Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
The June 2005 Community Resource Center Information Session hosted a talk by Robert J. Keane, PhD, the Deputy Commissioner for Clinical and Professional services at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH).
This presentation primarily focused on administration and public policy, or “macro” level issues. Please see the accompanying following article for more information on the application process.
Key points:
- DMH is charged with both the administration of services for those with mental illness, and also has oversight responsibility for commercial mental health services.
- Access to services through DMH is not an entitlement. It is currently funded to cover services for what is thought to be about 50% of those who would qualify as having “persistent and severe mental illness”. This has the unfortunate consequence of giving DMH a major incentive to deny eligibility and services. An applicant may be eligible, and in high clinical need, but be placed on a waiting list due to unavailability of needed services.
- DMH has endured budget cuts each year for the past ten years. This fiscal year it was level-funded.
- Some diagnoses fall through the cracks where DMH doesn’t cover them, but neither does any other state agency. PDD in particular doesn’t fall under the criteria for either DMH or the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR). A correction is now under consideration in the legislature.
- DMH has a relatively new commissioner and is undergoing a strategic planning process. Some initiatives should dovetail with Governor Romney’s initiatives to encourage interagency planning, coordination and management systems. There is an increasing political awareness that mental health crosses all agencies.
- Dr. Keane encouraged all social workers to read two important reports:
- The Presidents New Freedom Commission Report www.mentalhealthcommission.gov/reports/reports.htm and
- The Institute of Medicine’s report “Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century” www.nap.edu/books/0309072808/html.
See the following story for more detail on the eligibility criteria and application process.
06/2005