Budget Amendment ID: FY2014-S3-717-R2

2nd Redraft EHS 717

Services in the Department of Mental Health

Messrs. Pacheco and Keenan and Ms. Spilka and Ms. Jehlen and Messrs. Montigny and Wolf and Ms. Creem and Messrs. Kennedy, Timilty and Donnelly and Ms. Lovely and Messrs. Brownsberger, Joyce and Rodrigues and Ms. Chandler and Messrs. Michael O. Moore and Ross and Ms. O'Connor Ives moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5095-0015, by inserting after the words “state hospital;” the following words:-

“; provided further, that $100,000 shall be allocated for the consultant hired by the advisory committee established in section 186 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012; provided further, that the consultant shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse not later than March 1, 2014 providing recommendations on the potential future use of the Cain building at Taunton state hospital or elsewhere in the southeast area for purposes which shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) the development of state-operated pilot crisis stabilization units which would be fully operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and would provide evaluation, stabilization and referral to behavioral health patients who may otherwise be boarded in emergency rooms or spend longer periods in continuing and acute care units in the southeast area; (ii) the development of a pilot program for non-violent offenders with mental health diagnoses currently serving their sentences in state or county correctional facilities; (iii) the development of a pilot program for females committed under section 7 of chapter 111B of the General Laws or section 35 of chapter 123 of the General Laws who are evaluated as having co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders; (iv) the development of inter-agency coordination between any and all state agencies, authorities, departments or programs currently providing services or benefits to individuals who would be deemed eligible for any of the above pilot programs, with particular attention to the coordination of services between the department of mental health, the department of public health, the department of correction, county correctional facilities and the trial court; (v) the availability of existing resources, including the Cain building at Taunton state hospital or elsewhere in the southeast area to address gaps in behavioral or mental health services for southeast area residents as well as inmates or individuals receiving court-ordered treatment; and (vi) the projected costs and benefits of each of the above pilot programs; and provided further, that Taunton state hospital shall in no case become a department of corrections facility”; and

by striking the following: “and provided further, that the department shall maintain and operate these beds until the commission established in section 186 of chapter 139 of the acts of 2012 submits its report to the General Court” and inserting in place thereof:- “and provided further, that the department shall maintain and operate these beds until June 30, 2014” and

in said section 2, in said item 5095-0015, by striking out the figure “$173,395,002” and inserting in place thereof the following:- “$173,495,002”; and

by inserting after section 99 the following section:-

SECTION 99A. Section 186 of said chapter 139 is hereby amended by striking out the words “on or before December 31, 2013”.