Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2229 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2788 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2229
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	David M. Rogers and Greg Schwartz
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 expand equity and access to patient centered care for substance abuse disorder.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David M. Rogers24th Middlesex1/16/2025Greg Schwartz12th Middlesex1/16/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2788 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2229
18	18	By Representatives Rogers of Cambridge and Schwartz of Newton, a petition (accompanied by
19	19	bill, House, No. 2229) of David M. Rogers and Greg Schwartz for legislation to expand equity
20	20	and access to patient centered care for substance abuse disorders. Mental Health, Substance Use
21	21	and Recovery.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2011 OF 2023-2024.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act to expand equity and access to patient centered care for substance abuse disorder.
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 SECTION 1: Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, the Department
33	33	2of Public Health and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine shall develop, or
34	34	3provide for, a healthcare provider education campaign that encourages the adoption of all FDA-
35	35	4approved medications for the treatment of alcohol and opioid use disorders. The goal of the
36	36	5campaign is to increase the number of providers offering all FDA-approved medications, directly
37	37	6or by referral, along with counseling and other appropriate support services. The training shall
38	38	7include, but not be limited to guidelines and best practices for:
39	39	8 A. Screening and Assessment;
40	40	9 B. Toxicology screens; 2 of 3
41	41	10 C. Detoxification/withdrawal management and induction to relapse prevention
42	42	11medication
43	43	12 D. Treatment Plans, including counseling frequency and type, and an informed consent
44	44	13process to guide medication and treatment decisions and selection
45	45	14 E. Addressing Co-occurring mental health disorders
46	46	15 F. Reducing disparities in health outcomes for underserved communities experiencing
47	47	16substance use disorder
48	48	17 G. Care Coordination;
49	49	18 H. Appropriate Length of Treatment; and
50	50	19 I. Relapse Prevention
51	51	20 The training developed or provided shall be accepted by the board as up to 2 continuing
52	52	21professional development credits.
53	53	22 SECTION 2: Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, the Department
54	54	23of Public Health and the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services shall establish a peer mentoring
55	55	24program that supplements the healthcare provider educational campaign by providing a network
56	56	25for peer-to-peer trainings, materials, and prescriber and clinical team support. Peer mentors
57	57	26should have strong credentials, expertise and clinical experience with all FDA-approved
58	58	27medications for the treatment of substance use disorder. Mentors shall provide coaching for
59	59	28providers licensed or certified by the Department of Public Health. The Department shall
60	60	29prioritize the efforts of the peer mentor program for providers serving geographic areas and
61	61	30racially and ethnically diverse populations of the Commonwealth identified by the Department 3 of 3
62	62	31where access to medication assisted treatment is limited. Provided further, that said training
63	63	32program shall include, but not be limited to the following criteria: patient eligibility, optimal
64	64	33selection criteria, placement matching, patient engagement, team coaching and coordination,
65	65	34withdrawal management and induction, dosing and administration, clinical evaluation and
66	66	35laboratory monitoring, side effect management, co-occurring disorders management, drug-drug
67	67	36interactions, treatment retention, managed care interactions, and termination of medication.
68	68	37 SECTION 3: There shall be a grant program established to support providers who
69	69	38demonstrate the ability to offer all FDA-approved medications for substance use disorders, along
70	70	39with counseling and other supports, directly or by referral. Providers will be eligible to apply for
71	71	40funding to add a staff person(s) to support the expanded services. In addition to, or in substitution
72	72	41of state funding, the grant program may utilize applicable federal grants and state trust funds.
73	73	42 SECTION 4: The department of public health shall create an inventory of health care
74	74	43providers treating patients with medications to measure adoption of offering all FDA-approved
75	75	44treatment options across the Commonwealth. They shall also submit a report to the house and
76	76	45senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on mental health and substance
77	77	46use, and recovery on the number of providers trained and any identified obstacles to expanding
78	78	47the number of providers offering all FDA-approved medications by January 1, 2020.