Amendment ID: S2609-11

Amendment 11

Commission on Community-Based Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention

Ms. Creem and Mr. O'Connor move that the proposed new text be amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:

SECTION XX. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 219. (a) There shall be a commission on community-based behavioral health promotion and prevention located within, but not subject to the control of, the executive office of health and human services. The commission shall work to promote positive mental, emotional and behavioral health and to prevent mental health and substance use disorders among residents of the commonwealth.

(b) (1) The commission shall consist of 17 members, as follows: the secretary of health and human services or a designee, who shall serve as the chair; the commissioner of mental health or a designee; the commissioner of public health or a designee; the chief justice of the trial court or a designee; the house chair of the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery; the senate chair of the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery; 1 person appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 person appointed by the senate president; and 1 representative from each of the following 9 organizations: the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc.; the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, Inc.; the Massachusetts Public Health Association; the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts, Inc.; the Social-Emotional Learning Alliance for Massachusetts, Inc.; and the Freedman Center at William James College.

(2) Members of the commission shall serve for a term of 4 years, without compensation. Any member shall be eligible for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in accordance with paragraph (1) for the remainder of the unexpired term. Any member who is appointed by the governor may be removed by the governor for cause.

(c) The commission may establish advisory committees to assist its work.

(d) The commission shall:

(1) promote an understanding of: (i) the science of prevention; (ii) population health; (iii) risk and protective factors; (iv) social determinants of health; (v) evidence-based programming and policymaking; (vi) health equity; and (vii) trauma-informed care; provided that the commission may use, as a guide for its work, the recommendations of the report of the special commission on behavioral health promotion and upstream prevention established pursuant to section 193 of chapter 133 of the acts of 2016;

(2) consult with the secretary of health and human services on grants from the Community-Based Behavioral Health Promotion and Prevention Trust Fund established in section 35EEE of chapter 10;

(3) collaborate, as appropriate, with other active state commissions, including but not limited to the safe and supportive schools commission, the Ellen Story commission on postpartum depression and the commission on autism;

(4) make recommendations to the legislature that: (i) promote behavioral health and prevention issues at the universal, selective and indicated levels; (ii) strengthen community or state-level promotion and prevention systems; and (iii) reduce healthcare and other public costs through evidence-based promotion and prevention; provided that the commission may use state and local prevalence and cost data to ensure commission recommendations are data-informed and address risks at the universal, selective and indicated levels of prevention;

(5) hold public hearings and meetings to accept comment from the general public and to seek advice from experts, including, but not limited to, those in the fields of neuroscience, public health, behavioral health, education and prevention science; and

(6) submit an annual report to the legislature as provided in subsection (e) on the state of preventing behavioral health disorders and promoting behavioral health in the commonwealth.

(e) The commission shall file an annual report, on or before March 1, with the joint committee on health care financing and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery on its activities and any recommendations. The commission shall monitor the implementation of its recommendations and update recommendations to reflect current science and evidence-based practice.