Inside Track

Our children’s mental health system had gaps and flaws before the pandemic. COVID-19 only made things worse. However, there are growing efforts to make improvements in schools, insurance, crisis care and family support.

Please join us at the Inside Track, a PPAL briefing and networking meeting to get updated on new and current resources, news, legislative changes and advocacy efforts that affect children, youth and families.

January 2024

Slides from January 2024

What is Respite: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/129346781.pdf

Respite Innovations Grant: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/respite-innovations-grant

Caregiver 2 Caregiver Respite: https://fcsn.org/c2c/#:~:text=It%20draws%20on%20caregiver%20capacity,is%20culturally%20and%20linguistically%20affirming.

Now open to families: https://fcsn.org/c2c/

DMH ED Diversion Initiative

Youth Villages Intercept ED Boarding

Tufts Intensive Hospital Diversion (ED Diversion): https://tuftshealthplan.com/documents/providers/behavioral-health/intensive-hospital-diversion-perf-specs

Children’s Mental Health Campaign (CMHC): https://www.childrensmentalhealthcampaign.org/

Legislation: What Can I Do?

Legislation: Hearings and Testimony: https://malegislature.gov/Events

2023/4 legislation: where are we in the legislative process? https://malegislature.gov/Bills/Search

2023/24 Legislation part 2: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint

S.101 / H.134, An Act regarding families and children in need of assistance. https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H134

Current legislation:

Question of the Month

Media Requests: info@PPAL.net

January
2024
November 2023

Slides from November 2023

Bulletins

PANS/PANDAS

Are you a parent/caregiver with direct experience with DCF reports made by your child's school?

Family Matters 1st, Movement for Family Power, and Boston University is conducting the study. Compensation Available.

Contact Andrew King
arking86@bu.edu
857-209-1117

PPAL Media Requests: info@ppal.net

Looking to hear from:

  • Families that have multi-agency involvement
  • (including court, CRA and other avenues)
  • Peer counseling experiences
  • Foster families willing to talk about waiting in ER and not getting assessed timely for mental health crises
  • Family experience with CBHCs (Community Behavioral Health Centers)
  • 988 and BHHL ( Behavioral Health Helpline)
  •  Have you used either? How is it working?
November
2023
January 2023

Slides from January 2023

Bulletins

Networking Resources

January
2023
September 2022

Slides from September 2022

Bulletins

Community Updates:

  • DMH Program for Acute Community Treatment (PACT) for Youth
  • FAMILIES NEEDED to speak to the following media about various Behavioral Health topics:
    • Boston Magazine, CBS News, WBUR, Boston Children's Hospital Behavioral Health Summit (in-person event)
    • Interested? contact:
  • Restraint and Seclusion Update–

Juvenile Justice Updates:

Policy Updates

  • ABC Mental Health Omnibus Bill
    • Online Portal to track BH Boarding and available beds (Session Law– Acts of 2022 Chapter 177- AN ACT ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SECTION 2, Section 16P) 
    • Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Program (Session Law– Acts of 2022 Chapter 177- AN ACT ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SECTION 4, Section 16FF)

Networking

Resources: 

Events:

Job Openings:

PPAL Events:

September
2022
July 2022

Slides from July 2022

Bulletins

Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, July 2022: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-discipline-guidance.pdf

988 resources:

Current Bills discussed:

DMH Community and School Therapeutic Support – Family Support

Networking Resources

Community resources: 

Project Bread: Free Meals For Kids in MA

Boston Public Schools Accessing MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT During Summer Break factsheet

Hand Hold MA

Smart911

Karaya Peer Respite

Afiya Peer Respite

Books

NAMI’s "Meet Little Monster" Children’s Mental Health Coloring & Activity Book

DMH’s Different Kinds of Hurt: Isaac’s Story

Wendy O’Leary’s THE MONSTER PARADE and other books

Job openings:

More Than Words Job Openings

Boston Public Schools Job Openings

The Support Network / Consortium Job Openings

PPAL Job Openings

Support Groups/ Trainings:

Autism Support Group Every Wednesday. Wandamontes@nafi.com

Youth Move MA Virtual Youth Group every first Tuesday of the month from 5:00pm-6:30pm-- email youthmovema@ppal.net

Sibling support group–https://bit.ly/SiblingSupportFlyer2022  

PPAL Events, Workshop and Parent Support Calendar: www.PPAL.net/events

July
2022