An Act ending unnecessary hospitalizations
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill aims to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations in Massachusetts by requiring healthcare providers to first explore and attempt community-based treatment options before seeking hospitalization for individuals experiencing mental health crises. It expands the definition of ‘community alternative’ to include various services like mobile crisis intervention and behavioral health helplines, and mandates data collection and reporting on hospitalization applications to assess the effectiveness of these efforts.
Key provisions
- Defines ‘Community Alternative’ to encompass a wider range of non-hospitalization services.
- Requires healthcare providers to attempt community alternatives before seeking hospitalization.
- Mandates reporting of hospitalization applications to track trends and evaluate the impact of the legislation.
- Establishes a public website detailing community alternatives and their capacity.
- Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of various healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers) in determining appropriate care.
- Requires documentation of community alternatives considered and reasons for hospitalization decisions.
- Specifies data collection requirements, excluding personally identifiable information.
Who is affected
- Individuals experiencing mental health crises
- Healthcare providers (physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers)
Bill text
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Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
3 on record
Primary sponsor
Substance Use and Recovery Joint Committee on Mental Health
Cosponsors
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