§ 16DD — Office of behavioral health promotion

Section 16DD. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-"Office'', the office of behavioral health promotion."Secretary'', the secretary of health and human services.(b) There shall be an office of behavioral health promotion within the executive office of health and human services. The office shall be under the supervision and control of a director of behavioral health promotion who shall be appointed by and shall report to the secretary. The commission on community behavioral health promotion established in section 219 of chapter 6 shall serve as an advisory board to the office.(c) The office shall facilitate the coordination of all executive office, state agency, independent agency and state commission activities that promote behavioral health and wellness. The office shall set goals for the promotion of services and programming for behavioral health and substance use conditions. The office shall, in collaboration with the office of health equity established under section 16AA, fully integrate health equity principles and apply a health equity framework to all its duties and obligations. The office shall prepare and implement an annual plan for the promotion of behavioral health.[ Subsection (d) effective until August 8, 2024. For text effective August 8, 2024, see below.](d) The office shall collaborate with the executive offices and state agencies on behavioral health promotion. The executive offices and agencies shall include, but not be limited to: the executive office of health and human services, the executive office of education, the executive office of elder affairs, the department of mental health, the department of public health, the department of children and families, department of youth services, the department of veterans' services, the department of early education and care, the department of elementary and secondary education, the office for refugees and immigrants, the office of health equity, the office of the child advocate and any other relevant office, agency or commission. The office shall facilitate communication and partnership between relevant entities to develop and promote understanding of the intersections between entity activities and behavioral health promotion.[ Subsection (d) as amended by 2024, 178, Sec. 3 effective August 8, 2024 until January 9, 2025. For text effective until August 8, 2024, see above. For text effective January 9, 2025, see below.](d) The office shall collaborate with the executive offices and state agencies on behavioral health promotion. The executive offices and agencies shall include, but not be limited to: the executive office of health and human services, the executive office of education, the executive office of elder affairs, the department of mental health, the department of public health, the department of children and families, department of youth services, the executive office of veterans' services, the department of early education and care, the department of elementary and secondary education, the office for refugees and immigrants, the office of health equity, the office of the child advocate and any other relevant office, agency or commission. The office shall facilitate communication and partnership between relevant entities to develop and promote understanding of the intersections between entity activities and behavioral health promotion.[ Subsection (d) as amended by 2024, 392, Sec. 13 effective January 9, 2025. For text effective until January 9, 2025, see above.](d) The office shall collaborate with the executive offices and state agencies on behavioral health promotion. The executive offices and agencies shall include, but not be limited to: the executive office of health and human services, the executive office of education, the executive office of aging and independence, the department of mental health, the department of public health, the department of children and families, department of youth services, the executive office of veterans' services, the department of early education and care, the department of elementary and secondary education, the office for refugees and immigrants, the office of health equity, the office of the child advocate and any other relevant office, agency or commission. The office shall facilitate communication and partnership between relevant entities to develop and promote understanding of the intersections between entity activities and behavioral health promotion.(e) The office shall:(i) facilitate the development of interagency initiatives that: (A) are informed by the science of promotion and prevention; (B) advance health equity and trauma-informed care; and (C) address the social determinants of health;(ii) develop and implement a comprehensive plan to strengthen community and state-level promotion programming and infrastructure through training, technical assistance, resource development and dissemination and other initiatives;(iii) advance the identification and dissemination of evidence-based or evidence-informed practices designed to further promote behavioral health and the provision of supportive behavioral health services and programming to address substance use conditions and sequelae and to prevent violence through trauma-specific intervention and rehabilitation;(iv) collect and analyze data measuring population-based indicators of behavioral health from existing data sources, track changes over time and make programming and policy recommendations to address the needs of populations at greatest risk;(v) coordinate behavioral health promotion and wellness programs, campaigns and initiatives;(vi) provide staffing support for the commission on community behavioral health promotion established in section 219 of chapter 6;(vii) ascertain the behavioral health needs of veterans, including but not limited to an examination of: (A) the extent to which veterans seek, receive or are required to participate in behavioral health screening and treatment, if known; (B) barriers to veterans receiving or participating in behavioral health screening and treatment; (C) current programs and best practices to incentivize and support veterans to seek, receive and participate in behavioral health screening and treatment; and (D) any recommendations for improving access to and participation in behavioral health screening and treatment by veterans;(viii) examine: (A) the extent to which municipal and state police, firefighters and public safety personnel seek, receive or are required to participate in behavioral health screening and treatment, if known; (B) barriers to municipal and state police, firefighters and public safety personnel receiving or participating in behavioral health screening and treatment; (C) current programs and best practices to incentivize and support municipal and state police, firefighters and public safety personnel to seek, receive and participate in behavioral health screening and treatment; and (D) any recommendations for improving access to and participation in behavioral health screening and treatment by municipal and state police, firefighters and public safety personnel;(ix) establish a statewide evidence-based or evidence-informed education and awareness initiative to: (A) identify and disseminate best practices for preventing suicide and improving the behavioral health, mental wellness and resiliency among health care professionals; (B) encourage health care professionals to seek behavioral health support and care; (C) help such professionals identify risk factors associated with suicide and behavioral health crisis and to help such professionals learn how best to respond to such risks;(x) convene a student stakeholder advisory committee on mental health to work in collaboration with the department of elementary and secondary education to develop and implement school-based programs that promote student mental health and wellbeing, including but not limited to: (A) addressing and eliminating the stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use disorder; (B) recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions; (C) addressing cyberbullying; (D) preventing and responding to student suicide and suicidal ideation, including actions involving self-harm; (E) promoting positive coping behaviors and helping students avoid behaviors that can cause harm to students; and (F) promoting mental health treatment and recovery; provided, however, that no less than 1/3 of the committee members shall be secondary school students; provided further, that the committee shall submit an annual report by June 30 with its findings and recommendations, including any legislative or regulatory changes that may be necessary, to the office, which shall provide such report to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery, the joint committee on health care financing, the joint committee on education and, the house and senate committees on ways and means;(xi) address the stigma associated with seeking behavioral health services; and(xii) analyze and address any other issues pertaining to behavioral health promotion as deemed relevant by the office or the secretary. The office may enter into service agreements with the department of mental health or the department of public health to fulfill the obligations of the office.(f) The office shall evaluate the effectiveness of programs and interventions to promote behavioral health and wellness, identifying best practices and model programs for the commonwealth.(g) Annually, not later than July 1, the office shall report on its progress, and the overall progress of the commonwealth, toward promoting behavioral health and wellness and preventing substance use and violence using, when possible, quantifiable measures and comparative benchmarks, including a description of quantitative and qualitative metrics used to evaluate the office's activities and outcomes of the office's initiatives. The report shall be filed with the governor, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery. The report shall be posted on the official website of the commonwealth.