FILED ON: 2/28/2012

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3964

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Twelve

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An Act relative to the closure of certain DDS facilities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, an independent, non-governmental entity, appointed by the Inspector General of the Commonwealth, shall complete a study of the reductions and closings of the Glavin Regional Center, the Monson Development Center and the Templeton Development Center, including intensive individual supports, for the purpose of closing those state institutions; provided further, that no steps shall be taken to close said institutions through layoffs until the study is completed; provided further, that the study shall examine the costs and benefits of maintaining the institutions and shall identify alternative methods of providing the services currently provided by those institutions; provided further, that the study shall identify the number and names of all private nonprofit vendors who contract with the department to provide direct care in the community, the amount of state and federal resources paid to those vendors in fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011 and the amount of clients served by these private nonprofit vendors in each of those fiscal years; provided further, that nothing in this item shall preclude an individual from exercising his rights to transfer to a community based residential placement either state or vendor operated; provided further, that the secretary shall report its findings in and its recommendations to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than April 1, 2012.