By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1393) of Julian Cyr, Joanne M. Comerford, Jason M. Lewis, John F. Keenan and other members of the Senate for legislation relative to preventing overdose deaths and increasing access to treatment. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
This bill establishes a 30% annual growth target for behavioral health spending above 2025 baseline levels for the 2026-2028 period, requiring the state commission to track and report on progress. It mandates annual public hearings and detailed annual reports analyzing behavioral health spending trends, cost drivers, and how well the system meets the target. The commission must publish these reports publicly and propose strategies to improve affordability and efficiency in behavioral health care. The law applies to all behavioral health expenditures in Massachusetts, directly affecting how the state monitors and manages these costs through defined targets and reporting mechanisms.
By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1414) of Michael O. Moore, John J. Cronin, James B. Eldridge, Paul R. Feeney and other members of the Senate for legislation to increase access to Applied Behavior Analysis services by recognizing assistant level providers. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
This bill requires Massachusetts' Executive Office of Health and Human Services to submit an annual report certifying how Medicaid health benefit plans and their contractors comply with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act for 2024. The report must outline specific steps taken to ensure these plans provide equal coverage for mental health and substance use disorder treatment as for physical health conditions. This affects Medicaid health plans and their contractors operating in Massachusetts, ensuring transparency about their adherence to federal parity requirements.
This bill requires Massachusetts correctional facilities to provide medication for addiction treatment (MAT) to incarcerated individuals within 24 hours of admission if clinically indicated, and to maintain the same treatment a person was receiving before incarceration. It prohibits denying or discontinuing MAT due to positive drug screens, disciplinary actions, or other barriers, and mandates access to addiction specialists for ongoing care. The bill also requires re-entry planning at least 120 days before release, including referrals for continued treatment, opioid antagonist doses, and assistance with MassHealth benefits. These changes apply to all state and county correctional facilities and aim to ensure consistent care for people with substance use disorders during and after incarceration.
This bill expands loan repayment assistance for primary care physicians in Massachusetts. It adds family physicians, internal medicine doctors, pediatricians, and obstetricians/gynecologists to the existing program, making them eligible for loan repayment. To qualify, physicians must work with significant public payor patient populations (as defined by the Department of Public Health), have outstanding education debt, not use other loan programs, and sign a 4-year contract with the state. The program also specifies that part-time workers receive pro-rated assistance. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services must issue implementing regulations within three months of the bill's effective date.
This bill exempts medications used to treat opioid use disorder from prior authorization requirements under Massachusetts Medicaid. It directly affects Medicaid patients seeking these specific treatments and healthcare providers prescribing them. The key change modifies the definition of "Step Therapy Protocol" to explicitly exclude opioid use disorder medications, ensuring they are covered without needing separate approval from the state health division. This removes administrative barriers for accessing critical treatment options.
SD 472 expands who can initiate emergency mental health hospitalization by adding licensed mental health counselors to the list of professionals authorized to request a 3-day hold for individuals posing a risk of serious harm to themselves or others. The bill amends Chapter 123 to include licensed mental health counselors alongside physicians, psychologists, and clinical social workers when evaluating emergency cases, and allows them to apply directly for hospitalization. It also updates provisions to include counselors in police officer protocols for emergency referrals. This change directly affects mental health counselors by granting them new authority in crisis situations and impacts individuals in acute mental health crises by expanding access to emergency evaluation. The bill modifies existing emergency protocols without creating new services or funding.
This bill amends a law governing mental health hospitalization procedures. It adds an exception allowing police to bypass standard hospitalization protocols for individuals who have been arrested and detained, provided a police officer has already submitted a formal petition for hospitalization under existing rules. The change directly affects people in mental health crises who are also under arrest, streamlining the process for police to initiate hospitalization. The key mechanism requires police to file a specific petition before hospitalization can proceed for arrested individuals, altering the prior process where general hospitalization rules applied.
HD 1470 adds licensed mental health counselors to the list of professionals authorized to request a 3-day emergency hospitalization for individuals at risk of harming themselves or others due to mental health issues. Previously, only physicians, psychologists, and certain other licensed providers could initiate this process, but the bill now includes counselors licensed under Chapter 112. The law requires that when applying for a hold, the professional must explain the risk and communicate with the hospital beforehand when possible. This change directly affects licensed mental health counselors by expanding their emergency authority and improves access to crisis care for individuals in need.
