Welcome to The Time is Now, your Children’s Mental Health Campaign newsletter! 2026 marks the 20-year anniversary of the founding of the Children’s Mental Health Campaign. We’ve done a lot of important work over the past two decades, and throughout the year, we’ll be reflecting on some of the key accomplishments and milestones that have defined our work. We’ll also be sharing some fun memories, like the below photo of MSPCC Executive Director Nancy Allen-Scannell with Karen Darcy, the Director of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Advocacy at Boston Children's Hospital, from 2013. Our work over the past 20 years wouldn’t have been possible without you. As always, thank you for being a partner in advocating on behalf of Massachusetts children.
Join Us: Speaking Up for Behavioral Health Funding
Even though Governor Maura Healey will not release her FY27 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) state budget proposal until late January, she and her team are already hard at work crunching the numbers. The Healey Administration estimates that Massachusetts will experience over $800 million in federal funding cuts in FY27, stemming from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3), signed into law by President Trump on July 4th, 2025 and programs cut by the Executive Branch. FY27 will be an extremely challenging fiscal year. The Children's Mental Health Campaign (CMHC), together with the Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) and the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH), developed a sign-on letter for the behavioral health community and sent it to the Governor in November. A total of 24 organizations representing people with lived experience, family members, outpatient and inpatient behavioral health service providers, behavioral health clinicians, and advocates joined with the Campaign on the letter. The letter urged the Governor to prioritize behavioral health as a critical component of the health care continuum. It respectfully requested sufficient funding for the Department of Mental Health (DMH), Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS), and MassHealth accounts that address the mental health and substance use needs of people throughout the state. If you haven't already, please join the Campaign's mailing list to receive updates on the state budget process and how to get involved. If you would like the Campaign to reach out to your organization to potentially sign on to future budget letters, please contact Courtney Chelo at cchelo@eliotchs.org.
Fighting for Families: The BHCA Benefit
Getting the right behavioral health services for children and adolescents shouldn't be a battle. That's why the Behavioral Health for Children and Adolescents (BHCA) benefit is so important.
What is the BHCA Benefit?
In December 2018, the Massachusetts Division of Insurance (DOI) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH) issued a joint bulletin clarifying that certain essential, home and community-based services must be covered by fully insured health plans in Massachusetts. This includes services vital for youth with behavioral health challenges, such as in-home therapy, intensive care coordination, and family support and training.
The Problem with Access
Despite the benefit being established in 2019, families are still struggling to access these services. A recent claims analysis by the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) confirmed our concerns, showing low utilization of BHCA services. In fact, the percentage of claims under fully insured plans actually decreased after the benefit was implemented. Systemic complexities, combined with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, have prevented meaningful access for the kids who need it most.
How CMHC is Fighting for Change
The Children's Mental Health Campaign (CMHC) is working hard to fix these barriers. We recently submitted written testimony to the legislature advocating for S.685 and H.1321, An Act relative to transparency of consumer health insurance rights. This crucial legislation would require that the statement, "This health plan is fully-insured, subject to all Massachusetts insurance laws," be clearly printed on insurance cards. Why is this so important for families?
- Parents seeking services would immediately know if their child is entitled to state-mandated protections, including the critical BHCA benefit outlined in the DOI Bulletin.
- It significantly reduces the administrative hassle for behavioral health service providers, giving them a clear way to identify if a child is eligible for these specific services.
Learn More and Have Your Voice Heard!
To get the latest details on the BHCA benefit and hear more about the CMHC's advocacy efforts, join our “Brunch and Learn” webinar on January 23 from 10-11 a.m..
We also need as many family members, providers, and health care advocates who care about this critical issue to attend a listening session being hosted by the DOI on Wednesday, February 11. Two sessions will be held: one in the afternoon from 1-2 p.m. and one in the evening from 6-7:30 p.m.
State House Testimony
During the fall, staff from campaign member organizations testified in support of bills relevant to children’s behavioral health. On November 13, 2025, the Campaign testified before the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery in strong support of An Act to ensure efficient and effective implementation of the Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform (S.1394 filed by Senator Cyr / H.2193 filed by Representatives Barber and Rogers) that will help ensure effective and efficient implementation of the Behavioral Health Roadmap. The Campaign’s testimony notes, “This bill directly addresses these systemic issues by establishing clear responsibilities within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) for oversight of the system. The mandate for the creation of biennial strategic plans will provide a clear vision for the future, and support alignment across the EOHHS agencies.” Pictured above are Courtney Chelo, Director of Government Relations for the Campaign, and Pamela Bows, Policy Coordinator for the Parent Professional Advocacy League. Aaron Katz of Eliot Community Human Services and Jess Larochelle of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health also testified with the Campaign in strong support of the bill.
- Click here to learn more about the Roadmap
- Click here for a fact sheet about the bill
Bill Updates
An Act relative to school Medicaid reimbursement [S.862/H.545]
- Senate - Senate Ways & Means
- House - H.545 reporting date extended to 03/18/2026
An Act regarding families and children in need of assistance [S.141/H.265]
- Senate - Senate Ways & Means
- House - attached to H.4599 (in House Ways & Means)
An Act to establish the Whole Child Grant Program [S.369/H.544]
- Senate - attached to S.400 (in Senate Ways & Means)
- House - H.544 reporting date extended to 03/18/2026
An Act expanding access to mental health services [S.773/H.1131]
- in the Joint Committee on Financial Services (heard on 09/09/2025)
An Act ensuring efficient and effective implementation of behavioral health reform [S.1394/H.2193]
- in the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery (heard on 11/10/2025)
News Roundup
Oct 13, 2025 - Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows Dec 9, 2025 - Pandemic school closures linked to more mental health problems among kids Dec 17, 2025 - Governor Healey Celebrates New Law Making State Institutional Records Public for Loved Ones