Testimony in Support of S.107, An Act Relative to Child ED Boarding

MAMH's testimony dated October 29, 2021 in support of support of S.107, An Act Relative to Child ED Boarding. The number of youth boarding, or waiting to be placed in an appropriate therapeutic setting after being assessed to need acute psychiatric treatment, intensive community-based treatment, continuing care unit placement, or post-hospitalization residential placement, has skyrocketed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, there were 455 children and adolescents either waiting for psychiatric evaluation or boarding in emergency departments or medical-surgical units as of October 4, 2021. The provisions in S.107 represent critical components of a solution to help children and adolescents receive the clinically appropriate behavioral health treatment they need in manner that is both timely and favors community-based therapeutic settings and supports.