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Health and Human Services

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides the safety net for the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens.  The 16 agencies of HHS provide critical services to veterans, elders, children, the mentally ill, and the developmentally disabled.  HHS agencies administer the Commonwealth’s Medicaid program, MassHealth, programs at the Department of Public Health, comprehensive disability services, and the Department of Transitional Assistance, among others.

More than 700 buildings are operated or occupied by HHS agencies, encompassing over 10 million square feet of space and spread over 36 state-owned properties. These structures include hospitals, clinics, long and short-term care facilities, regional offices, as well as support facilities like power plants and garages.  Many of these facilities operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, year-round. In addition, information technology (IT) solutions throughout HHS agencies support over 800 applications and 20 enterprise systems that serve mission-critical functions such as program eligibility determination, case management efficiencies, and financial management services.  In past years, IT funding had been separated into a separate category.  Beginning in FY14, HHS IT spending is being shown in this section to further the Administration’s efforts to show spending in a programmatic form that is both transparent and delivers truth in government spending.  This integration results in the large increase in federal spending shown in the chart below.

The following graph reflects the Administration’s estimated capital investment in health and human services capital projects and programs over the next five years, as compared to fiscal years 2007 and 2013 health and human services related spending.

Administration Accomplishments to Date

• The Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital (WRCH) was the first new mental health facility to open in the Commonwealth in decades.  This 320 bed state-of-the-art facility exemplifies the new model of mental health care which encourages recovery rather than prolonged hospitalization. Moreover, the WRCH was designed to meet LEED Gold certification for its “green” design and construction.
• Improvements to HHS’s information technology and business systems have resulted in better case management, integrated means testing, and electronic health records for Medicaid clients. These improvements enhance program integrity, improve coordination of care for patients, and are central to efforts that lower health care costs.
• In order to serve individuals with disabilities in smaller, more personal settings, community-based residences have been or are being constructed to replace four large residential Department of Developmental Services’ (DDS) campuses. Recently, 12 state-supported residences have opened in the community to serve clients from the closed Monson Developmental Center facility.
• IT capital funding has helped support the implementation of the Commonwealth’s first Health Information Exchange. The first phase has created the Mass HiWay infrastructure and enabled the secure exchange of health information from one hospital or provider to another, irrespective of provider affiliation, location, or differences in technology. This new exchange allows health information to be securely transmitted between health care providers and organizations, assisting in the coordination of care, improving patient safety, and is a critical factor in lowering health care costs in the Commonwealth. At the end of August 2013, nearly 1.5 M transactions have been securely transmitted over the Mass HiWay.
• Completed in 2012, the VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) project overhauled the telephone systems for the more than 23,000 employees throughout HHS. This project replaced many duplicative and near end-of-life systems with a single state-of the-art system based on modern and cost-effective networking technologies. 

FY 14 Highlights

• The Commonwealth will renovate and expand the historic Goss Building on the Taunton campus of the Department of Youth Services (DYS) to meet the agency’s current and future needs. Upon completion, the Goss Building will accommodate the long-term needs for DYS and the 80 bed facility will become the center of the agency’s operations in the southeast region of the Commonwealth. The renovated youth complex will support the DYS mission through the appropriate combination of modern residential, educational, recreational and administrative space.
• Similar in scope to the DYS Goss Building initiative, the DYS Center in Middleton will provide a new, 45 bed residential facility at the existing site in Middleton and become the center of DYS operations in the northeast region of the state.  With its enhanced capacity, youth in custody at Middleton will be ensured a safe and secure environment with the full complement of educational and recreational opportunities. 
• In order to serve individuals with disabilities in smaller, more personal settings, three new community-based residences are being constructed on the Templeton Developmental Center campus. Consistent with the Administration’s Community-First principles and the move away from institutionalization, the construction of these homes on the Templeton grounds will coincide with the closure of the Templeton Facility Campus. 
• Located near the entrance of the Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) new Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, the Worcester Clock Tower reconstruction will continue through FY15.  When completed, the project will provide additional green space and landscaping, improved access, and preserve the significant and historic landmark for the Worcester community.
• To continue progress and maintain its national leadership in the Health IT sector, the Commonwealth will continue investment in the Health Insurance Exchange and Integrated Eligibility System (HIX/IES), a critical component of the Commonwealth’s compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will fully integrate access to MassHealth and Health Connector programs and ultimately expand this “one stop shopping” to include other programs like SNAP and TANF. 

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