Children's Behavioral Health Initiative

Overview

The Children's Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) was created to implement the remedy in a class action law suit filed on behalf of MassHealth-enrolled children under the age of 21 with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Through CBHI, MassHealth requires primary care providers to offer standardized behavioral health screenings at well child visits, mental health clinicians to use a standardized behavioral health assessment tool, and provides new or enhanced home and community-based behavioral health services. CBHI also includes a larger interagency effort to develop an integrated system of state-funded behavioral health services for children, youth and their families. Six services were developed to meet the mission of CBHI.

Download a PDF describing Children's Behavioral Health Initiative Services

Vision

The Children's Behavioral Health Initiative places the family and child at the center of our service delivery system, and will build an integrated system of behavioral health services that meets the individual needs of the child and family. Policies, financing, management, and delivery of publicly-funded behavioral health services will be integrated to make it easier for families to find and access appropriate services, and to ensure that families feel welcome, respected and receive services that meet their needs, as defined by the family.

Values

Child-Centered and Family-Driven
Services are driven by the needs and preferences of the child and family, developed in partnership with families, and accountable to families.

Strengths-Based
Services are built on the strengths of the family and their community.

Culturally Responsive
Services are responsive to the family's values, beliefs, norms, and to the socio-economic and cultural context.

Collaborative and Integrated
Services are integrated across child-serving agencies and programs.

Continuously Improving
Service improvements reflect a culture of continuous learning, informed by data, family feedback, evidence, and best practice.

Strategic Priorities

1. Increase timely access to appropriate services
2. Expand array of community-based services
3. Reduce health disparities
4. Promote clinical best practice and innovation
5. Establish an integrated behavioral health system across state agencies
6. Strengthen, expand, and diversify workforce
7. Mutual accountability, transparency and continuous quality improvement