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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3206 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2228
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
David Allen Robertson
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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 providing appropriate care for certain populations.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David Allen Robertson19th Middlesex1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3206 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2228
By Representative Robertson of Tewksbury, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2228)
of David Allen Robertson for legislation to create forensic units in certain hospitalization
settings. 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 providing appropriate care for certain populations.
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: Chapter 123 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition
2is hereby amended in section 1 by inserting the following definition:-
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4 “Forensic Unit” a physically separate unit from other units. These units shall have in
5place restrictions consistent with those present when an individual is incarcerated. These units
6shall include appropriate staffing levels to address the needs of the patient population and who
7have undergone specialized training to work effectively with this patient population. The
8physical environment of the unit shall be conducive to meeting the needs of the patient
9population.
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11 SECTION 2: Chapter 123 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition
12is hereby amended by adding at the end of Section 15 the following section:-
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14 (g) any individual admitted to a facility under the conditions described in paragraph (b) or
15paragraph (e) shall be initially admitted to a forensic unit.
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17 SECTION 3: Chapter 123 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition
18is hereby amended by adding at the end of Section 16 the following section:-
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20 (g) any individual admitted to a facility under the conditions described in paragraph (a),
21(c) or paragraph (e) shall be initially admitted to a forensic unit.
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23 SECTION 4: Chapter 123 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition
24is hereby amended by adding at the end of Section 18 the following section:-
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26 (e) any individual admitted to a facility under the conditions described in paragraph (a) or
27paragraph (b) shall be initially admitted to a forensic unit.