The Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee (MHLAC) has numerous publications about the rights of people with mental illness in Massachusetts. Click on the links below to view materials written by MHLAC and other organizations. You may also request a publication using MHLAC's Order Publications page. These publications are not a substitute for legal advice. MHLAC maintains an intake call-in line to answer specific legal questions. MHLAC provides advice and/or representation on some, but not all of the topics below. You can learn about other legal resources in Massachusetts from the MHLAC Legal Organizations Referral List.
NOTE: To open most of the publications below, you will need to use Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not already have this program on your computer, you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader here.
Click on the topic link you'd like information about or scroll down further to see the full library of publications.
Spanish Language
- Sus Derechos Respecto a La Hospitalizacion y Salida de Un Hospital Segun La Ley de Salud Mental de Massachusetts
- Derechos Basicos en Pacientes Internados en Instalaciones de Salud Mental en Massachusetts
- Derechos Sobre el Acceso a Registros de Salud Mental en Massachusetts
- Los seis derechos fundamentales de personas recibiendo servicios en instalaciones de salud mental en Massachusetts
- Tutela de un adulto en Massachusetts
Spanish translations
- Access to Mental Health Records (Spanish)
- Basic Rights on an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit (Spanish)
- DYS (Spanish)
- Guardianship of an Adult (Spanish)
- Six Fundamental Rights (Spanish)
- When My Child Is Disciplined At School: A Guide for Massachusetts Families in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole | A publication of the Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
Child and Youth Rights
- Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative Services
- Chapter 688 Process
- Unified Planning Teams
- Unified Planning Team Request Form
- The Parents’ How-to Guide to Children’s Mental Health Services in Massachusetts | A publication of the Boston Bar Association with Children’s Hospital Boston
- Best Practices for Residential Interventions for Youth and their Families: A Resource Guide for Judges and Legal Partners with Involvement in the Children’s Dependency Court System
- Child Requiring Assistance (CRA) (formerly CHINS) Law | A website of the Children’s League of Massachusetts
Department of Children and Families (DCF) Rights
Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC) Rights
Department of Mental Health (DMH) Client Rights
- Introduction to DMH
- Applying for DMH Services
- DMH Service Authorization Determination Process
- DMH Eligibility Appeals
- DMH Services
- DMH Case Management
- DMH Service Plans
- DMH Service or Eligibility Changes
- DMH Adult Community Clinical Services
- DMH Complaint Process
- DMH Complaint Process Form in PDF
- DMH Complaint Process Form in MS Word
- DMH Privileges Policy Applicable to Certain Inpatient Psychiatric Units
- DMH Restraint and Seclusion Regulations Applicable to Inpatient Psychiatric Units
Department of Youth Services
DYS Project Newsletters
- August 2006 DYS Project Newsletter
- February 2010 DYS Project Newsletter
- January 2009 DYS Project Newsletter
- March 2006 DYS Project Newsletter
- March 2008 DYS Project Newsletter
- May 2011 DYS Project Newsletter
Education Rights
Right to education of special populations
- Educating Youth With Trauma Histories
- Rights of Foster Children to Education
- Rights of Homeless Youth to Education
- The Education Surrogate Parent Program
- Puerto Rican Students with Disabilities Moving to Massachusetts | A publication of Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Special education process
- Rights of Youth Regarding Special Education Referral
- Rights of Youth Regarding Special Education Eligibility
- Rights of Youth Regarding Special Education Disputes
Special education plans
- Rights of Youth Regarding Individualized Education Programs
- Rights of Youth Regarding Special Education Placement
- Rights Regarding Extended Year Special Education Services
- Rights of Youth Regarding Special Education Transition Planning
Special education evaluations
- Rights of Youth Regarding Special Education Evaluations
- Rights Under Special Education Law Regarding Classroom Observation
- Rights of Youth Regarding Functional Behavior Assessments
Special education and related mental health services
- Educational Services Available to Youth With Disabilities
- Rights of Youth Regarding Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Mental Health Resources Available in Schools
- After School Programming for Youth with Disabilities
- Access of Youth to Behavioral Health Services
Special education for special populations
- Rights of Youth in Institutional Settings to Special Education
- Rights of Youth with Autism Regarding Special Education
Exclusion of special education students
- Rights of Special Education Youth Regarding Exclusion
- Rights of Regarding Termination and Suspension from Public or Private Special Education Schools
Restraint and time-out in schools
School discipline
- Rights of Regarding Termination and Suspension from Public or Private Special Education Schools
- Rights Regarding School Discipline
- Rights Regarding Prosecution for Misconduct at School
- When My Child Is Disciplined At School: A Guide for Massachusetts Families in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole | A publication of the Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
Testing of students
Rights of college students
- Rights of College Age Youth With Disabilities
- Tutorials to help students make the transition from high school to college | A publication of Northeastern University’s Disability Resource Center
Language access rights for students
Transportation rights of students
Rights regarding education records
Back to TopEmployment Rights
- Benefits and Health Insurance for Working People
- Employment Services
- Mental Health Provider’s Role in a Client’s Request for a Reasonable Accommodation at Work | This U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Fact Sheet addresses the rights of workers with common mental health conditions to reasonable accommodations under to the Americans with Disability Act
- Employee Personnel Record
- Sample Request for Employee Personnel Record
Family Law
- Mass. Legal Help Children and Families webpage with multiple links to information on family law topics
- SSDI and Child Support Modifications
- Restraining Orders
- New England Psychologist article: When the issue of predictive neglect arises, a combination of legal and clinical services is key to successful outcomes.
