Massachusetts Association for Mental Health

10/12/2026

Trauma-Informed Hampshire County is collaborating with The Support Network to offer, "A Conversation with Marisol Garcia, Child Advocate of MA" on Tuesday, October 20 from 2-3 pm.

Register to take part in a dialogue with the new Child Advocate of Massachusetts. Learn more about the Office of the Child Advocate and its role in supporting children and families. Marisol is excited to learn more about needs and concerns specific to .

Parents, providers, law enforcement, community members - all are welcome to attend.

Register: https://tinyurl.com/28vhkc7c

09/04/2026

For decades, MAMH and our partners have urged the state to transfer control of Bridgewater State Hospital (Bridgewater) to the Department of Mental Health (DMH). Individuals who are confined pursuant to a criminal matter who need hospital-level mental health care deserve a therapeutic setting which maximizes the possibility of recovery. That is why we are grateful to Senator Cynthia Creem, the General Court, and Governor Maura Healey for framing and signing the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) State Budget directing DMH and the Department of Corrections (DOC) to plan for the transfer to be accomplished no later than December 31, 2028. This is a critical first step.

MAMH echoes the sentiment of the Disability Law Center Inc. (DLC), which has monitored conditions from inside the facility for a number of years, pursuant to agreement, court order, and as the Protection and Advocacy agency in Massachusetts. Our appreciation goes out to DLC for the important role they play protecting the interest of patients while Bridgewater remains under DOC direction.

The next step is advocacy. We need to take action on H.3291 and S.1386, An Act transferring Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Correction to the Department of Mental Health. On the Senate side, Senator Cindy Creem is sponsor. Sponsors on the House side include Representatives Christine Barber for State Senate and Marjorie Decker. Passage of these bills is critical. There needs to be a change in state statute to authorize the transfer from DOC to DMH.

As we prepare our call to action on the legislative side, please read up on the latest from our partners at the Disability Law Center (link below). And keep an eye on your inbox for our Action Alert urging passage of the Bridgewater bills, coming soon, as your lawmakers will need to hear from you. Your advocacy makes a difference.

Gratefully,
Danna Mauch
President and CEO, MAMH

More: https://www.dlc-ma.org/2026/09/02/disability-law-center-reiterates-call-for-bridgewater-state-hospital-to-transfer-to-department-of-mental-health-control/

08/17/2026

Massachusetts lacks sufficient specialized and in-home support to help older adults and others with conditions avoid eviction and homelessness, according to an environmental scan completed by the Massachusetts Hoarding Resource Network (MHRN).

Some recommendations include:
☑️Providing clinical training that combines executive functioning skills with support (to manage the distress caused by disgarding objects)
☑️Promoting co-response models at multiple levels (court, public health/inspection services, and police departments)
☑️Integrating assessment tools to guide eviction prevention and provide objective measurements for progress

More from the environmental scan: https://tinyurl.com/23q522kh

08/13/2026

As the school year begins, students and families face a mix of excitement, pressure, and uncertainty. Here are some resources to help with in mind from Mental Health America: https://tinyurl.com/2yxvgsr4

08/11/2026

We’re building on the momentum created with the around mental health with some of our local-to-Boston friends. Join us for a “cone-versation” this Thursday at 8p at The Anchor Boston. No RSVP required.

Join MAMH's President and CEO Danna Mauch, along with Scott Moore and Chris Sinclair, plus many other friends and colleagues.

08/11/2026

Legislative update: The State Budget includes development of a plan for the transfer of oversight and management of Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Correction to the Department of Mental Health.

This is a significant step forward. In June, MAMH and our partners held a briefing to raise awareness about the health, safety, and human rights violations currently happening at Bridgewater, and to garner more support for passage of the bill. MAMH intern Kelsie Sim provided this recap: https://www.mamh.org/blog/bridgewater-briefing-2026

Special thanks to Disability Law Center Inc., Rep. Christine Barber for State Senate, Senator Cindy Creem, and others for organizing and participating. 📢

08/07/2026

Featured blog post: Today's LGBTQIA+ older adults lived through decades of resilience, advocacy, and hard-won social change. Yet they also carry experiences of discrimination, stigma, and exclusion that continue to affect behavioral health and well-being.

Earlier this year, MAMH intern Claire Harris spoke during Older Adult Lobby Day about the value of learning from the experiences of older generations. They also partnered with Gen2GenQ to host a Saint Patrick's Day event at Pryde. As we reflect on the excellent work of our interns - many of which are heading back to school this fall - we're sharing some of the work accomplished along the way.

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/2asa5uae

07/22/2026

A traffic cone as a symbol of partnership? Last week, MAMH had the pleasure of marking the beginning of a relationship between the City of Boston and the City of Glasgow, Scotland.

The team is raising funds for and splitting the proceeds between MAMH and Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH). You can make a donation here: https://tinyurl.com/267w8p8l

Special thanks to the Tartan Army, Stuart Patrick, Andrew Dobbie, and Danny (HOKO_Danny) Campbell, and so many others who made this possible. No Boston No Party!

cc: MadeBrave

06/18/2026

Middle and high school students across the Commonwealth took home cash prizes in our sixth annual Mental Health Matters: Student Expression Contest. 🎨✍️

In the artistic still category – for drawings, paintings, and graphic design – students from Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School took home first through third place winnings in the high school category. In the middle school category, students from Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs, Berkley Public Schools, and Cyrus Peirce Middle School received prizes for their artistic still work.

First place winners in the written work category include Ella Perry, of Berkley Middle School, and a student at READS Academy. First place winners in the video category were middle schoolers – and sisters – Anabel and Isabella Nolberto. 🔗 See a full listing of winners on the MAMH blog.

MAMH's annual Mental Health Matters: Student Expression Contest - now in its sixth year - welcomes artwork and written submissions from students across…

06/15/2026

Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance honored State Senator Michael Rodrigues at their annual Home for Good event last week. The Canon Brian S. Kelley Public Servant Award celebrates public officials who demonstrate leadership in advancing efforts to end .

We congratulate Sen. Rodrigues and honor his work as Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means! Thank you for supporting some of the most vulnerable residents of .