) across Massachusetts to provide an array of services to children and families including:  

• In home therapy and behavioral services  
• Family support and training  
• Intensive care coordination  
• Therapeutic mentoring  
• Mobile crisis intervention  

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Access a more extensive description of services and eligibility, as well as comprehensive list of CSA locations (pdf)
• The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Access website is a great resource for finding CBHI providers.  
• Attend System of Care meeting hosted by your local CSA!  

As of July 1, 2019, an expanded array of services provided in schools will be eligible for reimbursement from MassHealth. Reimbursements will be made to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) (i.e. public board of education). For most school/districts, this means that the reimbursement will go to the city/town. For charter schools, regional school districts, and vocational/technical schools, the reimbursement will go directly to the school/district.  

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Learn more about SBMP

The FRCs across Massachusetts, funded by Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services in collaboration with the Department of Children and Families, provide free support groups, parenting programs, early childhood services, information and referral resources, and education for families with children from birth to 18 years old.  

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Find your local FRC here 

According to Massachusetts legislation, school districts may form collaboratives to address the special education needs of their students. These collaboratives, represented by MOEC, provide specialized therapeutic and educational programs and services. 

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Learn more about MOEC
• Find programs/services provided by the collaboratives
• Learn how to form an educational collaborative or amend a collaborative agreement

The Training and Access Project (TAP) provides consultation and professional development to support Boston schools in addressing student social, emotional, and behavioral health needs. TAP establishes two-year partnerships with five new schools every year at no cost to schools. In addition, TAP provides free online trainings for all school professionals.  

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Learn more about TAP
• Register for free online training

BRYT, a program of the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health, is a network of school-based Bridge programs that support students who have missed extensive amounts of learning due to serious mental health and/or medical challenges transition back to school. Bridge programs provide intensive, short-term academic and clinical case management as students gradually return to class, catch up academically, and re-integrate with their peers. With over 130 programs across Massachusetts, BRYT-model Bridge programs are rapidly becoming the norm for Massachusetts secondary schools.  

Highlights:  

• In schools that implement BRYT-model Bridge programs, 85-90% of students served successfully complete the school year on track for graduation  
• Among students hospitalized before entering Bridge, ≤20% are re-hospitalized 
•  School support staff devote more time to the general school population, and school districts save money by decreasing out-of-district placements   

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Learn more about BRYT  
• Please contact BRYT if you are interested in learning more about how to start a Bridge program at your school

Comprising 125 districts across MA, MASMHC convenes monthly state-wide and regional meetings for school mental health professionals (guidance counselors, school adjustment counselors, school psychologists, etc.). Past agenda topics have included best practices for mental health screening, quality mental health teaming, and threat assessment, as well as presentations by community partners.  

Highlights:  

• MASMHC now holds meetings in Western Massachusetts

Learn More & Get Involved:  

• Learn more about MASMHC and ways to get involved 
• The best way to get involved is to attend a meeting; check the MASMHC calendar