Stanley Street Treatment and Resources (SSTAR) hosted one of three two-hour state-wide forums covering the Behavioral Health State Health Resource Plan on October 20, 2014 prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). The Department is holding the three sessions to get feedback about access and availability, quality and best practices, and information and data about the provision of behavioral health care across the Commonwealth. Following a presentation on the need for mental health and substance abuse services, Dr. Madeline Biondolillo went on to map where each of those services are available and to show the relative availability per capita. The South Coast Area, including Fall River and New Bedford, was shown to have one of the lowest availability of mental health inpatient beds (18.5 per 100,000), while the same area was shown to have a higher availability of substance abuse treatment beds (23.2 per 100,000). The survey will serve as a baseline for future analysis. For more information, contact Nancy Paull at Stanley Street Treatment & Resources at 508-324-3500.(Photos courtesy of Ray Gordon)

(Top row) SSTAR Executive Director Nancy Paul welcomes Dr. Madeline Biondolillo and State Representative Carole Fiola to the forum. (Middle row, left) Department of Public Health Office of Healthy Communities Director Cathy O'Connor talks with Rebecca Bialecki, VP Community Health, Heywood Hospital System, after Dr. Biondolillo finishes her presentation. (Bottom row, left) Lori Dakin, Executive Director of Psychiatric Services poses for a photo with Michael Hawkins, both of Southcoast Health's Psychiatric Services. (Bottom row, center) Matthew McCabe and Cathy O'Connor of DPH, Dr. David Carter and Nancy Paull of SSTAR, Dr. Biondolillo, and Darrell Villaruz of DPH pose for a photo. (Bottom row, right) Dr. Biondolillo poses for a photo with Rebecca Bialecki..