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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1718 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1409 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Robyn K. Kennedy, (BY REQUEST) |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to reform mental health supports and increase public safety. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Gary Lowell 1 of 1 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1718 FILED ON: 1/16/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1409 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Kennedy (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1409) of Gary |
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| 19 | 19 | | Lowell, for legislation to mandate psychiatric evaluations in a hospital emergency room if a |
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| 20 | 20 | | restraint authorization is given. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act to reform mental health supports and increase public safety. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 Part I, Title XVII, Chapter 123, Section 12, Subsection A of the Massachusetts General |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2Laws is hereby amended by adding the following words immediately after “such purposes by the |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3department” but before “If an examination is not possible”: “Psychiatric evaluation in a hospital |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4emergency room is mandatory when a restraint or authorization for restraint is given by a |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5physician, qualified psychologist, qualified advanced practice registered nurse, or licensed |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6independent clinical social worker as authorized by this section. It is from a hospital emergency |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7room that a determination must be made on whether to apply for the hospitalization of such |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8person for a 3-day period at a public facility or a private facility authorized for such purpose by |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9the department.” |
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