Bill > S1396

This bill directs the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission to conduct a comprehensive study on the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline, direct care nurses. The study will involve consulting with multiple stakeholders, including state agencies, nursing associations, healthcare providers, and experts, to explore the pandemic's psychological effects on nurses. Specifically, the study will document the healthcare services nurses provided during COVID-19, identify the traumatic experiences that may have contributed to mental health challenges like post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, assess the mental health resources hospitals offered to nursing staff, and recommend ways to improve mental health support and access for these healthcare workers. The commission is required to file a detailed report with legislative committees by December 31, 2026, outlining their findings and potential legislative recommendations. The goal is to comprehensively understand and address the significant mental health toll the pandemic took on nurses who were on the frontlines of patient care during an unprecedented global health crisis.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1396