HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3236        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2001

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Paul McMurtry

_________________

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 improving mental health care through innovation.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3236        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2001

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2118 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

An Act relative to improving mental health care through innovation.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 19 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 3 following sections:-

Section 25. The department shall establish a comprehensive program for the research, technology transfer, design, development and commercialization of technologies for the treatment and support of people with mental illness and brain-based disorders and to promote such programs the department shall provide grants to state agencies, programs, and institutions that provide mental healthcare services to pilot cutting edge technology; including but not limited to: (i) supporting research and innovation in mental healthcare to reduce costs to the state and draw companies and research dollars to the commonwealth, while improving the quality of life for people with mental illness; (ii) creating programs to grow and foster a research and innovation eco-system for brain health technologies in Massachusetts; (iii) innovation support for companies and researchers focused on mental healthcare; (iv) model the successful activities the commonwealth has taken to grow and develop bio-technology, medical technology, green technology, and computer technology industries and leverage the current innovation economy and eco-system; and (v) close the innovation gap between the lack of innovation in mental healthcare and in bio-technology, medical technology, green technology, and computer technology.

The department shall establish standards for the development of the program.

Section 26. (a) There shall be a separate fund to be known as the Mental Health and Innovation Fund, which shall be sited within the department. The fund shall to support mental health and innovation projects in the commonwealth. The fund shall be an expendable trust fund and shall not be subject to appropriation.

(b) There shall be credited to the fund, revenue from appropriations or other monies authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund, and gifts, grants, private contributions, repayment of loans, investment income earned on the fund's assets, and all other sources. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.

Section 27. (a) There shall be established an oversight committee to the program established by section 25 and the fund established by section 26, which shall make policy recommendations to the department regarding program and funding activities.

(b) The committee shall be comprised of the following members: the commissioner of the department of public health or a designee; the commissioner of the department of mental health or a designee; the secretary of the executive office of public safety and security or a designee; the commissioner of the department of children and families; the secretary of the executive office of health and human services or a designee; and 4 individuals to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be an individual engaged in technology and innovation, 1 of whom shall be an individual engaged in digital health, and 1 of whom shall be a parent advocate for mental health innovation.

(c) Chapter 268A shall apply to committee members as special state employees, but the fund may purchase from, sell to, borrow from, loan to, contract with or otherwise deal with any person in which any committee member is in any way interested or involved, if such interest or involvement is disclosed in advance to the members of the committee and recorded in the minutes of the committee meeting. No committee member having such an interest or involvement may participate in any action of the committee relating to such person. Employment by the commonwealth or service in any agency thereof shall not be deemed to be such an interest or involvement.