Press Release: 2/5/2026
Office of the Child Advocate Releases FY25 Annual Report Highlighting a Decade of Growth, Oversight, and Systemic Reform
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
2/04/2026
BOSTON, MA — The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) has released its Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report, documenting the agency’s ongoing efforts in strengthening oversight, advancing public policy, improving data transparency, and promoting the safety and wellbeing of children served by the Commonwealth.
The FY25 Annual Report marks a milestone moment for the agency and for its Director, Maria Mossaides, as it is her final annual report after ten years of service as the Commonwealth’s Child Advocate.
“It has been truly an honor to serve as the Child Advocate of the Commonwealth and to lead an office dedicated to ensuring that every child receiving state services has the opportunity to grow, thrive, and be protected by systems worthy of their trust,” said Mossaides.
Since 2015, the OCA has grown from a staff of three and a $450,000 budget into a robust, multidisciplinary agency of 36 staff with a $7.3 million FY25 budget. While continuing its core statutory responsibilities—operating a Complaint Line and reviewing critical incidents involving children—the OCA has expanded its role to include policy leadership, data analysis, pilot programs, training initiatives, and cross-agency coordination.
Key FY25 Highlights and Achievements
The FY25 Annual Report documents progress across eight strategic goals outlined in the OCA’s FY24–FY26 framework, including prevention, equity, transition-age youth supports, behavioral health coordination, and internal capacity building. Together, these efforts reflect a coordinated, trauma-informed, and equity-driven approach to improving outcomes for children and families. Highlights include:
Strengthened Oversight and Quality Assurance: In FY25, the OCA reviewed more than 1,700 cases involving children’s experiences with state services, provided direct assistance to families, and conducted in-depth investigations into systemic concerns.
Leadership on State Boards and Commissions: The Legislature has entrusted the OCA to lead or co-lead multiple statewide boards and commissions, including the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data Board (JJPAD), Childhood Trauma Task Force (CTTF), and Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Advisory Council—reflecting the office’s role as a trusted, neutral convener. In FY25, the Office released two major reports in its roles as chair of the JJPAD Board and one in its role as chair of the CTTF.
Advancing Child-Focused Public Policy: Through research, data, and stakeholder engagement, the OCA has contributed to significant legislative reforms, including, in FY25, legislation that led to the end of automatic mandated reporting for substance-exposed newborns. The OCA has also supported a wide variety of bills that would help make children safer in the Commonwealth, strengthen the OCA, and help connect children and families with access to the critical resources they need.
Innovative Pilot Projects and Public Awareness Campaigns: In FY25, the OCA continued its partnership with the Department of Youth Services on the Massachusetts Youth Diversion Project as that program continued to expand to new counties. The OCA also partnered with the Department of Developmental Services on an water-safety awareness campaign for families of children with autism, with the Department of Children and Families on the implementation of a Transition Age Youth Bridge Fund, with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services on an awareness campaign for youth experiencing homelessness, and with the Attorney General’s Office on a diversion program for youth alleged of “sexting”-related offenses. In addition, the office continued to operate and improve its online training for mandated reporters.
Cross-Agency Coordination and Child Fatality Review: The OCA continues to serve as a key partner across agencies, leading an interagency residential schools work group, establishing a cross-secretariat Training and Learning Collaborative, co-administering the Child Fatality Review Program with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and Department of Public Health, serving as a member of the Interagency Review Team, and participating in multiple interagency task forces focused on child safety and wellbeing.
Data Quality, Transparency, and Reporting:Improving data quality remains a core priority. In FY25, the OCA continued to oversee the statewide juvenile justice data dashboard and annual report, integrating data from courts, probation, and youth services to support transparency and informed decision-making.
Building the Center on Child Wellbeing and Trauma: The OCA’s Center on Child Wellbeing and Trauma (CCWT), fully integrated into the agency in 2023, now provides trauma-responsive training and technical assistance across child-serving systems, embedding best practices statewide. In FY25, this work included partnerships with the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Youth Services, the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
As noted in the Annual Report, the OCA will release an in-depth report later this year analyzing data from the over 1,700 reports received through the OCA’s core mandated functions.
To read the full FY24 Annual Report, visit: https://www.mass.gov/doc/oca-annual-report-fiscal-year-2025/download