For funding to increase behavioral health outreach, access and support; provided, that the department of public health, in consultation with the department of mental health and the department of elementary and secondary education, shall expend not less than $3,532,000 for a pilot program to increase student access to behavioral telehealth services in schools; provided further, that not later than June 30, 2026, the department of public health shall report to the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing the: (i) number of students participating in the program; (ii) frequency with which students use the program; (iii) cost of the services provided, including the use of support staff; and (iv) manner in which costs have been supported by third--party reimbursement; provided further, that the department of higher education, in consultation with the department of mental health, shall expend not less than $500,000 for a mental health workforce pipeline program to encourage a culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse behavioral health workforce through collaboration between colleges and behavioral health providers; provided further that the department shall designate the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Inc. to administer the program; provided further, that not later than April 1, 2026, the department of higher education shall report to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the joint committee on higher education, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery and the house and senate committees on ways and means detailing: (a) description of the partners in the pilot program; (b) a demographic and geographic profile of the students served in the program; (c) a summary of post--program employment or continuing education of participating students; and (d) any budgetary recommendations on ways to further expand the pilot program; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended by the department for a public awareness campaign to promote the awareness and use of available behavioral health services; provided further, that the public awareness campaign shall partner with relevant advocacy organizations, employers, institutions of higher education and community--based organizations to ensure that the campaign reaches the populations that are most at risk of encountering existing barriers to behavioral health services; provided further, that not less than $1,500,000 shall be expended to address emergency department mental and behavioral health boarding through staffing investments and rate incentives associated with fully operationalizing inpatient mental health acute care beds and intensive inpatient psychiatric beds, intensive community--based acute treatment, community--based acute treatment and partial hospitalization capacity; provided further, that said grants may be utilized to maintain rate incentives for beds made operational in calendar year 2023; provided further, that priority shall be given to grants that support services and staff needs for children and adolescents; provided further, that staffing investments shall include sufficient funding for culturally and linguistically competent workforce recruitment, retention and training including, but not limited to, loan repayment programs and hiring and retention incentives to support the full spectrum of hospital--based behavioral health providers including, but not limited to, psychiatrists, mental health workers, social workers, registered nurses, certified nursing assistants and sitters; provided further, that not less than $5,000,000 shall be expended to community health centers to support the allied health workforce; provided further, that for the purpose of this item, a community health center shall be defined as any entity receiving funding pursuant to 42 U.S.C. section 254(b); provided further, that funds shall be used for workforce supports including, but not limited to, loan repayment, workforce development programs, pipeline initiatives and retention payments; provided further, that the workforce supports shall prioritize the recruitment and retention of a culturally and linguistically diverse workforce; and provided further, that payments shall be allocated to community health centers based on financial need
| | General Fund | ............... | 36.70% |
| | Behavioral Health Outreach, Access and Support Trust Fund | ............... | 63.30% |
