SENATE DOCKET, NO. 971        FILED ON: 2/9/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 81

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Harriette L. Chandler

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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 creating a Center on Child Wellness and Trauma.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 971        FILED ON: 2/9/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 81

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act creating a Center on Child Wellness and Trauma.

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 18C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 14 following section:-

Section 15.

(a)Subject to appropriation, the child advocate shall establish a statewide program on child wellness and trauma. The program shall focus on guiding and supporting all organizations that interact with children and their caregivers, including but not limited to organizations addressing child welfare, juvenile justice, healthcare, child caregiver support, and healthy childhood development, to address traumatic stress of children and youth throughout the Commonwealth. The program shall support organizations in preventing childhood trauma and re-traumatization and implementing an organizational structure and treatment framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma and in accordance with recognized principles of a trauma-informed approach and trauma-specific interventions to address trauma's consequences and facilitate healing. The program may also develop and implement a process, including issuing any necessary regulations, to track participation in training and technical assistance provided by the program and certify individuals or organizations as being “trauma-informed and responsive,” provided that the child advocate shall make reasonable efforts to ensure certification requirements are in alignment with any applicable federal requirements.

(b) At the direction of the child advocate, the program may:

i.Provide and/or coordinate training, coaching, and other forms of technical assistance to staff and organizations that interact with children or their caregivers; 

ii.Develop and disseminate information related to child wellness and trauma through a website or other mechanism;

iii.Make recommendations regarding best practices for identifying and responding to children and their caregivers who have experienced trauma;

iv.Identify, evaluate, and disseminate promising practices for identifying and addressing childhood trauma;

v.Identify gaps in available trauma prevention, early intervention, treatment services, or treatment service capacity for children and their caregivers statewide;

vi.Collect, analyze and report data related to child wellness and trauma;

vii.Make recommendations to state agencies regarding necessary training for staff and/or contractors, changes in policies and procedures, inclusion of specific language in requests for proposal or contracts with providers, and/or implementation of evidence-informed services to improve the state response to childhood trauma; 

viii.Undertake other activities designed to support the goals of the program.

(c) The child advocate shall set priorities and areas of focus for the program in consultation with the secretary of health and human services, the secretary of education, and the members of the childhood trauma task force established in section 14. 

(d) The child advocate may establish the program, or any aspect of the program, in partnership with a state institution or a public or private institute of higher education. The child advocate may also contract with any agencies, individuals or groups for the provision of necessary services.

(e) The child advocate shall report annually to the Legislature on the activities and accomplishments of the Child Wellness and Trauma program, as well as any barriers to success.