FILED ON: 1/27/2020

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2482

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 relative to improving access to treatment for individuals with perinatal substance use disorder.

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. Chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:- 

Section 72. (a) There shall be a special commission to evaluate the barriers to substance use treatment for women in the perinatal period. The special commission shall consist of: the secretary of health and human services or a designee, who shall serve as the chair; the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee, who shall be appointed based on expertise in family and infant health; the commissioner of the department of mental health or a designee, who shall be appointed based on expertise in maternal mental health and the intersection of substance use disorder; the commissioner of the department of children and families or a designee, who shall be appointed based on experience with providing support and stabilization services to families impacted by substance use disorder; the director of the bureau of substance addiction services or a designee, who shall be appointed based on experience with coordinating substance use treatment for women; the director of MassHealth or a designee; four members appointed by the governor, who shall include: one person from the Massachusetts Child Psychiatric Access Program for Moms, one person from the Perinatal and Neonatal Quality Improvement Network, one person from the Boston Medical Center’s Project RESPECT, one person who is a woman with experience seeking treatment in the perinatal period; two members of the senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the president and one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader; and two members of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker and one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader.

(b) Said special commission shall develop recommendations to remove barriers to treatment for perinatal substance use disorder, including but not limited to, insurance coverage; access to medication assisted treatment; access to mental health treatment; access to treatment postpartum depression to facilitate parenting; screening for substance use disorder; and the integration of perinatal care and substance use treatment. In developing recommendations, the special commission may coordinate and consult with other commissions and entities, as appropriate. The special commission shall submit a report, with its recommendations to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on mental health and substance use and recovery and the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities not later than one year after it’s first meeting.