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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 302 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1250 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Adam Gomez |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to establish a commission to study substance use disorder and treatment disparities in the |
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| 13 | 13 | | minority community. |
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| 14 | 14 | | _______________ |
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| 15 | 15 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 16 | 16 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Adam GomezHampden 1 of 2 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 302 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1250 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1250) of Adam Gomez for |
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| 20 | 20 | | legislation to establish a commission to study substance use disorder and treatment disparities in |
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| 21 | 21 | | the minority community. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery. |
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| 22 | 22 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 23 | 23 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 1301 OF 2021-2022.] |
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| 24 | 24 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 28 | 28 | | _______________ |
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| 29 | 29 | | An Act to establish a commission to study substance use disorder and treatment disparities in the |
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| 30 | 30 | | minority community. |
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| 31 | 31 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 32 | 32 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 33 | 33 | | 1 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special laws to the contrary, there shall be |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2established a commission to study the disproportionate impact substance use disorders and |
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| 35 | 35 | | 3overdoses have on the minority community of the commonwealth and corresponding disparities |
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| 36 | 36 | | 4in substance use disorder treatment access. The commission shall: (1) review current data and |
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| 37 | 37 | | 5trends regarding substance use and overdose rates, disparities in treatment access, and |
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| 38 | 38 | | 6corresponding causes in the minority community; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of current |
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| 39 | 39 | | 7treatment interventions within minority communities; (3) identify barriers to accessing treatment, |
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| 40 | 40 | | 8including lack of necessary resources, education, access and training to medical needs, and the |
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| 41 | 41 | | 9need for culturally appropriate care and intervention; and (4) recommend evidence-based 2 of 2 |
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| 42 | 42 | | 10strategies to reduce overdose deaths and to improve access, treatment, and education in the |
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| 43 | 43 | | 11minority community. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 12 The commission shall consist of the following members or a designee: the secretary of |
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| 45 | 45 | | 13health and human services, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of the department of |
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| 46 | 46 | | 14public health; a representative of the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services; and 8 members |
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| 47 | 47 | | 15appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be representatives from advocacy organizations with |
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| 48 | 48 | | 16expertise in substance use disorders and treatment, 2 of whom shall be representatives from |
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| 49 | 49 | | 17advocacy organizations with expertise in racial disparities in health care, 1 of whom shall be a |
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| 50 | 50 | | 18representative of community health centers located in a culturally diverse location, 1 of whom |
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| 51 | 51 | | 19shall be a provider primarily serving the minority community, 1 of whom shall be an expert in |
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| 52 | 52 | | 20substance use disorder treatment with a focus on the minority community, and 3 of whom shall |
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| 53 | 53 | | 21be representatives of geographically diverse organizations that promote the well-being of |
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| 54 | 54 | | 22culturally diverse populations through culturally competent behavioral health. |
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| 55 | 55 | | 23 The commission shall file its report, including any recommendations, with the clerks of |
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| 56 | 56 | | 24the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and |
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| 57 | 57 | | 25recovery and the house and senate committees on ways and means annually not later than |
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| 58 | 58 | | 26January 1 of each year. |
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