Section 20: Pediatric behavioral health planning report
Section 20. Every 3 years, the commission, in collaboration with the department of public health, the department of mental health and the department of developmental services, shall prepare a pediatric behavioral health planning report analyzing the status of pediatric behavioral health in the commonwealth. The report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) a review of data from the online portal established in section 16P of chapter 6A and the reports submitted to the commission pursuant to subsection (f) of said section 16P of said chapter 6A; (ii) an analysis of the availability of pediatric acute psychiatric beds, crisis stabilization unit beds, community-based acute treatment beds, intensive community-based acute treatment beds, continuing care unit beds and post-hospitalization residential beds, broken down by geographic region and by sub-specialty, and an identification of any service limitations; (iii) an analysis of the capacity of the pediatric behavioral health workforce to respond to the acute behavioral health needs of children and adolescents across the commonwealth; (iv) any statutory, regulatory or operational factors that may impact pediatric boarding under said section 16P of said chapter 6A; and (v) any other information deemed relevant by the commission. The report shall be published on the commission's website.