Bill > H1495

This bill amends Chapter 123 of the General Laws by adding a new section, 30A, which outlines specific requirements before a person under the care of the Department of Mental Health (DMH) can be temporarily released on a furlough or an unsupervised pass off the grounds of a facility. These requirements include conducting a criminal offender record information check, having a designated group or panel review the release, and providing written notice at least three days in advance to the chief of police in any community where a person with a felony conviction or a serious criminal or violent history will be released unattended; this notice must include a sanitized copy of the person's criminal record information, without identifying the individual. Furthermore, the chief of police has the right to appeal the release to the facility's director, who holds the final decision-making authority, and the chief of police must be informed of this decision within 24 hours of their appeal.