Budget Amendment ID: FY2016-S3-938

EHS 938

Taunton State Hospital

Mr. Pacheco moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 5095-0015, by striking out the wording after “Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital,” and inserting in place thereof the following new text:- provided further that in fiscal year 2016, the department shall operate no fewer continuing care inpatient beds than in fiscal year 2015 and of these beds 54 beds shall be continuing care inpatient beds on the campus of Taunton State Hospital;  provided further, that the department shall take no action in fiscal year 2016 to reduce the number of state-operated continuing care inpatient beds or other state-operated programs on the Taunton State Hospital campus or relocate any administrative hospital services associated with the operation of the hospital off campus; provided further, that the department shall not enter into any new vendor-operated lease agreements, or agreements for  expansion of  existing vendor-operated programs, provided further that the department shall not enter into new interagency agreements or expansion of existing interagency agreements, programs or facilities until the department, in conjunction with the division of capital asset management and maintenance, has developed a comprehensive long term use  master plan for the campus with appropriate community input  that is consistent with maintaining  publicly provided mental health services currently delivered on campus; provided further this master plan shall include maintaining existing affiliations with institutions of higher education and possible future relationships with these institutions and others to maintain the sustainability of said campus and shall be submitted no sooner than  March 2, 2016; provided further that as part of the master plan the department shall develop a pilot program at Taunton State Hospital for non-violent offenders with mental health diagnoses currently serving their sentences in state or county correctional facilities; provided further nothing in the plan shall be inconsistent with maintaining the campus of Taunton State Hospital as a publicly run mental health facility, or prohibit the inclusion of behavioral health programs or publicly run pilot programs to meet the needs of servicing individuals with mental health, behavioral health and those dual-diagnosed on the campus as part of the comprehensive master plan; provided further that the plan shall be submitted to the executive office for administration and finance, the executive office of health and human services, the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and the house and senate committees on ways and means; and provided further that Taunton state hospital shall in no case become a department of corrections facility