Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2195 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. 4058 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2195
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Michael S. Day, (BY REQUEST)
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 improve the quality of mental health services, and rights of patients, by providing for
13	13	sufficient privacy.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Vincent Lawrence Dixon60 Lake Street Unit N, Winchester, MA
17	17	01890
18	18	1/17/2025 1 of 2
19	19	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4058 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
20	20	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2195
21	21	By Representative Day of Stoneham (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
22	22	2195) of Vincent Lawrence Dixon for legislation to improve the quality of mental health services
23	23	and rights of patients by providing for sufficient privacy. Mental Health, Substance Use and
24	24	Recovery.
25	25	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
26	26	SEE HOUSE, NO. 1976 OF 2023-2024.]
27	27	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
28	28	_______________
29	29	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
30	30	(2025-2026)
31	31	_______________
32	32	An Act to improve the quality of mental health services, and rights of patients, by providing for
33	33	sufficient privacy.
34	34	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
35	35	of the same, as follows:
36	36	1 SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the
37	37	2following new chapter:
38	38	3 1.) An Act to improve the quality of mental health services, and rights of patients, by
39	39	4providing for sufficient privacy.
40	40	5 2.) All individuals, who present themselves, for mental health services, and/or are
41	41	6admitted for such services, and/or assessment, shall be entitled to a specific private intake room,
42	42	7or physical space, where only they, medical staff, and relevant security, may hear any intake,
43	43	8and/or treatment conversations. 2 of 2
44	44	9 3.) These provisions, may not be waivered, except in extreme emergency circumstances;
45	45	10which shall be specifically noted, and recorded in a medical record, and the reasons therefore, by
46	46	11responsible medical, and intake staff.
47	47	12 4.) In the context, of significant, and substantial reductions in funding, for various
48	48	13medical services, including mental health services, it has occurred that patients being seen for
49	49	14intake, and/or treatment, have been seen in open wards, and/or emergency general settings,
50	50	15without privacy. This can have various effects, in denying privacy, diminishing the provision of
51	51	16needed information between medical staff, and actual or potential patients, compromising
52	52	17important treatment discussions; and/or discouraging various forms of intake, by individuals,
53	53	18who are concerned about risks of disclosure.
54	54	19 5.) It is in the interests of public policy, that such inherent violations, of needed
55	55	20confidentiality, be reduced, and/or eliminated to the extent possible, by various measures.
56	56	21 6.) The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and its Public Health Council
57	57	22(PHC), are hereby authorized to develop, establish, and enforce the needed regulations, to carry
58	58	23out the intent of this legislation.