1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2028 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1407
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Edward J. Kennedy
_________________
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
resolve:
Resolve to ensure delivery of mental health services to adults with acute mental illness.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Edward J. KennedyFirst Middlesex 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2028 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1407
By Mr. Kennedy, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1407) of Edward J. Kennedy
that provisions be made for an investigation and study by a special commission (including
members of the General Court) to ensure delivery of mental health services to adults with acute
mental illness. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1256 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
Resolve to ensure delivery of mental health services to adults with acute mental illness.
1 Resolved, there shall be a special commission to study the staffing levels and delivery of
2services for case managers at the Department of Mental Health tasked with serving adults with
3acute mental illness. The commission shall examine individual sites in terms of number of
4Department of Mental Health case managers working at each site and their respective average
5caseload as well as examining the number of adults with acute mental illness who were refused
6service and the reasons that service was denied. The commission shall examine options for
7ensuring services for all adults with acute mental illness, and the ability to manage a caseload
8effectively for each case manager employed by the Department of Mental Health. The
9commission will also examine the feasibility of reestablishing outpatient clinics as a means of
10achieving these goals and as a means of reducing the waitlists at community clinics and private
11practices. The commission shall also examine language accessibility issues and linguistic 2 of 2
12capacity in the realm of mental health work. One of the goals of the commission will be to study
13recruitment strategies and develop incentives for people to pursue careers in the mental health
14field and case work in particular.
15 The commission shall consist of the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of
16Mental Health, or his/her designee, who shall serve as chair of the special commission; 2
17members of the Senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate and 1 by the
18Minority Leader; 2 members of the House, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker and 1
19by the Minority Leader; 2 persons to be appointed by the Governor, 1 of whom should be a
20former commissioner of the Department of Mental Health or a former senior level staff member
21of the Department of Mental Health who has at least five years of service; a representative of
22licensed social workers; a representative of the National Association on Mental Illness; and a
23representative of an organization specializing in suicide prevention, a university faculty member
24specializing in clinical psychology. The commission shall convene its first meeting not later than
25July 1, 2025 and shall file a report along with any recommendations for legislative reform not
26later than January 31, 2026 with the Clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, the
27chairs of the Senate and House committees on Ways and Means, and the chairs of the joint
28committee on Mental Health.