Consolidated Amendment "E" to H4000
Housing, Mental Health and Disabilities
Housing, Mental Health, and Disabilities
Fiscal Note: $7,408,846
Amendments 296 and 1141 have been re-categorized from Education and Local Aid
Amendment 415 has been re-categorized to Public Health
Amendment 1127 has been re-categorized from Public Health
Amendments from Housing: 9, 76, 77, 80, 90, 94, 143, 231, 275, 296, 315, 348, 349, 395, 414, 417, 422, 441, 455, 463, 513, 519, 525, 577, 606, 643, 647, 700, 712, 725, 729, 742, 755, 795, 836, 866, 904, 979, 995, 1021, 1050, 1104, 1105, 1138, 1154, and 1161
Amendments from Mental Health and Disabilities: 139, 146, 150, 202, 203, 226, 245, 273, 282, 294, 328, 365, 433, 478, 499, 607, 625, 761, 777, 794, 815, 824, 840, 842, 844, 859, 887, 892, 895, 906, 950, 982, 985, 1010, 1032, 1062, 1067, 1068, 1110, 1126, 1127, 1141, and 1157
Mr. Dempsey of Haverhill and others move to amend H.4000 in section 2 by inserting after item 1233-2400 the following item:-
1233-2401 For reimbursements to qualifying cities and towns for additional educational costs under Chapter 40S of the General Laws………………………………………………….$250,000
And further amend said section 2, in item 4125-0100, by striking out the figure “$5,638,874” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $5,738,874
And further amend said section 2, in item 5042-5000, by inserting after the words “human services;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $45,000 shall be expended for a juvenile firesetter intervention and prevention program in Hampshire and Franklin Counties, the town of Athol, and the city of Holyoke; provided further, that the department shall expend not less than $3,100,000 for the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project; provided further, that the commissioner may assess surcharge payors, as defined in section 64 of chapter 118E of the General Laws, for amounts expended from this item for the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project which are related to services rendered to the commercial clients of such surcharge payors;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$87,372,266” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $87,417,266
And further amend said section 2, in item 5046-0000, by inserting after the words “continuing care facilities;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Project Interface, on the South Shore in the communities of Cohasset, Duxbury, Hanover, Hingham, Kingston, Marshfield, Norwell, Pembroke, and Scituate;
And further amend said item by striking out the following: “2014” and inserting in place thereof the following: “2013”;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$361,368,607” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $366,497,453
And further amend said section 2, in item 5055-0000, by striking out the figure “$8,718,876” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $8,978,876
And further amend said section 2, in item 5911-1003, by inserting after the words “community day services;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for peer-to-peer inclusion programs for students with intellectual disabilities through Best Buddies Massachusetts;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$65,590,437” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $65,690,437
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-0099, by inserting after the words “multi-family housing;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the Easton Housing Authority; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended for the Leominster Education Foundation for homeless children in the city of Leominster; provided further, that not less than $175,000 shall be expended for the provision of emergency services operated by Community Action Programs Inter-City, Inc. for the communities of Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for World is Our Classroom, Inc. serving the towns of Holyoke, Westfield, Chicopee, and Greenfield;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$7,045,144” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $7,420,144
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-0101, by inserting after the words “through the reduction of scattered site units;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the Playspace Program operated by Horizons for Homeless Children; provided further, that the department shall develop a pilot program in the Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Berkshire regions of western Massachusetts to assess the need for and to provide nutritious meals to those homeless families placed in hotels and motels in said regions; provided further, that the department shall create a working group, including, but not limited to: the department of transitional assistance; the University of Massachusetts at Amherst; the Smith College School of Social Work; the department of children and families; the department of mental health; the department of elementary and secondary education; the Massachusetts Restaurant Association; faith based organizations; the Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture; the department of agricultural resources; the network of food pantries and survival centers; the Food Bank of western Massachusetts; HAP, Inc.; the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness; the Western Massachusetts Council of Human Services Providers; and regional community action agencies; provided further, that said pilot project shall develop methods and funding sources to provide access to nutritious meals, including fresh fruits and vegetables, to those temporarily housed in hotels and motels;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$120,149,718” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $120,199,718
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-0102, by inserting after the word “system;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Craig's Doors, Inc. of Amherst; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the River House Shelter in the city of Beverly; provided further, that not less than $40,000 shall be expended for the Friendly House in the city of Worcester; provided further, that not less than $125,000 shall be expended for the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness to implement the Opening Doors Strategic Plan to End Homelessness;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$42,200,335” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $42,565,335
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-0103, by inserting after the word “beds” the following:- ; and provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for People, Inc. for the transportation needs and services of families being housed in emergency assistance hotels or motels in the towns of Swansea and Somerset
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$15,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $15,100,000
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-0108, by striking out the words “; provided further, that a family shall not be able to receive cash assistance hereunder for 12 months from the last date it received cash assistance”
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-3036, by striking out the figure “$1,641,992” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $1,741,992
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-9005, by inserting after the words “exceeding the amount appropriated in this item;” the following:- provided further, that not less than $35,000 shall be expended for the Clinton Housing Authority;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$64,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $64,035,000
And further amend said section 2, in item 7004-9316, by striking out the word “non-profit” and inserting in place thereof the following:- HomeBASE
And further amend said item by striking out the words “; provided further, that a family shall not be eligible for assistance hereunder for 12 months from the date it received assistance under item 7004-0108 including housing stabilization services and economic self-sufficiency case management services”
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$10,500,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $11,000,000
And further amend said section 2 by striking out item 7004-9322 and inserting in place thereof the following item:-
7004-9322 For the Secure Jobs pilot program for job training, job search services, and 12 months of housing stabilization services, if not otherwise available, to families receiving assistance under 7004-0101, 7004-0103, 7004-0108, 7004-9024, or 7004-9316; provided, that the program shall be administered by agencies that have demonstrated experience working in partnership with regional administering agencies, including, but not limited to: Community Teamwork, Inc.; Father Bill’s & MainSpring; HAP, Inc.; Jewish Vocational Services; and SER-Jobs for Progress; and provided further, that the department of housing and community development shall utilize rental assistance provided under 7004-9024 to ensure effective participation under this program.........................................................................................$500,000
And further move to amend the bill by striking out section 45.
