Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2001 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. 3236 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2001
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Paul McMurtry
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 relative to improving mental health care through innovation.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk1/20/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3236 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2001
18	18	By Representative McMurtry of Dedham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2001) of
19	19	Paul McMurtry and Vanna Howard that the Department of Mental Health be authorized to
20	20	establish a program for the treatment and support of people with mental illness and brain-based
21	21	disorders. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2118 OF 2021-2022.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
27	27	(2023-2024)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act relative to improving mental health care through innovation.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 Chapter 19 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 3 following sections:-
33	33	2 Section 25. The department shall establish a comprehensive program for the research,
34	34	3technology transfer, design, development and commercialization of technologies for the
35	35	4treatment and support of people with mental illness and brain-based disorders and to promote
36	36	5such programs the department shall provide grants to state agencies, programs, and institutions
37	37	6that provide mental healthcare services to pilot cutting edge technology; including but not
38	38	7limited to: (i) supporting research and innovation in mental healthcare to reduce costs to the state
39	39	8and draw companies and research dollars to the commonwealth, while improving the quality of
40	40	9life for people with mental illness; (ii) creating programs to grow and foster a research and 2 of 3
41	41	10innovation eco-system for brain health technologies in Massachusetts; (iii) innovation support
42	42	11for companies and researchers focused on mental healthcare; (iv) model the successful activities
43	43	12the commonwealth has taken to grow and develop bio-technology, medical technology, green
44	44	13technology, and computer technology industries and leverage the current innovation economy
45	45	14and eco-system; and (v) close the innovation gap between the lack of innovation in mental
46	46	15healthcare and in bio-technology, medical technology, green technology, and computer
47	47	16technology.
48	48	17 The department shall establish standards for the development of the program.
49	49	18 Section 26. (a) There shall be a separate fund to be known as the Mental Health and
50	50	19Innovation Fund, which shall be sited within the department. The fund shall to support mental
51	51	20health and innovation projects in the commonwealth. The fund shall be an expendable trust fund
52	52	21and shall not be subject to appropriation.
53	53	22 (b) There shall be credited to the fund, revenue from appropriations or other monies
54	54	23authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund, and gifts,
55	55	24grants, private contributions, repayment of loans, investment income earned on the fund's assets,
56	56	25and all other sources. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to
57	57	26the general fund.
58	58	27 Section 27. (a) There shall be established an oversight committee to the program
59	59	28established by section 25 and the fund established by section 26, which shall make policy
60	60	29recommendations to the department regarding program and funding activities.
61	61	30 (b) The committee shall be comprised of the following members: the commissioner of the
62	62	31department of public health or a designee; the commissioner of the department of mental health 3 of 3
63	63	32or a designee; the secretary of the executive office of public safety and security or a designee; the
64	64	33commissioner of the department of children and families; the secretary of the executive office of
65	65	34health and human services or a designee; and 4 individuals to be appointed by the governor, 1 of
66	66	35whom shall be an individual engaged in technology and innovation, 1 of whom shall be an
67	67	36individual engaged in digital health, and 1 of whom shall be a parent advocate for mental health
68	68	37innovation.
69	69	38 (c) Chapter 268A shall apply to committee members as special state employees, but the
70	70	39fund may purchase from, sell to, borrow from, loan to, contract with or otherwise deal with any
71	71	40person in which any committee member is in any way interested or involved, if such interest or
72	72	41involvement is disclosed in advance to the members of the committee and recorded in the
73	73	42minutes of the committee meeting. No committee member having such an interest or
74	74	43involvement may participate in any action of the committee relating to such person. Employment
75	75	44by the commonwealth or service in any agency thereof shall not be deemed to be such an interest
76	76	45or involvement.