Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1538 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 323 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1538
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Dylan A. Fernandes
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 connecting veterans with access to breakthrough treatments.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Dylan A. FernandesPlymouth and Barnstable 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 323 FILED ON: 1/10/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1538
18	18	By Mr. Fernandes, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1538) of Dylan A. Fernandes
19	19	that the Executive Office of Health and Human Services be authorized to establish a program to
20	20	promote, incentivize and support the development and deployment of eligible therapies among
21	21	veterans and first responders. Public Health.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 4218 OF 2023-2024.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act connecting veterans with access to breakthrough treatments.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 Chapter 115 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
33	33	2 Section 18. (a) For the purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the following
34	34	3meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
35	35	4 “Council”, the veteran breakthrough treatments and suicide prevention advisory council.
36	36	5 “Eligible entity”, a licensed hospital, research institution, agency, individual, medical
37	37	6institution or other legal entity that: (i) is qualified under the laws of the commonwealth to
38	38	7furnish medical care or services to patients; and (ii) meets the requirements of the secretary of
39	39	8health and human services, as set forth in section 2. 2 of 4
40	40	9 “Eligible therapy”, treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder
41	41	10or treatment-resistant depression with breakthrough therapy designation by the United States
42	42	11Food and Drug Administration.
43	43	12 “First responder”, a member of: (i) a police department; (ii) a fire department; (iii) the
44	44	13state police; or (iv) an emergency reserve unit of a volunteer fire department or fire protection
45	45	14district trained to administer first aid; provided, however, that a first responder shall not include
46	46	15police officers, firefighters or other persons engaged in police and fire work whose duties are
47	47	16primarily clerical or administrative.
48	48	17 “Program”, the veteran breakthrough treatments program established in section 2.
49	49	18 “Veteran”, a veteran, as defined in clause Forty-third of section 7 of chapter 4 of the
50	50	19General Laws, who is a resident of the commonwealth.
51	51	20 (b) (1) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of
52	52	21health and human services, in consultation with the executive office of veterans’ services, shall
53	53	22establish the veteran breakthrough treatments program to promote, incentivize and support the
54	54	23development and deployment of eligible therapies among veterans and first responders. The
55	55	24secretary of health and human services may establish additional requirements and guidelines
56	56	25regarding eligible therapies.
57	57	26 (2) The program shall fund clinical research, treatment and provider training aimed at
58	58	27advancing or deploying breakthrough therapies for veterans and first responders.
59	59	28 (c) (1) There is hereby established the veteran breakthrough treatments and suicide
60	60	29prevention advisory council. The council shall advise the executive office of health and human 3 of 4
61	61	30services and the executive office of veterans’ services on the regulations and clinical
62	62	31infrastructure necessary to support clinical access to and training for the deployment of eligible
63	63	32therapies for veteran suicide prevention.
64	64	33 (2) The council shall advise the executive office on:
65	65	34 (i) the award of grants for eligible therapy treatment through the program;
66	66	35 (ii) the necessary education, training, licensing and credentialing of providers;
67	67	36 (iii) patient safety and harm reduction;
68	68	37 (iv) costs, insurance reimbursement and strategies to safely increase affordable access to
69	69	38care, including the use of group therapy;
70	70	39 (v) standards for treatment facilities;
71	71	40 (vi) relevant federal regulations and guidelines that commonwealth agencies may
72	72	41consider adopting;
73	73	42 (vii) assisting with the development of public awareness and education campaigns related
74	74	43to veteran suicides;
75	75	44 (viii) additional funding needed for subsidized patient access and provider and therapist
76	76	45training;
77	77	46 (ix) developing criteria and standards for the award of grants and fellowships;
78	78	47 (x) developing and providing oversight regarding mechanisms for the dissemination of
79	79	48treatment and training data; and 4 of 4
80	80	49 (xi) developing provisions to ensure justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are considered
81	81	50in the administration of grants and recommendations made to the executive office.
82	82	51 (3) The council shall consist of 7 members: (i) 3 members appointed by the governor; (ii)
83	83	522 members appointed by the president of the senate; and (iii) 2 members appointed by the
84	84	53speaker of the house of representatives. Each appointer shall appoint at least one veteran. The
85	85	54council shall also include members with expertise in eligible therapy research, clinical mental
86	86	55health treatment, public health, access to mental and behavioral healthcare in underserved
87	87	56communities, veteran mental and behavioral healthcare and harm reduction.