Behavioral Health in Massachusetts


Massachusetts
Behavioral Health Care dashboard

Related CHIA Publications

CHIA has produced its inaugural dashboard of metrics to monitor the performance of behavioral health care in the Commonwealth

Behavioral health encompasses services and treatment for both mental health and substance use disorders (SUD), an array of vital services that can meaningfully shape patient outcomes. Measuring and tracking indicators of behavioral health care provides an essential fact base that enables data-driven policymaking and delivery system reforms. As demonstrated by metrics from this year’s dashboard, while rates of follow-up care have increased, difficulties and disparities in accessing care highlight gaps in the Massachusetts behavioral health system.

In 2022, Massachusetts enacted the Mental Health ABC Act: Addressing Barriers to Care. The new law includes a number of new policies and investments aimed at improving access to behavioral health care services, and charges CHIA with monitoring “costs, cost trends, price, quality, utilization, and patient outcomes related to behavioral health service subcategories…including mental health, substance use disorder, outpatient, inpatient, services for children, services for adults, and provider type.”

CHIA’s Behavioral Health Dashboard is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of behavioral health care in Massachusetts, and will serve as a baseline for future comparison.

The interactive Tableau dashboard below is also available and includes additional data stratifications for exploration.


Updated September 26, 2024