Budget Amendment ID: FY2021-S4-264-R1

Redraft EHS 264

Mental Health Promotion

Messrs. Cyr, O'Connor, Brady and Tarr moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following words:-

“; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be provided for a study assessing the availability of culturally competent behavioral health providers in the commonwealth conducted by the office of health equity, in consultation with the department of public health and the department of mental health; provided further, that the study may be conducted by an entity with a demonstrated capacity to deliver research results passing an academic peer-review process in analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data and to communicate study results in an accessible manner; provided further, that the study shall review the availability of culturally competent behavioral health providers within networks of both public and private health care payers and identify potential barriers to care for underserved cultural, ethnic and linguistic populations in the community; provided further, that the review shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the number of culturally competent and diverse behavioral health providers that reflect the cultural, ethnic and linguistic population of the community; (ii) the existence of culturally competent services; (iii) geographic challenges to access culturally competent providers; (iv) training opportunities for providers to most effectively serve diverse populations; and (v) consideration of the impact of gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, status as a client of the department of children and families, status as an incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individual, including justice-involved youth and emerging adults, status as a veteran, status as an individual with post-traumatic stress disorder, status as an aging adult, linguistic barriers and social determinants of health on access to behavioral health services; provided further, that the office of health equity shall receive data to complete the charge of this study under memorandums of understanding with the center for health information and analysis established under chapter 12C of the General Laws, the group insurance commission established under chapter 32A of the General Laws and MassHealth established under chapter 118E of the General Laws, respectively; and provided further, that not later than December 31, 2021, the office shall submit the findings of the study to clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery, the joint committee on public health, the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means”; and

in said section 2, in said item 4513-2020, by striking out the figure “$5,645,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-

"$5,795,000”; and

in said section 2, in line item 8900-0001 by striking out the words, “(i) number of prisoners subjected to solitary confinement” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “(i) number of prisoners subjected to solitary confinement and their voluntarily disclosed sexual orientation, as defined in section 3 of chapter 151B, and gender identity, as defined in section 7 of chapter 4”.