welcome to the mental health legal advisors committee

announcements & events

legislative advocacy efforts are underway.

Check out mhlac's updated legislative advocacy page for details.

news and information

• See recent SJC decision on the issue of hospital staff referring patients confined in ERs for prosecution; a case in which MHLAC and CPR joined on an amicus brief.

• Check out MHLAC's recently revised RIGHTS OF YOUTH IN MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS REGARDING SCHOOL DISCIPLINE publication in our online library.

• Read a Joint Statement Released in Response to Initial Story in Globe's Spotlight Series on Mental Health in Massachusetts.

• Check out the slides from "Promoting Behavioral Health Privacy Principles within One Care" webinar where MHLAC's Susan Fendell presented. To learn more about OneCare go to www.onecarelearning.ehs.state.ma.us.

• MHLAC is blogging! Read our July entry.

  

• Concerned about access to electronic health records? Read Electronic Health Records - Healthy For Whom?.

• Check out Jennifer Honig's Comments to the FDA's Proposed Ban of Electrical Stimulation Devices Used to Treat Self-Injurious or Aggressive Behavior.

• Check out MHLAC's Legislative Advocacy page.

• MHLAC is on facebook! Check us out and like our page to stay informed. Or go to our eNews and Media page to read previous eNews editions, media items, and recent journal contributions by our staff.

• See "The Unintended Results of Payment Reform and Electronic Medical Records" article written by Susan Fendell and "Choice and Continuity of Care as Significant Issues for Equality in Mental Health Care" article written by Miriam Ruttenberg. Both both appear in Suffolk University Law School's Journal of Health and Biomedical Law, Vl. X 2014, No. 2.

• We want to hear from you!

  People with a Mental Health Diagnosis or Lived-experience We are looking for reports of you being denied care for physical problems because of your mental health history! We also want to know about Access to Fresh Air Have you, a friend or a loved one been on a psychiatric unit and have you been allowed access to fresh air? See more

• MHLAC's White Paper on Electronic Health Records. Integration of behavioral and physical health care is popular and so is the integration of electronic health records. But research shows that physicians recommend different treatment and are more likely to misdiagnose patients for whom they have access to records revealing a psychiatric history. This white paper supports the need for persons with psychiatric histories to control who can have access to their mental health information.

For over 40 years, children and adults with mental disabilities have looked to MHLAC for vindication of their rights against discrimination and to appropriate services. An independent state agency of the Supreme Judicial Court, MHLAC provides advice and direct legal representation on a wide range of legal issues. These include: access to services, treatment rights, equitable treatment in custody and visitation matters, guardianship abuse, insurance discrimination, educational rights, housing bias, and mistreatment in institutional and community settings. In addition to providing direct legal representation and advice, MHLAC lawyers also train judges, attorneys, and advocates; interpret and analyze legislation; and produce brochures and longer publications on pertinent legal matters.

This website is intended to inform individuals and families about the work of MHLAC, including special projects devoted to children confined in DYS facilities and to protecting parents’ rights to fair treatment in custody and visitation actions (the Clubhouse Family Legal Support Project). This site is also intended to be a resource to advocates, lawyers, mental health professionals and others interested in assisting individuals with mental disabilities to assert their rights and advocate for themselves. MHLAC welcomes your comments, questions and suggestions about our website via email mhlac@mhlac.org.

Interested in learning more about MHLAC. Our online library lists publications and legal resources for many subject areas under headings according to each topic. Read the latest edition of MHLAC eNews or view our MHLAC Outreach Packet for information we have distributed during presentations with advocates throughout the state of Massachusetts. To be added to the MHLAC mailing list or to schedule an outreach presentation at your event, please send your request to mhlac@mhlac.org.