HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2065        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 721

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Ruth B. Balser

_________________

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 ensuring quality mental health services in state correctional facilities.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

 

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

 

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

 

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

 

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

 

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

 

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

 

Peter V. Kocot

1st Hampshire

 

Linda Dean Campbell

15th Essex

 

Angelo M. Scaccia

14th Suffolk

 

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

 

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

 

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

 

Paul Tucker

7th Essex

 

Carlos González

10th Hampden

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2065        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 721

By Ms. Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 721) of Ruth B. Balser and others for legislation to establish the Department of Mental Health as the oversight agency for the mental health system within the state prison system.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1171 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to ensuring quality mental health services in state correctional 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 of Chapter 19 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after the third paragraph:

The commissioner of mental health shall have supervision over the provision of mental health services to prisoners in the custody of the department of correction, including review and approval of any contract between the department of correction and any other entity concerning the provision of mental health services, and shall establish minimum standards for the effective delivery of such services.   At least once each six months the commissioner shall audit each state correctional facility to determine compliance with the minimum standards.