Bill > S1269

This bill proposes to create a pilot program at Taunton State Hospital to transfer medically stable, high-acuity behavioral health and dual diagnosis patients (individuals with a mental illness and a substance use disorder) from overcrowded emergency departments in the Southeast region of Massachusetts. The program would operate for two years, with the Department of Mental Health overseeing the program's protocols and staffing plan, which would be developed in collaboration with various stakeholders. The goal of the pilot is to decrease emergency department overcrowding and provide appropriate care for these patients until they can be placed in a more suitable setting, which should be within 14 days of admission to the pilot program. An independent evaluation of the program's success in achieving these aims will be reported to the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1269