Health Care Rights
- When the Doctor Discriminates
- Rights in Emergency Departments
- Medication Rights
- Medication Rights (Spanish)
- Where to Direct Complaints about Mental Health Service Providers in Massachusetts
- Where to Direct Complaints about Licensed Mental Health Professionals in Massachusetts
- How to File a Complaint with the Division of Insurance regarding a Health Care Insurance Company
- How to File a Complaint about Health Care with the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
- Legal Guide to Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders
- Practical Guide to Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders
Health Care Reform and Insurance
- January 2012 MHLAC Comments on EOHHS’s draft proposal for a state demonstration project that combines Medicaid and Medicare funding to pay for dual eligible services through an integrated care entity
- January 2012 MHLAC Testimony in Support of H. 1174, An Act requiring mental health parity for disability policies
- January 2012 MHLAC Testimony in Support of H. 1177, An Act relative to the continuity of care of mental health treatment
- June 2012 MHLAC Letter to legislators on Healthcare Payment Reform
- September 2012 MHLAC & HCFA Comments on Division of Insurance Regulations and Procedures Under Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, Sections 23 and 254
- Consumer Control of Mental Health Information
- Eradicating Stigma
- Caseloads Time Quality
- Provider and Treatment Choice
- October 2014 Recommendations on utilization review to the Division of Insurance Health Care Access Bureau
- The Unintended Results of Payment Reform and Electronic Medical Records
- Choice and Continuity of Care as Significant Issues for Equality in Mental Health Care
- Electronic Medical Records — Healthy for Whom?
Inpatient Rights
- Rights in Emergency Departments
- Admission and Discharge Rights
- Admission and Discharge Rights (Spanish)
- Hospitalization in Connection with a Criminal Case
- Basic Rights on an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
- Basic Rights on an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit (Spanish)
- Six Fundamental Rights
- Six Fundamental Rights (Spanish)
- Right to Fresh Air
- Movement Rights on an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
- Medication Rights
- Restraint and Seclusion in Hospitals, Including Emergency Rooms
- Restraint and Seclusion in Hospitals, Including Emergency Rooms (Spanish)
- DMH Restraint and Seclusion Regulations Applicable to Inpatient Psychiatric Units (Spanish)
Records
- Access to Mental Health Records
- Mental Health Records Requests
- Mental Health Records and Fees
- Amending Mental Health Records
- Consumer Control of Mental Health Information
- Individuals’ Right under HIPAA to Access their Health Information An excerpt from a guidance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- The Unintended Results of Payment Reform and Electronic Medical Records
Restraint Rights
- Restraint in Massachusetts Public Schools
- Time-out in Massachusetts Public Schools
- Restraint in Massachusetts Residential School Programs
- DMH Restraint and Seclusion Regulations Applicable to Inpatient Psychiatric Units
- DMH Restraint and Seclusion Regulations Applicable to Inpatient Psychiatric Units (Spanish)
- Restraint and Seclusion in Hospitals, Including Emergency Rooms
- Restraint and Seclusion in Hospitals, Including Emergency Rooms (Spanish)