Amendment #1075 to H3400

TSH commission

Mrs. O'Connell of Taunton moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:-

"There shall be a commission established to study and investigate the re-use of the land and buildings of Taunton State Hospital.   The commission shall investigate and consider, without limitation, the following uses:  increasing inpatient beds for adults and children;  providing day outpatient mental health services; substance abuse treatment with specialized programs in education and vocational job training;  a women’s inpatient mental health facility; forensic services; implement teaching programs for nursing, psychiatry, social workers and other disciplines.

The commission shall consist of the following members or their designee: executive office of health and human services as chair; division of capital asset management and maintenance; administration and finance;  secretary of education; secretary of labor and workforce development;  commissioner of higher education; the commissioner of mental health; the commissioner of public health; division of unemployment;  the director of Medicaid; trial court; one member of the majority party to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; one member of the majority party to be appointed by the president of the senate; one member of the minority party to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; one member of the minority party to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and 1 designee from the following: the Association for Behavioral Healthcare; the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems; the Massachusetts Medical Society; the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society; the Massachusetts Nurses Association; the Service Employees International Union; AFSCME Council 93; the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans; Health Law Advocates; the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts.

The committee shall file a report of their findings and recommendations with the clerks of the house and senate on or before June 1, 2016."