Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 19 - Department of Mental Health
Section 12 - Community Mental Health Services

Section 12. The department shall establish a comprehensive program of community mental health services which shall include state hospitals, clinics, comprehensive centers and other facilities of the department, and to promote such programs the department shall divide the commonwealth into service areas for the conduct of said mental health services, and shall establish standards for the development of said community programs.
Each area shall be drawn so as to include and to allow for the development of mental health services and facilities, as needed, which shall be readily accessible to the people in the area, taking into consideration such factors as geographic boundaries, roads and other means of transportation, population concentration, city, town and county lines, other relevant community services, and community economic and social relationships.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth

Chapter 19 - Department of Mental Health

Section 1 - Creation; Powers of Department and Commissioner; Safety Symposium

Section 2 - Commissioner; Appointment; Qualifications; Appointments by Commissioner; Report; Salary

Section 3 - Deputy Commissioner; Appointment; Duties; Qualifications

Section 4 - Assistant, Deputy or Associate Commissioners; Appointment; Duties; Qualifications

Section 5 - Legal Counsel

Section 6 - Program for Training of Residents in Psychiatry and Other Professional Disciplines

Section 7 - State Facilities Under Department Control; Admission

Section 8 - Superintendents or Directors; Vacancies; Appointments; Qualifications; Officers

Section 8a - Boards of Trustees for Taunton State Hospital and Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital

Section 10 - Crimes Committed by or Upon Persons on Facility Premises or Persons in Care of Facility

Section 11 - Mental Health Advisory Council

Section 11a - Disclosure of Financial Interest in Department Contracts by Human Rights Advisory Committee Members

Section 12 - Community Mental Health Services

Section 13 - Community Mental Health Area Directors

Section 14 - Community Mental Health Area Boards

Section 15 - Duties and Powers of Area Boards

Section 16 - Development and Maintenance of Community Mental Health Services

Section 16a - Program to Provide Remote Mental Health Consultations

Section 17 - Area Advisory Committees

Section 18 - Rules and Regulations

Section 19 - Inpatient Psychiatric, Residential or Day Care Services; Licenses

Section 20 - Mental Health Facility Employees; Civil Service Exemption

Section 21 - Interagency Agreements With Developmental Services Department

Section 22 - Consultation of Commissioner for Behavioral Health Services for Children

Section 23 - Children's Behavioral Research Center; Powers and Duties; Annual Report

Section 24 - Notification of Parent or Guardian of Child Receiving Inpatient Psychiatric Services

Section 25 - Center for Responsive Training in Crisis Intervention