Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S292 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. 1626 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 292
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	John C. Velis
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 relative to growing resources to optimize the utilization of group therapeutic care.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John C. VelisHampden and Hampshire 1 of 8
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1626 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 292
18	18	By Mr. Velis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 292) of John C. Velis for legislation
19	19	to create coverage and regulations for group therapeutic care. Consumer Protection and
20	20	Professional Licensure.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act relative to growing resources to optimize the utilization of group therapeutic care.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 13 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following
30	30	2section:-
31	31	3 Section 110. (a) There shall be a board of certification of group therapeutic specialists,
32	32	4called the board in this section. The board shall consist of 12 members who shall be residents of
33	33	5the commonwealth as follows: the commissioner of the department of public health or a
34	34	6designee, who shall serve as chair of the board; the commissioner of the department of mental
35	35	7health or a designee; eight persons appointed by the governor; one person appointed by the
36	36	8speaker of the house of representatives; and one person appointed by the president of the senate.
37	37	9Of the appointed members of the board, 1 shall be a certified group therapeutic specialist,
38	38	10provided that such person initially appointed to the board shall be eligible for board certification
39	39	11as a group therapeutic specialist and shall obtain such certification within a time frame specified
40	40	12in regulations adopted by the board; 1 shall represent an organization that provides group 2 of 8
41	41	13therapeutic mental health care; 1 shall represent a community health center; 1 shall represent the
42	42	14National Association of Mental Illness; 1 shall represent a community provider of behavioral
43	43	15health care; 1 shall represent a member of a health justice community with limited access to
44	44	16behavioral health care; 1 shall be an individual with lived experience of utilizing or seeking to
45	45	17access the mental health system; and 3 shall represent the public, subject to section 9B of chapter
46	46	1813, and shall be familiar with group therapeutic behavioral health care.
47	47	19 The term of office of each appointed member of the board shall be 3 years, except that of
48	48	20the initially appointed members of the board of which 3 members shall be appointed for terms of
49	49	211 year, 4 members for terms of 2 years, and 5 members for terms of 3 years, at least 1 of which is
50	50	22a certified group therapeutic specialist. Upon the expiration of his term of office, a member of
51	51	23the board shall continue to serve until the appointment of a successor. Any member of the board
52	52	24may be removed by the governor for neglect of duty, misconduct, malfeasance or misfeasance in
53	53	25office after being given a written statement of the charges against him and sufficient opportunity
54	54	26to be heard thereon. Upon the death, resignation or removal for cause of any member of the
55	55	27board, the governor shall fill the vacancy for the remainder of that member's term.
56	56	28 (b) The board shall meet at least quarterly or more often upon the call of the chair at such
57	57	29times and places as the chair shall designate. The board shall, at its first meeting and annually
58	58	30thereafter, elect from among its members a vice-chair and a secretary. Such officers shall serve
59	59	31until their successors are elected and qualified. A quorum of the board shall consist of a majority
60	60	32of the members. The board shall keep records and minutes as are necessary to carry out its duties
61	61	33and as otherwise required by law. Board members shall serve without compensation, but shall be
62	62	34reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official 3 of 8
63	63	35duties. The board may be supported with a director, administrative assistant and such other
64	64	36professional staff and operating expenses as are required to discharge its duties.
65	65	37 (c) In addition to the powers and duties set forth in subsections (a) and (b), the board shall
66	66	38have the following powers and duties:
67	67	39 (1) to develop and administer a program for certification of group therapeutic specialists,
68	68	40or to determine existing certification programs which can be leveraged to this purpose, and to
69	69	41establish education, training, experience and other qualifications for such certification,
70	70	42application requirements and standards for practice as a certified group therapeutic specialist;
71	71	43 (2) to set standards and requirements for the establishment, board evaluation and board
72	72	44approval or board acceptance of group therapeutic specialist education and training programs in
73	73	45the commonwealth, the successful completion of which shall make individuals eligible to apply
74	74	46to the board for certification as a group therapeutic specialist;
75	75	47 (3) to set standards and requirements for approval or acceptance of continuing education
76	76	48courses and programs as the board may require for the biennial renewal of a group therapeutic
77	77	49specialist certificate;
78	78	50 (4) to establish minimum education, training, experience and other qualifications that a
79	79	51certified group therapeutic specialist shall possess to qualify as a trainer in any education,
80	80	52training or continuing education program for group therapeutic specialists approved or accepted
81	81	53by the board;
82	82	54 (5) to establish and implement procedures for receipt, review and action upon
83	83	55applications for certification as a group therapeutic specialist and the biennial renewal thereof, 4 of 8
84	84	56for which the board may require documentation of completion of continuing education, and the
85	85	57issuance of certificates of competency to practice as a group therapeutic specialist;
86	86	58 (6) to make, adopt, amend, repeal and enforce such rules and regulations consistent with
87	87	59law as it deems necessary for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare and for the
88	88	60proper administration and enforcement of its responsibilities;
89	89	61 (7) to collect reasonable fees established pursuant to section 3B of chapter 7 and to
90	90	62deposit such fees into the Quality in Health Professions Trust Fund pursuant to section 35X of
91	91	63chapter 10 to support board operations and administration;
92	92	64 (8) to identify and adopt a certification examination or other means to assess group
93	93	65therapeutic specialist competency in connection with board certification, should the board
94	94	66determine that such examination would enhance the advancement of the practice and profession
95	95	67of group therapeutic specialists;
96	96	68 (9) to certify as a group therapeutic specialist an applicant who has been duly certified as
97	97	69a group therapeutic specialist under the laws of another state, territory or commonwealth of the
98	98	70United States or the District of Columbia where the requirements for certification are, in the
99	99	71opinion of the board, equivalent to those in the commonwealth for group therapeutic specialists,
100	100	72or who maintains current certification from a nationally-recognized certifying body as a group
101	101	73therapeutic specialist or the equivalent, and such applicant submits documentation satisfactory to
102	102	74the board of such certification and the requirements therefore;
103	103	75 (10) to establish grounds for complaints related to the practice of group therapeutic
104	104	76specialists and to establish and implement procedures for the review, investigation and resolution
105	105	77of such complaints; 5 of 8
106	106	78 (11) to establish the disciplinary actions available to the board in connection with
107	107	79complaint resolution, which may include a fine, reprimand, probation or censure or suspension,
108	108	80revocation or denial of a certificate issued by the board or a combination of the foregoing and to
109	109	81discipline certificate holders in accordance with procedures established by the board that shall
110	110	82conform with chapter 30A and 801 CMR 1.01 et seq.; and
111	111	83 (12) to perform such other functions and duties as may be required to carry out this
112	112	84section.
