Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2231 Compare Versions

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

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2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 539 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2231
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Leigh Davis
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 establishing peer respites throughout the Commonwealth.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/9/2025Leigh Davis3rd Berkshire1/14/2025 1 of 6
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 539 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2231
18	18	By Representatives Sabadosa of Northampton and Davis of Great Barrington, a petition
19	19	(accompanied by bill, House, No. 2231) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Leigh Davis that the
20	20	Department of Mental Health be authorized to establish peer-run respite centers. Mental Health,
21	21	Substance Use and Recovery.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act establishing peer respites throughout the Commonwealth.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 19 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
31	31	2section 26 the following section:-
32	32	3 Section 27. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
33	33	4clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
34	34	5 “BIPOC”, Black, Indigenous and other People of Color.
35	35	6 “Guest”, an adult, 18 years of age or older, who has been accepted by and approved to
36	36	7stay at and receive services from a peer respite.
37	37	8 “LGBTQIA+”, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and other
38	38	9gender identities and sexual orientations that individuals may identify as but which may not fall
39	39	10within the preceding classifications. 2 of 6
40	40	11 “Lived or living experience”, knowledge, understanding, expertise and insight into the
41	41	12experiences, choices and options of an individual with behavioral health needs that is based on a
42	42	13person’s perspective, personal identities and history beyond their professional or educational
43	43	14experience and gained from such person’s psychiatric history, traumatic experiences or history of
44	44	15facing or navigating other similar, life-interrupting challenges.
45	45	16 “Peer respite”, a voluntary, short-term, community-based residential peer-run program
46	46	17that: (i) provides peer respite services on a 24 hour basis in a home-like environment to guests
47	47	18experiencing emotional or mental distress either as an immediate precursor to or as a part of a
48	48	19crisis; (ii) addresses social isolation and lack of social connectedness; and (iii) offers peer
49	49	20support and peer respite services by peer supporters and other individuals trained or in the
50	50	21process of completing training to provide such services pursuant to applicable department
51	51	22regulations, rules or other guidance; provided, that the department may promulgate regulations or
52	52	23issue further guidance regarding additional requirements of peer respites including, but not
53	53	24limited to, requirements regarding training, and access for guests with disabilities.
54	54	25 “Peer respite services”, voluntary, short-term, trauma-informed, person-centered support
55	55	26and prevention services provided to peer respite guests that: (i) are the least restrictive of
56	56	27individual freedom; (ii) are culturally competent; (iii) focus on recovery, resiliency and wellness;
57	57	28and (iv) are not clinical services; provided, that the department may promulgate regulations or
58	58	29issue further guidance further defining peer respite services.
59	59	30 “Peer-run program”, a peer respite that: (i) is a non-profit entity itself or within a non-
60	60	31profit entity; (ii) is controlled and operated by a majority of individuals who have lived or living
61	61	32experience; (iii) provides a venue for support and advocacy for individuals who experience 3 of 6
62	62	33similar struggles by peer supporters who have completed or are in the process of completing
63	63	34training required to work in a peer respite pursuant to applicable department regulations, rules or
64	64	35other guidance; (iv) specializes in the provision of peer respite and peer support services; (v) has
65	65	36specialized in the provision of peer respite and peer support services for a minimum of 5 years;
66	66	37(vi) maintains sufficient capacity to provide all staff with adequate supervision; and (vii) does
67	67	38not provide clinical mental health services or in which clinical mental health services make up
68	68	39less than 10 per cent of primary services provided to guests; provided, that the department may
69	69	40promulgate regulations or issue further guidance regarding additional requirements of peer-run
70	70	41programs including, but not limited to, required supervision of staff by individuals with training
71	71	42and experience as a peer supporter and required accommodations for the disability-related needs
72	72	43of a guest.
73	73	44 “Peer supporters”, individuals working in peer respites who: (i) have completed or are in
74	74	45the process of completing training in the provision of peer support services pursuant to
75	75	46applicable department regulations, rules or guidance; (ii) have lived or living experience; and
76	76	47(iii) are trained in and capable of providing peer support and peer respite services.
