Section 16FF. (a) Subject to appropriation, the executive office of health and human services, in coordination with the department of elementary and secondary education, shall develop and implement a statewide program to assist in implementing behavioral health services and supports in each school district which shall include, but not be limited to, consultation, coaching and technical assistance.

Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 6A sec. 16FF

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts

(b) The program shall provide web-based, in-person and remote supports to administrators, teachers and school behavioral health staff related to planning, administering and managing behavioral health promotion, prevention and intervention services and supports, including: (i) engagement of families and guardians, with a focus on ensuring equitable, linguistically-competent, culturally-competent and developmentally appropriate responses, and (ii) access to services.

(c) The executive office, in consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education, shall establish a central base of operations within the University of Massachusetts, as well as regional sites, to carry out the program; provided, that there shall be a preference for existing locations providing similar services, such as the state center on child wellbeing and trauma within the University of Massachusetts medical school and the Behavioral Health Integrated Resources for Children Project within the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

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