Bill > H2007

This bill aims to enable physician assistants to authorize psychiatric holds and ensure adequate training on their use. Specifically, the bill amends section 12 of chapter 123 of the General Laws to allow physician assistants, in addition to licensed independent social workers and qualified psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists, to issue psychiatric holds. The bill also requires any individual authorized to restrain an individual or authorize a psychiatric hold to undergo three hours of specialized training in direct mental health evaluation, as developed by the Department of Mental Health.