113	113	85 SECTION 2. (a) The division of medical assistance and its contracted health insurers,
114	114	86health plans, health maintenance organizations, behavioral health management firms and third-
115	115	87party administrators under contract to a Medicaid managed care organization, accountable care
116	116	88organization or primary care clinician plan shall provide coverage of group therapeutic care
117	117	89services provided by certified group therapeutic specialists. In determining the scope of group
118	118	90therapeutic care services, the division shall consult with the department of public health and the
119	119	91department of mental health.
120	120	92 (b) The division shall promulgate regulations to establish a payment rate for group
121	121	93therapeutic care services provided by a certified group therapeutic specialist.
122	122	94 (c) The division shall establish a pilot program to promote and evaluate the use of group
123	123	95therapeutic behavioral health care for MassHealth members. The pilot program and evaluation
124	124	96shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
125	125	97 (1) identifying practice locations of certified group therapeutic specialists and support the
126	126	98establishment of additional certified group therapeutic specialist practices; 6 of 8
127	127	99 (2) establishing a process for encouraging the referral of MassHealth members to
128	128	100certified group therapeutic specialists;
129	129	101 (3) informing providers and members of the availability and benefits of and the
130	130	102encourage them to use such care, including through a public awareness campaign; and
131	131	103 (4) tracking data on the use of group therapeutic behavioral health care, including
132	132	104demographic data and outcomes, to permit evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot program,
133	133	105particularly for people with limited access to behavioral health care.
134	134	106 The division may determine the geographic scope of the pilot program; provided, that the
135	135	107program shall at a minimum focus on regions with limited access to behavioral health care
136	136	108services or at risk due to limited access to social determinants of health.
137	137	109 All findings and data from the project shall be made available to the health policy
138	138	110commission, the committees on ways and means and the joint committees on health care
139	139	111financing and mental health, substance use and recovery.
140	140	112 The division shall begin the project no later than 1 year after the effective date of this act
141	141	113and shall complete its evaluation of the project no later than 3 years after the effective date of
142	142	114this act.
143	143	115 SECTION 3. (a) The health policy commission shall conduct a comprehensive study and
144	144	116issue a report evaluating the systemic outcomes, demand, and potential cost-savings of
145	145	117integrating group therapeutic behavioral care into the commonwealth’s behavioral health care
146	146	118system. The report shall include recommendations on short and long-term steps the 7 of 8
147	147	119commonwealth can take to improve access to effective, high-quality behavioral health care
148	148	120through group therapeutic care.
149	149	121 The study shall include, but not be limited to, analysis of the following topics:
150	150	122 (1) current utilization and prevalence of group behavioral health care in the
151	151	123commonwealth;
152	152	124 (2) a cost-benefit analysis of expanding access to group therapeutic care;.
153	153	125 (3) identification of barriers to accessing traditional individual therapy that could be
154	154	126mitigated through group care, including racial and socioeconomic disparities, cultural
155	155	127competence, financial burdens and availability of providers;
156	156	128 (4) comparative analysis of the efficiency and effectiveness of outcomes in group
157	157	129therapeutic care as compared to individual therapy; and
158	158	130 (5) assessment of the use of culturally competent techniques and minority practitioners in
159	159	131group therapeutic care relative to individualized therapy.
160	160	132 (b) The commission shall consult with the department of mental health, the division of
161	161	133medical assistance and other agencies of the commonwealth, and with individuals, organizations
162	162	134and providers with expertise in group therapeutic behavioral care. The commission shall hold a
163	163	135public comment session to receive information and recommendations from members of the
164	164	136public.
165	165	137 (c) The report shall be issued no later than December 1, 2026, and be made available
166	166	138electronically on the commission’s website, and shall be filed with the secretary of
167	167	139administration and finance, the secretary of health and human services, the clerks of the house of 8 of 8
168	168	140representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint
169	169	141committee on mental health and substance use and recovery and the joint committee on health
170	170	142care financing.