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