HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 160        FILED ON: 1/8/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1704

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Josh S. Cutler

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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 establishing a behavioral health workforce development trust fund.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 160        FILED ON: 1/8/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1704

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1062 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act establishing a behavioral health workforce development trust fund.

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. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Workforce Development Trust Fund to which shall be credited any appropriations, bond proceeds or other monies authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited thereto, and additional funds, including federal grants or loans or private donations. Any balance in the fund at the close of a fiscal year shall be available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years and shall not revert to the General Fund.

Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended for the purposes of creating and providing a competitive grant system available to mental health services agencies for the clinical supervision of behavioral health providers-in-training pursuing licensure as LMHCs, LICSWs and other MA-level, mandated, licensed behavioral health providers; and to enhance professional development opportunities in the mental health field.

SECTION 2. The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Workforce Development Trust Fund shall be comprised of the following: the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health or designee, Commissioner of the Department of Public Health or designee; two representatives each from the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association and the National Association of Social Workers; and one representative each from the Association for Behavioral Health, and the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems.