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| Kudos to local advocates providing services to children with mental illness |
| by Senator Richard T. Moore |
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Many children with mental illness face substantial obstacles to needed treatment. In particular, our health care, social service, educational and court systems are not always equipped to properly help children gain access to the mental health care they need to live healthy lives. When children are denied access to needed mental health care they often end up in the juvenile court system. But now, children with mental illness in our juvenile courts and elsewhere in our communities have a new resource to help them get the care they need. Health Law Advocates (HLA) is a public interest law firm that provides free legal services to people denied access to health care. HLA has launched a new Child Mental Health Access Program to focus on making sure mentally ill children in Massachusetts have access to health care. A major initiative of this new program is operating in Southern Worcester County. HLA, in partnership with You, Inc. a leading central Massachusetts social service provider, and Worcester Juvenile Court Associate Justice Luis G. Perez have launched an important pilot project based in the Dudley Juvenile Court. In this program, Judge Perez identifies children in the Dudley Juvenile Court who need a legal advocate to access mental health care. HLA attorneys provide such representation on a pro bono basis and train other attorneys to do the same. You Inc. provides a wide range of social, psychological, educational, vocational, and other preventive and rehabilitation programs for troubled and at-risk children, adolescents and families. HLA is also available to provide free legal services to income-eligible children not involved in the Juvenile Court in Southern Worcester County but who are having trouble accessing mental health care. To inquire about Health Law Advocates’ services HLA can be reached at 617-338-5241. HLA, You Inc. and Judge Perez are also working to educate our communities on health care access issues facing mentally ill children. They have provided free trainings to lawyers, educators, police officers, probation officers and court staff. The training sessions raise awareness among those who work with children of mental illness and children’s legal rights to receive mental health care. For many years, HLA and I have worked cooperatively on a variety issues affecting the people of Central Massachusetts. I am pleased to have helped secure important funds for their work including their work on behalf of mentally ill children in our region. I commend HLA for their continuing efforts to assist the underserved families in the area. |
