Healey To 'Pause' Plans To Shut Down Cape Cod Mental Health Facility

CAPE COD, MA — Gov. Maura Healey said Monday night she would pause plans to close the Pocasset Mental Health Center on Cape Cod after weeks of opposition from locals and politicians from around the Cape.

Healey said she's instructed the Departments of Public and Mental Health to "pause" plans to close both the Pocasset Mental Health Center and the Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, in Canton.

"Over the past few weeks, I have heard directly from patients, families and staff about the important role that Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children and Pocasset Mental Health Center play in their communities," said Healey.

She continued:

"I’m deeply grateful for their feedback, as well as for the hard work of our teams at the Department of Public Health and Department of Mental Health, who are focused on ensuring that all patients receive the high-quality, modernized, specialized care they need and deserve. At this time, I’ve directed them to pause their plans to close Pappas and Pocasset so that we can bring together a diverse group of stakeholders – including patients, families, labor, local officials, and medical professionals– to conduct a further review of the care offered at these facilities and make recommendations on the best path forward to ensure we are providing the highest quality of care with the resources at hand."

Among those who came out in opposition to the plan, part of the governor's most recent budget proposal, were State Rep. David T. Vieira, State Sen. Dylan Fernandes and Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley.

Fernandes also issued a statement Monday, praising the move.

"I am deeply grateful to Governor Healey for supporting mental health beds in our region and working to keep the Pocasset location open," Fernandes said.

He continued:

"We spoke out and rallied against the Department of Mental Health’s decision to close the in-patient center and we are incredibly fortunate to have a Governor who listens and deeply cares about the closure’s impact to our geographically isolated region and to people struggling with lack of access to care. We are going to keep fighting for healthcare access on the Cape & South Shore and I want to thank everyone who stood alongside us - especially the Pocasset mental health workers and patients who understand what these beds mean to our district more than anyone."

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The news from Healey's office also came hours before a planned Tuesday rally to oppose Healey's Fiscal Year 2026 proposal at the State House. Those who gathered outside the State House planned to also deliver a petition to Healey's office that has garnered nearly 18,000 signatures.

On Cape Cod, more than 50 people attended a recent Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates hearing in what the delegates called an "unprecedented public outcry" against the proposed closure.

Paul Hardigan is Cape Cod's only case manager for children, the Assembly said. He spoke at the meeting and bluntly stated what could lie ahead if the closure goes through.

"If any of your children have an incident on the Cape and are deemed to require a hospital level of care, there is nowhere for them to go," Hardigan said.

At the hearing, the Assembly voted unanimously to approve a resolution calling on the Governor to reverse her proposed cuts.