Members and leaders of the Massachusetts Psychological Association who made this a top legislative priority through sustained advocacy
Concerned individual psychology professionals across Massachusetts, including clinicians who see the impact of interrupted care every day
Bipartisan support in both chambers, with PSYPACT bills recommended favorably the House and the Senate with bipartisan support
Patients, parents, students, practitioners and a concerned community experiencing or witnessing the harm caused by the current legal situation
Massachusetts residents lose access to their MA therapist the moment they cross a state border — even temporarily, even for school, even for work. Similarly, social worker/counselor care meets the same fate though governed by a separate licensing body.
This affects:
20,000+ MA freshmen leaving the state for college every year
100,000+ MA residents who commute daily across state lines
Anyone whose work or life requires interstate travel (touring performers, military families, seasonal workers, rural residents)
It creates a modern, mobile behavioral-health workforce.
Massachusetts is now the only state in New England not participating.
We are one of the last of a dwindling list of states yet to adopt:
Enacted, not yet effective
Alaska
Iowa
Louisiana
Legislation proposed
Hawaii
New York - passed & awaiting activation
Massachusetts - legislation under consideration by Joint Conference Committee
No PSYPACT legislation proposed
California
Oregon
New Mexico
Your Massachusetts legislators need to hear from constituents right now. They need to know when their communities care.
Legislators move amendments when they hear directly from constituents — your outreach is the pressure that keeps PSYPACT and Social Work Compact in the bill.
Your elected officials can report hearing from constituents:
Members of the Joint Conference Committee need to know we care:
Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston) – House Chair / Host
Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover) – Senate Chair / Host
Rep. Carole Fiola (D-Fall River) – House Co-Chair of Economic Development
Sen. Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport)
Rep. Michael Soter (R-Bellingham)
Sen. Peter Durant (R-Spencer)
This cannot wait. Roughly another 20,000 students have just left home to attend college out of state and lost access to their established therapists the moment they crossed the state line. They will go without that support as they face:
new surroundings
new social environments
new academic pressures
The Joint Conference Committee began meeting July 31, 2026. Under current legislative rules, the conference committee has until January 5, 2027 (the start of the next legislative session) to negotiate the differences and release a final compromise bill for a vote.
Governor Healey launched a statewide initiative to strengthen mental health care on August 26, 2026. This is the moment.
If the committee does not release a compromise bill by the deadline or if the amendment dies, then PSYPACT legislation must be reintroduced as a new bill in the next session.
Now is the time to help this bill over the finish line.
Governor Healey: “We recognize the critical role that mental health plays in our communities… we want to make sure Massachusetts has the best trained professionals to support people and families.”
Lt. Governor Driscoll: “Massachusetts is committed to building a behavioral health workforce that is strong, skilled and ready to meet the needs of our communities.”
PSYPACT is fundamentally about continuity of care — keeping people connected to the clinicians who know them best.
PSYPACT addresses multiple systemic gaps in Massachusetts’ behavioral-health access. It is:
A workforce issue
A student retention issue
A military family issue
A rural access issue
A public safety issue
A healthcare equity issue
Explore examples of the human impact of the current law.
According to the following financial references there is little to no financial impact
1. PSYPACT Commission (ASPPB)
The organization that administers PSYPACT states that the compact is funded through license fees paid by psychologists, not state appropriations.
States do not pay to join.
States do not pay ongoing operational costs.
The compact is financially supported by participating clinicians.
2. Council of State Governments (CSG)
CSG, which drafts and manages interstate compacts nationally, describes PSYPACT as a low-cost compact because:
It does not require new state infrastructure.
It uses existing licensing boards.
It does not require new state-funded programs.
3. Fiscal notes from other states
When states adopt PSYPACT, their legislative fiscal offices publish fiscal notes. These consistently show:
“Minimal fiscal impact”
“No significant cost to the state”
“Costs absorbed by existing licensing boards”
Fiscal notes from Colorado, Minnesota, Georgia, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Maine all reported no meaningful cost to join PSYPACT.
4. Massachusetts bill text
The MA bills follow the standard PSYPACT model:
No new state agency
No new state-funded program
No new state infrastructure
No required appropriation
Implementation handled by the existing Board of Registration of Psychologists
This is why PSYPACT is widely described as a low-cost, high-impact modernization of behavioral-health access.