HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1046        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1339

 

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

1/14/2019

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/23/2019

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

1/24/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/25/2019

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/28/2019

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/30/2019

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

1/31/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/31/2019

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1046        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1339

By Ms. Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1339) 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. 721 OF 2017-2018.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

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.