And further move to amend the bill by striking out section 101 in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
SECTION 101. There shall be a special task force convened to identify existing structural or policy-based impediments to delivering comprehensive and cost-effective behavioral and mental health treatment within the commonwealth’s health care system. The task force shall consist of 14 members: 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the center for health information and analysis, who shall serve as chair; 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of mental health; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Hospital Association; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychological Association; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Nurses Association; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare; 1 of whom shall be a representative of SEIU Local 509; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians; 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Statewide Primary Care Association serving on behalf of community health centers; and 1 of whom shall be a representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts.
In its examination, the task force shall review how health care providers deliver behavior health services, including but not limited to: (i) an analysis of existing state and health care provider policies for collecting and evaluating aggregate data regarding the numbers of patients treated for behavioral or mental health diagnoses, provided treatments and patient outcomes; (ii) a review of existing state and industry policies for collecting and evaluating aggregate data regarding the annual number of people hospitalized due to a behavioral or mental health related diagnosis, including emergency room visits, and the associated costs for treatment; (iii) a review and analysis of existing state and industry policies regarding access to behavioral health services data and information, including recommendations to encourage increased coordination and improved access to relevant data among providers, hospitals and state agencies; and (iv) recommendations for necessary industry, regulatory, or legislative changes in order to improve collection and access to behavioral health data among providers, regulators, hospitals and other stakeholders. The task force shall also develop recommendations to reduce the number of long-term patients in department of mental health continuing care facilities, acute psychiatric units, and emergency departments including, but not limited to, increasing the capacity of specialized crisis stabilization units and requiring the department of mental health to implement policies that prioritize the readmission of patients who are discharged from continuing care facilities and subsequently require hospitalization within 30 days of their discharge.
The task force shall submit its report, findings and recommendations, along with any proposed legislation and regulatory changes, to the health policy commission, the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the joint committee on health care financing not later than July 1, 2015.
And further move to amend the bill by inserting after section 101F the following section:-
SECTION 101G: (a) There is hereby established a legislative-executive working group to examine and make recommendations relative to Bridgewater state hospital, including the provision of mental health services, the care and protection of those housed at the hospital and the development and implementation of specialized or general training requirements for all hospital employees coming into contact with those confined at said hospital. The work group shall consider and make recommendations for ways to effectuate better coordination and cost containment of mental health services, care and protection, initial and in-service trainings, record keeping and oversight of said hospital.
(b) The working group shall consist of the following: 3 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be designated as co-chair by the speaker of the house of representatives, and 1 of whom shall be selected by the minority leader; 3 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall be designated as co-chair by the senate president, and 1 of whom shall be selected by the minority leader; the commissioner of the department of mental health, or a designee, the commissioner of the department of corrections, or a designee. As necessary, the working group shall: (i) meet with affected stakeholders; (ii) consult and collaborate with nongovernmental organizations that have expertise that can benefit the commission; and (iii) may create advisory groups that include affected stakeholders, as necessary.
(c) The working group shall file a report, including recommendation and any proposed legislation or proposals for the establishment of special commissions, not later than March 1 2015. Copies of said report shall be filed with the clerk of the senate, the clerk of the house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means and with the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse.
And further move to amend the bill by inserting after section 101G the following section:-
SECTION 101H. The secretary of the executive office of health and human services, in coordination with the center for health information and analysis, and the division of insurance, shall convene and chair a special task force to implement new reporting mechanisms for the collection of information related to the provision of mental health or substance abuse services in the commonwealth.
The special task force shall include the legislative chairs of the advisory committee convened pursuant to section 186 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012, representatives of the insurance agency, patient advocates, and behavioral healthcare providers, including hospitals operating emergency departments.
The task force shall consider the collection and coordination of current emergency department casemix reporting in the commonwealth and develop a statewide plan for the commonwealth collect and centralize the following information: (1) number of visits to each emergency department in the commonwealth per month; broken down by visit type: medical, mental health, substance abuse, and combined medical, mental health or substance abuse; (2) Length of time between admission and evaluation by the attending emergency department physician; (3) The type of insurance and carriers, and the number of patients who are current or former clients of the department of mental health, the department of children and families or the department of developmental services; (4) The number of required evaluations by an emergency service provider, and when applicable, the average length of time between the initial calls to the emergency service provider and the time the emergency service provider responded; (5) Whether the patient’s insurance type required a prior authorization request, and when applicable, the length of time between a submission of a prior authorization request to the patient’s insurance plan and response time by the insurance plan; and (6) The length of time between the admission decision and the departure time to post-emergency treatment.
The special task force shall file a report detailing its actions, including any recommendations for statutory changes, with the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the joint committee on health care financing on or before May 1, 2015.