Help STOP the Governor's Budget Cuts! You can make a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable children and families!

How you can get involved!

Email Legislators Share Your Testimony Spread the Word Sign The Petition

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Email your legislators:

Find your local legislators and send them each an email. Be sure to request the following:

Do not accept the Governor’s cuts to DMH’s child and adolescent services.
Please restore the funding for Governor's proposed cuts to the DMH Children's Services lines to the FY25 funding level.
Personalize your message. Explain what these services mean to you, your family and community
View Example Email
View Example Script for Phone Call

Help Spread the Word!

Download a shareable flyer to help spread the word — more to come!

Sign the Petition

Join us and sign this petition to DEMAND the Children, Youth & Family MA Department of Mental Health (DMH) budget be RESTORED to FY25 funding levels.

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Dear [Senator/Representative’s Last Name],

I am writing to you as a concerned advocate [insert your particular role here, profession, family, individual receiving support] for the wellbeing of the children of the Commonwealth and our communities at large.

Please stop the proposed budget cuts to the DMH children’s mental health services: budget line item 5042-5000. We must reinstate the programs and provide the funding for these critical children’s mental health services. These cuts include the adolescent intensive residential services, one of which is the only program of this level of intensity and type in the state for children ages 6-12!

At a time when mental health challenges among children and adolescents are at an all-time high, this budget proposal is a crisis in the making! Investing in mental health services is not just compassionate—it is fiscally responsible.

Mental health treatment for children and families reduces long-term costs. Cutting critical services will increase the demands on emergency services, healthcare (including increased emergency department boarding and inpatient recidivism), juvenile justice, special education, and future adult mental health service demands. Every dollar “saved” through cuts today will cost our state more in the future.

I urge you to stand with our children and families and oppose the proposed budget cuts to the DMH children’s mental health funding. This is particularly important to me as [insert YOUR reason here}

Thank you for your consideration and for your commitment to the well-being of our state’s youth.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Contact Information and or role]

Copy to Clipboard

Hello. I’m a constituent of Representative/Senator’s ______________ and also [insert your occupation/role here]

“I’m calling to ask that Representative/Senator __________________ to please advocate against the proposed budget cuts to DMH’s children’s mental health services: specifically budget line item 5042-5000. We must reinstate the DMH children’s programs and provide the funding for these critical children’s mental health services.

In fact, one of the proposed closures will be to the only children’s residential treatment programs in the state for children ages 6-12!

“It’s important that Representative/Senator __________________ oppose these DMH budget cuts as they will have immediate and lasting impact on the mental health of the youth of our commonwealth. An investment in children’s mental health is an investment in the future of our state.

[insert any additional personal information here, role, relationship to children’s mental health etc. If desired, leave an email address for follow up]

Thank you for your time.