SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1608 FILED ON: 1/16/2015
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1180
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Barbara A. L'Italien
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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 to increase current medical providers' knowledge about autism in order to improve the treatment individuals with autism receive in medical settings.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: |
Barbara A. L'Italien | Second Essex and Middlesex |
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. | 12th Hampden |
Carolyn C. Dykema | 8th Middlesex |
Marjorie C. Decker | 25th Middlesex |
Joan B. Lovely | Second Essex |
Robert L. Hedlund | Plymouth and Norfolk |
Marcos A. Devers | 16th Essex |
Kay Khan | 11th Middlesex |
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1608 FILED ON: 1/16/2015
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1180
By Mrs. L'Italien, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1180) of Barbara L'Italien, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Carolyn C. Dykema, Marjorie C. Decker and other members of the General Court for legislation to increase current medical providers' knowledge about autism in order to improve the treatment individuals with autism receive in medical settings. Public Health. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)
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An Act to increase current medical providers' knowledge about autism in order to improve the treatment individuals with autism receive in medical settings.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, to expand current medical providers' knowledge about autism, the department of public health will design and provide specialized training on autism through medical continuing education programs for primary care physicians, neurologists, psychiatrists, dentists, emergency room personnel and other medical specialists. Once the training on autism is implemented, the department of public health will design a pilot program to ultimately develop one "autism team" who could be called upon should a patient with autism enter the emergency room, need tests or x-rays, or need to be admitted. Members of the "team" will have completed the specialized training on autism and will be knowledgeable about autism and communication difficulties many people with autism have and advise medical doctors and other staff how to communicate with the patient.