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SD 2028

Resolve to ensure delivery of mental health services to adults with acute mental illness

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Ed Kennedy

Establishes a special commission to study DMH staffing, service delivery, and access for adults with acute mental illness, with recommendations for legislative reform.

House concurred
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Bill Summary · SD 2028

Summary: Senate Resolve to Ensure Delivery of Mental Health Services to Adults with Acute Mental Illness (SD 2028)

Overview

  • Bill Number: SD 2028
  • Title: Resolve to ensure delivery of mental health services to adults with acute mental illness
  • Status: House concurred
  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Classification: Proposed bill (Resolve)
  • Purpose: Establish a special commission to study and make recommendations to improve the staffing, delivery, and accessibility of mental health services provided by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) for adults with acute mental illness.

Key Provisions

  • Establishment of a special commission to study:

    • Staffing levels and delivery of DMH case management services for adults with acute mental illness.
    • Site-by-site analysis of the number of DMH case managers and their average caseloads.
    • The number of adults with acute mental illness who were refused DMH services and the reasons for denial.
    • Options to ensure ongoing and reliable services, and the capacity to manage caseloads effectively.
    • Feasibility of reestablishing outpatient clinics as a means to achieve goals and reduce waitlists at community clinics and private practices.
    • Language accessibility and linguistic capacity in mental health work.
    • Recruitment strategies and incentives to attract individuals to careers in mental health work and case management.

  • Commission composition:

    • Chair: Commissioner of the Massachusetts DMH (or designee).
    • Legislative members: 2 Senate members (1 appointed by the President of the Senate; 1 by the Senate Minority Leader) and 2 House members (1 appointed by the Speaker; 1 by the House Minority Leader).
    • Appointed officials: 2 members appointed by the Governor (one of whom should be a former DMH commissioner or former senior DMH staff with at least five years of service).
    • Other members: Representatives of licensed social workers; a representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); a representative of a suicide prevention organization; a university faculty member specializing in clinical psychology.

  • Reporting requirements:

    • First meeting of the commission no later than July 1, 2025.
    • File a report with recommendations for legislative reform by January 31, 2026.
    • Reports to be submitted to the Clerks of the Senate and House, and to the chairs of the Senate and House Ways and Means and the joint committee on Mental Health.

Timeline & Process

  • Referral: February 27, 2025 (to the Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery committee).
  • Establishment: Commission appointed and organized with a target first meeting by July 1, 2025.
  • Final deliverable: A report and any legislative reform recommendations due by January 31, 2026.

Affected Parties

  • Immediate scope: Massachusetts DMH, particularly case managers serving adults with acute mental illness.
  • Beneficiaries: Adults with acute mental illness who rely on DMH services.
  • Stakeholders: DMH clinicians and staff, outpatient clinics, community clinics, private practices, and organizations involved in language access, suicide prevention, and mental health advocacy (e.g., licensed social workers, NAMI, academic researchers).

Potential Impact

  • This resolution does not authorize new funding or direct program expansions, but it sets a formal process to identify gaps, barriers, and opportunities.
  • If recommendations lead to legislative reform, potential outcomes could include increased staffing effectiveness, reduced waitlists, expanded outpatient capacity, improved language access, and stronger recruitment incentives for the mental health workforce. The focus remains on ensuring consistent access to services for adults with acute mental illness.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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