
Photo courtesy of Alexius Horatius
BOSTON (AP) – The Massachusetts House unanimously approved a bill Thursday designed to expand access to mental health services.
Democratic House leaders said the proposal addresses a variety of pressing needs including acute psychiatric care, the behavioral health of young people, strengthening community-based mental health services, and investing in the behavioral health workforce. Another key goal is expanding and enforcing existing mental health parity laws, which are intended to ensure that insurance coverage for mental health care is equal to insurance coverage for other medical conditions.
The House debate came after the Massachusetts Senate in November unanimously approved their own mental health bill.
By Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press