Bill > H2173

This bill establishes criteria for the compassionate release of terminally ill inmates in Massachusetts correctional facilities, allowing for their transfer to community confinement monitoring programs. If a physician or medical director at a state correctional facility or jail certifies that an inmate is terminally ill and expected to die in custody, the Commissioner of the Department of Correction or a Sheriff can petition the court for an order of "Compassionate Release." This release means the inmate will receive medically appropriate care outside of the correctional facility, typically in a hospital, nursing facility, residential care facility, or a licensed hospice program, and may even be allowed to receive hospice services at home. The Commissioner or Sheriff will receive regular reports on the inmate's condition, and if the inmate fails to comply with the program's terms, or if their medical condition changes such that they are no longer considered terminally ill or care outside the facility is no longer medically appropriate, their participation can be terminated and they can be ordered back to the correctional facility.