HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2521        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2226

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John Francis Moran

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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 commission to study the availability of the continuum of care services for persons with substance use disorder.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2521        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2226

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act establishing a commission to study the availability of the continuum of care services for persons with 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. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study the availability of continuum of care services  for persons with substance use disorder and the potential creation of regional facilities for this purpose. The commission shall study and make recommendations on: (i) the current regional availability of detoxification services, clinical stabilization services, transitional support services, residential recovery home services and outpatient treatment including medication assisted treatment. (ii) identify institutional barriers that individuals face as they progress through the treatment continuum , including mental health, physical treatment, funding, treatment costs, program space, transit options, accessibility and housing availability that are caused by unconnected services or a lack of continuum of care within the current recovery process. (iii) create an assessment of the need for a regional continuum of care facilities for the treatment of substance abuse disorders and the optimal capacity of each level of care to allow individuals to efficiently access each level of care as clinically necessary.

(b) The commission shall consist of the House and Senate chairs of the Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, who shall serve as co-chairs; a member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; a member appointed by the Senate President; the minority leader of the House, or a designee; the minority leader of the Senate, or a designee; the Attorney General, or a designee; the Assistant Secretary for MassHealth; the Director of the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services; the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, or a designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, or a designee; the Commissioner of the Division of Insurance, or a designee; the Boston Public Health Commissioner, or a designee; and one from each of the following: Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery; the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association; Volunteers of America Massachusetts; Learn to Cope; RIZE Massachusetts; The Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center; the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans; and Newmarket BID Homeless B2W Services;

(c) All appointments shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of this section. The co-chairs shall convene the first meeting of the special commission within 45 days after all appointments have been made.

(d) The commission shall submit a detailed report with its proposals and recommendations, along with drafts of legislation necessary to carry out its recommendations, to the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery and the Governor not later than one year following the establishment of said commission. The commission shall monitor the implementation of its recommendations.