We thank Governor Maura Healey for her decision to suspend the closing of Pocassett Mental Health Center. We are going to keep sending one tragedy from untreated serious mental illness per week until the state of Massachusetts is willing to provide more services for the severely mentally ill, not less. There are too many slipping through the cracks in our current system.
January 7, 2025, Angel Torres Morales, 23 was arrested after opening the door on a plane taxiing out of Logan Airport. At arraignment, his attorney said he suffered from a psychotic episode and did not remember what had happened. Morales suffers from mental health issues and was ordered to continue with mental health assessment and treatment, including medication.
We have been collecting stories in the Boston News reports since 2019. In the last 5 years alone there have been 79 avoidable tragedies with 49 lives lost. The full ongoing list is available here. This is only a fraction of these stories as the media does not share domestic violence incidents, and we are hearing from more families in the commonwealth everyday about how many obstacles exist to getting their loved ones care.
We need “An Act to provide Continuum of Care” bill to pass (SD.1194 / HD.3780) to protect the most fragile in our state. Here are a list of benefits:
In Service,
Laura Craciun, Policy Director, Massachusetts
MA Shattering Silence 
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