77	77	48 “Peer support services”, assistance provided by peer supporters in peer respites that
78	78	49promotes engagement, socialization, recovery, self-sufficiency, self-advocacy, development of
79	79	50natural supports, identification of strengths and maintenance of skills learning in other support
80	80	51services; provided, however, that the department may promulgate regulations or issue additional
81	81	52guidance further defining peer support services.
82	82	53 (b) Subject to appropriation, the department shall establish a minimum of 14 regional
83	83	54peer respites throughout the commonwealth; provided, that at least 1 peer respite shall be 4 of 6
84	84	55established in each county; provided further, that at least 2 peer respites shall be established for
85	85	56the purpose of serving LGBTQIA+ individuals and shall be geographically distributed so as to
86	86	57maximize access to peer respite services for LGBTQIA+ individuals in all regions of the
87	87	58commonwealth; provided, however, that such LGBTQIA+ peer respites shall be managed,
88	88	59operated and controlled by individuals identifying as members of the LGBTQIA+ community
89	89	60who also have related lived or living experience; and provided further, that at least 2 peer
90	90	61respites shall be established for the purpose of serving the BIPOC community and shall be
91	91	62geographically distributed so as to maximize access to peer respite services for BIPOC
92	92	63individuals in all regions of the commonwealth; provided, however, that such BIPOC peer
93	93	64respites shall be managed, operated and controlled by individuals identifying as members of the
94	94	65BIPOC community who also have related lived or living experience.
95	95	66 (c) Subject to appropriation, the department shall allocate and provide the funding
96	96	67necessary for and assist with the establishment of each peer respite; provided, however, that said
97	97	68funding for peer respites shall be sufficient to ensure that each peer respite is capable of: (i)
98	98	69providing peer respite and peer support services; (ii) recruiting, training and retaining peer
99	99	70supporters; (iii) supervising and overseeing peer supporters; (iv) conducting informational
100	100	71sessions and training on the functions and qualifications of peer supporters; and (v)
101	101	72compensating peer supporters at a rate sufficient to ensure the retention of highly trained and
102	102	73skilled peer supporters and to maximize the positive impact of their support.
103	103	74 (d) Each peer respite shall: (i) be approved by the department to provide guests with peer
104	104	75respite and peer support services including, but not limited to, short-term, temporary lodging; (ii)
105	105	76be a peer run program; (iii) employ peer supporters who have received and completed or who are
106	106	77in the process of completing training as required to perform their essential job functions; 5 of 6
107	107	78provided, however, that all peer supporters working in a LGBTQIA+ or a BIPOC peer respite
108	108	79shall receive additional training required to serve members of each respective community; and
109	109	80(iv) be responsible for the provision, operation and control of peer respite facilities, peer respite
110	110	81services and peer support services.
111	111	82 (e) The department shall work with existing peer-run programs providing peer respite and
112	112	83peer support services to identify any additional training requirements for peer supporters, which
113	113	84may differ from training requirements for peer supporters or peer specialists working in other
114	114	85contexts, as well as a fidelity tool to establish and measure ongoing adherence to the basic
115	115	86components of each peer respite based on current leading guides to peer respites; provided, that
116	116	87the department shall work with existing peer-run programs, as well as stakeholders within the
117	117	88LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, to develop any additional training requirements for peer
118	118	89supporters working in LGBTQIA+ peer respites and BIPOC peer respites.
119	119	90 (f) The department shall, in consultation with existing peer-run programs and individuals
120	120	91with experience and expertise in running peer-run programs, promulgate regulations or issue
121	121	92further guidance regarding the establishment and operation of peer respites; provided, however,
122	122	93that such regulations or guidance shall employ definitions and criteria consistent with this
123	123	94section.
124	124	95 (g) Annually, not later than October 1, the department shall prepare and submit a report
125	125	96to the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery, the joint committee on
126	126	97public health and the house and senate committees on ways and means that includes, but is not
127	127	98limited to: (i) its progress toward implementing this section; (ii) any challenges or barriers 6 of 6
128	128	99regarding implementation; and (iii) the department’s strategy for overcoming any identified
129	129	100challenges or barriers. The department shall publish the report on its public website.