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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2521 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2226
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John Francis Moran
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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 establishing a commission to study the availability of the continuum of care services for
persons with substance use disorder.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:John Francis Moran9th Suffolk1/16/2025Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/24/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2521 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2226
By Representative Moran of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2226) of John
Francis Moran and Carmine Lawrence Gentile for legislation to establish a special commission
(including members of the General Court) to study the availability of the continuum of care
services for persons with substance use disorder. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act establishing a commission to study the availability of the continuum of care services for
persons with substance use disorder.
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. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall
2be a commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study
3the availability of continuum of care services for persons with substance use disorder and the
4potential creation of regional facilities for this purpose. The commission shall study and make
5recommendations on: (i) the current regional availability of detoxification services, clinical
6stabilization services, transitional support services, residential recovery home services and
7outpatient treatment including medication assisted treatment. (ii) identify institutional barriers
8that individuals face as they progress through the treatment continuum , including mental health,
9physical treatment, funding, treatment costs, program space, transit options, accessibility and
10housing availability that are caused by unconnected services or a lack of continuum of care
11within the current recovery process. (iii) create an assessment of the need for a regional 2 of 3
12continuum of care facilities for the treatment of substance abuse disorders and the optimal
13capacity of each level of care to allow individuals to efficiently access each level of care as
14clinically necessary.
15 (b) The commission shall consist of the House and Senate chairs of the Committee on
16Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, who shall serve as co-chairs; a member appointed
17by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; a member appointed by the Senate President;
18the minority leader of the House, or a designee; the minority leader of the Senate, or a designee;
19the Attorney General, or a designee; the Assistant Secretary for MassHealth; the Director of the
20Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services; the Commissioner of the Department of
21Public Health, or a designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, or a
22designee; the Commissioner of the Division of Insurance, or a designee; the Boston Public
23Health Commissioner, or a designee; and one from each of the following: Massachusetts
24Organization for Addiction Recovery; the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association;
25Volunteers of America Massachusetts; Learn to Cope; RIZE Massachusetts; The Grayken Center
26for Addiction at Boston Medical Center; the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans; and
27Newmarket BID Homeless B2W Services;
28 (c) All appointments shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of this
29section. The co-chairs shall convene the first meeting of the special commission within 45 days
30after all appointments have been made.
31 (d) The commission shall submit a detailed report with its proposals and
32recommendations, along with drafts of legislation necessary to carry out its recommendations, to
33the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Joint Committee on Mental Health, 3 of 3
34Substance Use and Recovery and the Governor not later than one year following the
35establishment of said commission. The commission shall monitor the implementation of its
36recommendations.