Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1977 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 502 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1977
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Marjorie C. Decker
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to identify and eliminate racial and sexual orientation and gender identity disparities in
13	13	mental health.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marjorie C. Decker25th Middlesex1/10/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/20/2023 1 of 3
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 502 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1977
19	19	By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1977) of
20	20	Marjorie C. Decker and Lindsay N. Sabadosa relative to reporting requirements to identify and
21	21	eliminate racial and sexual orientation and gender identity disparities in mental health. Mental
22	22	Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
23	23	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
24	24	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2082 OF 2021-2022.]
25	25	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
26	26	_______________
27	27	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
28	28	(2023-2024)
29	29	_______________
30	30	An Act to identify and eliminate racial and sexual orientation and gender identity disparities in
31	31	mental health.
32	32	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
33	33	of the same, as follows:
34	34	1 Chapter 6D of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby
35	35	2amended by adding the following section: —
36	36	3 Section 20. (a) The commission shall issue an annual report that shall include data
37	37	4designed to assist in identifying and eliminating disparities in behavioral health treatment. The
38	38	5report shall examine the prevalence of behavioral health and substance use disorders and suicide
39	39	6among different populations of individuals in the commonwealth, such populations’ access to
40	40	7services and evidence-based treatments, the availability of information to various populations
41	41	8regarding access to treatment, the level of diversity in the behavioral health workforce, and
42	42	9payment systems or methodologies for behavioral health treatments. The report shall examine 2 of 3
43	43	10differences in the prevalence of mental illness, substance use disorders and suicide between
44	44	11various groups based on (i) race and ethnicity; (ii) sexual orientation and gender identity; (iii)
45	45	12income levels; (iv) age; (v) place of residence; (vi) homelessness; (vii) disability; (viii) primary
46	46	13language; and (ix) incarceration status. The commission shall investigate and study the
47	47	14accessibility of behavioral health and substance use disorder services in the commonwealth,
48	48	15including but not limited to: (i) the geographic distribution and availability to various
49	49	16populations described in this section of inpatient and outpatient, emergency, and hospital
50	50	17diversionary behavioral health and substance use disorder services; (ii) how such diversionary
51	51	18behavioral health and substance use disorder services are reimbursed; and (iii) the adequacy of
52	52	19the geographic distribution of such services to address the needs of the different populations
53	53	20described in this section. The report shall also address the use, availability and reimbursement of
54	54	21evidence-based practices among different communities and populations. Evidence-based
55	55	22practices shall include collaborative or integrated care, the program for assertive community
56	56	23treatment, early psychosis programs, comprehensive trauma services, medication-assisted
57	57	24treatment for addictions and dual recovery crisis intervention.
58	58	25 (b) The report shall include a review of the behavioral health and substance use disorder
59	59	26workforce in the commonwealth. The review shall address : (i) the demographic makeup of such
60	60	27workforce; (ii) existing workforce pipelines, incentives and training and the adequacy of such
61	61	28pipelines to support the development of a culturally diverse and competent workforce; (iii)
62	62	29workforce models to address social determinants of health including but not limited to the use of
63	63	30community health workers, recovery coaches, healthcare navigators, and care coordinators; (iv)
64	64	31methods of reimbursement that will support services and decrease workforce turnover; and (v)
65	65	32adequacy of health care insurance payments. 3 of 3
66	66	33 (c) The report shall examine: (i) the respective roles of the department of mental health
67	67	34and the department of public health in monitoring mental health disparities and providing for
68	68	35intervention; (ii) methods and funding mechanisms available to address primary, secondary, and
69	69	36tertiary prevention of mental health conditions; (iii) the role of the criminal justice system in
70	70	37diverting those with mental illness and substance use disorder from jails and prisons; (iv) the
71	71	38availability of jail diversion programs in different regions of commonwealth; (v) the adequacy of
72	72	39existing civil commitment and guardianship laws support mental health and addiction recovery
73	73	40in an equitable and trauma-informed manner; and (vi) and the demographic makeup of
74	74	41incarcerated individuals in the commonwealth.
75	75	42 (d) The commission shall issue and provide such report, on or before July 1 of each year,
76	76	43to the secretary of health and human services, the commissioner of public health, the
77	77	44commissioner of mental health, the commissioner of insurance, the attorney general, the senate
78	78	45president, the speaker of the house, the house and senate committees on ways and means, and the
79	79	46chairs of the joint committees on health care financing, public health, and mental health,
80	80	47substance use and recovery.