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