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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3001 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1978
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Marjorie C. Decker
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to improve mental health services in places of incarceration.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marjorie C. Decker25th Middlesex1/10/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/19/2023Bud L. Williams11th Hampden2/22/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3001 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1978
By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1978) of
Marjorie C. Decker, Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Bud L. Williams for legislation to authorize the
Commissioner of Mental Health to have supervision over the provision of mental health services
to prisoners. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2085 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to improve mental health services in places of incarceration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1 of chapter 19 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is
2hereby amended by inserting after the third paragraph the following paragraph:-
3 The commissioner of mental health shall have supervision over the provision of mental
4health services to prisoners in the custody of the department of correction or any House of
5Correction, including review and approval of any contract between the department of correction
6and any other entity concerning the provision of mental health services, and shall establish
7minimum standards for the effective delivery of such services. At least once each six months the
8commissioner shall audit each state correctional facility and House of Correction to determine
9compliance with the minimum standards. In exercising its supervisorial authority, the 2 of 2
10commissioner shall collect data regarding the provision of mental health services as necessary to
11promote improvements in such provision, including such data as may be required in order to
12obtain funding from the federal government for services to prisoners with mental health needs.