HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 622        FILED ON: 1/18/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 554

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Byron Rushing

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the treatment of prisoners..

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Byron Rushing

9th Suffolk

1/18/2011

Patricia D. Jehlen

 

2/1/2011

Linda Dorcena Forry

12th Suffolk

2/3/2011

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

34th Middlesex

1/27/2011

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

1/28/2011

Joyce A. Spiliotis

12th Essex

1/31/2011

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

2/3/2011

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

2/3/2011

Alice K. Wolf

25th Middlesex

2/3/2011

William N. Brownsberger

 

1/29/2011

Gloria L. Fox

7th Suffolk

2/3/2011

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/4/2011

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

2/4/2011

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

2/4/2011


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 622        FILED ON: 1/18/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 554

By Mr. Rushing of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 554) of Byron Rushing and others relative to the treatment of emotionally disturbed prisoners.  Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1947 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act relative to the treatment of prisoners..

 

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. Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after

Section 32 the following new section:—

Section 32A. TREATMENT OF EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED PRISONERS

(A) Prohibitions Concerning Intervention for Suicide Attempts and Self-Mutilation

(1) A prisoner who either commits self-mutilation or attempts suicide shall not be disciplined

or punished for such behavior, nor shall the prisoner be segregated or isolated except to the

extent specifically authorized by medical staff for treatment. The use of “closed solid door

isolation,” so-called, to punish or manage suicidal or self-mutilating prisoners is specifically

prohibited.

(B) Requirements Concerning Intervention for Suicide Attempts and Self-Mutilation

(1) The commissioner shall require that the following steps be taken to insure appropriate

responses to suicide attempts. Institutional staff will be trained in techniques for responding

to suicide attempts and self-mutilation that ensure the safe and quick extrication of prisoners

who hang themselves and the provision of necessary first aid. A prisoner who commits selfmutilation

or attempts suicide shall immediately receive appropriate medical attention and

shall be interviewed by a licensed mental health professional within twelve hours of the

incident, which interview shall be logged in the inmate’s medical record and in the block log

where the prisoner is located at the time of the interview.