Psychiatry

Parent Support and Advice Groups
Many people find that other parents are their best source of information and advice. Other parents can also help you decide which of the resources in this list may be most helpful for you and your family. There are several terrific parents' organizations in Massachusetts. The two listed below can be contacted by phone or email and can help you find other resources and groups.

Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PAL): 617-542-7860
www.ppal.net -- Offers advice and support for parents and runs a hotline. PAL is the statewide chapter of The Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. The FFCMH website also has useful information: www.ffcmh.org.

Federation for Children with Special Needs: 617-236-7210
www.fcsn.org -- Statewide organization that helps parents of children with special needs; services include information and support groups.

Information About Mental Health Diagnoses
There is a wide variety of information available on the Internet about mental health in general and also about specific conditions. Many of these websites have parent information sections, and a few have areas where parents can ask questions and get responses online.

General sites

TalkListen.org (run by the Boston Public Health Commission)
www.talklisten.org

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
www.aacap.org

National Mental Health Information Center
www.mentalhealth.org

Specific diagnoses

Families for Depression Awareness
www.familyaware.org

Children's Hospital Boston's "Depression Experience Journal"
www.experiencejournal.com

National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/facts_shts/fs_children.html

ADD/ADHD Information Library
www.chadd.org

Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center
www.edreferral.com

Keep Kids Healthy: Childhood and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders
www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/conditions/anxiety_disorders.html

Finding a Provider
If you have insurance, you should start by calling the member services number that is usually printed on your insurance card. Note that there may be a separate number to call for mental health services.

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership: 800-495-0086
www.masspartnership.com -- Can help many MassHealth members locate a provider and has useful contact information for emergency situations.

Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children: 617-587-1500
www.mspcc.org - MSPCC runs a number of parent support and counseling programs across the state.

Massachusetts Psychological Association: 781-263-0080 (10)
MPA provides access to psychologists in Massachusetts through their members. Contact the office at the number above, tell them 1) the type of service you need, 2) your location, and 3) your insurance information, and they will email your request to their membership list.

Massachusetts Association of Social Workers: 617-720-2828
MASW has a therapy referral service that you can access at the number above. You will be contacted by a social worker who can help you locate a provider with the specialty, location, and service you need.

Getting Access to Health Care
Massachusetts has many organizations and state offices dedicated to helping parents find health care coverage. Several key starting points are listed below.

Health Care for All: 617-350-7279
www.hcfama.org -- Health Care For All is the leading consumer advocacy organization in the state. It runs a helpline that can answer many of your questions about how to pay for health insurance.

Boston Public Health Commission: 617-534-5050
www.bphc.org -- For people living in the city of Boston, the Public Health Commission maintains a wide range of resources to help you find care. The Mayor's Healthline provides information and referral services.

Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy: 617-988-3125
This Division publishes a comprehensive guide to health programs available in Massachusetts. It can be downloaded from the internet at www.mass.gov/dhcfp/ pages/pdf/access.pdf.

Employee Benefits Security Administration in the U.S. Department of Labor, Boston Regional Office: 617-565-9600
Information about self-funded ERISA plans as well as mental health parity law.

Massachusetts Division of Insurance
www.mass.gov/doi

MassHealth Main Information
www.mass.gov/dma -- This is the main website for the state office that runs MassHealth, and it includes application information, forms you can download, and contact information.

Community Health, Inc.
www.compartners.org -- This is a website with good information about the different MassHealth programs, and it includes some links to local organizations that can help with applications.

Office of Medicaid Board of Hearings: 800-655-0338
To appeal a decision through the Fair Hearings Board process, fax your request for a hearing to 617-210-5820.

Legal Assistance
If you need legal advocacy or information, the following organizations may be able to help:

Health Law Advocates: 617-338-5241
www.hla-inc.org -- Helps with health care problems including mental health issues.

Massachusetts Advocates for Children: 617-357-8431
www.massadvocates.org -- Has a special expertise in school issues.

Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee: 617-338-2345
www.mass.gov/mhlac -- State-funded program that helps with mental health issues and has a number of publications on the legal rights of people with mental health problems.

Massachusetts Legal Help
www.masslegalhelp.org -- This website is run by legal services offices in Massachusetts, and it has a great deal of information on health care and other issues. The website has a complete listing of legal services agencies in the state, and you can use this list to find an advocate in your area.

Massachusetts Department of Education -- Special Education
www.doe.mass.edu/sped -- The parent information section of this website includes a number of useful guides as well as links to services in your community.

Section 504: Free Appropriate Public Education
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html

Special Needs Advocacy Network
www.spanmass.org -- Provides information and resources on special needs to parents and professionals.

Wrightslaw
www.wrightslaw.com -- Special education advocacy information and services

Other State Departments and Agencies

Department of Public Health: 617-624-6000
www.mass.gov/dph/dphhome.htm

DPH Community Support Line: 1-800-882-1435

Office of Patient Protection: 1-800-436-7757
www.mass.gov/dph/opp -- For filing complaints about your managed care company.

Bureau of Substance Abuse Services: 617-624-5111
www.mass.gov/dph/bsas/bsas.htm -- For help locating substance abuse services.

Department of Mental Health: 617-626-8000
www.mass.gov/dmh -- Applications can be downloaded.

Massachusetts Department of Social Services: 617-748-2000
www.mass.gov/dss

Juvenile Justice System

Citizens for Juvenile Justice: 617-338-1050
www.cfjj.org -- Publishes a useful guide called "From a Parent's Perspective: A Handbook for Parents of Children Committed to the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services.: This guide is available on their site at: http://www.cfjj.org/Pdf/Handbook2.pdf

Parent/Professional Advocacy League has also developed a "pocket guide" that helps parents talk to police officers about their child's mental health issues. The "Pocket Police Guide: Responding to Youth with Mental Health Needs" is available at www.ppal.net/downloads/PPG_6-10-2002.doc