SENATE DOCKET, NO. 198        FILED ON: 1/18/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 986

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patricia D. Jehlen

_________________

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 concerning the right of persons receiving services from programs or facilities of the Department of Mental Health to daily access to fresh air and the outdoors.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Patricia D. Jehlen

 

William N. Brownsberger

 

Christine E. Canavan

10th Plymouth

Sonia Chang-Diaz

 

Paul J. Donato

35th Middlesex

James B. Eldridge

 

Susan C. Fargo

 

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

Joyce A. Spiliotis

12th Essex

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 198        FILED ON: 1/18/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 986

By Ms. Jehlen, petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 986) of Story, Spiliotis, Provost and other members of the General Court for legislation to allow daily access to fresh air to persons receiving services from the Department of Mental Health.  [Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse].

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2280 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act concerning the right of persons receiving services from programs or facilities of the Department of Mental Health to daily access to fresh air and the outdoors.

 

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.   Section 23 of chapter 123 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subparagraph (e) the following subparagraph:-

(f) reasonable access to daily fresh air at inpatient facilities in a manner consistent with such person’s clinical condition and safety.  The department shall promulgate regulations defining what shall constitute reasonable access.

SECTION 2. Said section 23, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 68, the word “(e)” and inserting the following word:- (f)

SECTION 3. Said section 23, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “(c)”, in line 71, the following words:- and (f)