The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
Thomas M. Menino
Steven A. Tolman
Jarrett T. Barrios
Willie Mae Allen
Steven J. D'Amico
Michael E. Festa
Linda Dorcena Forry
Mary E. Grant
John A. Hart, Jr.
Kevin G. Honan
Kay Khan
Peter J. Koutoujian
William Lantigua
Elizabeth A. Malia
Anthony Petruccelli
Michael F. Rush
John W. Scibak
James B. Eldridge
Denise Provost
James E. Timilty
Michael J. Moran
Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.
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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new section:-
Chapter 111, Section 25J. Health care facilities; safe release for patients.
The department of public health shall develop regulations regarding the establishment of programs to protect the safety of all victims of violence, including but not limited to intimate partner and other intentional violence. In consultation with an advisory group to be determined by the commissioner, composed of experts in the field of violence prevention, the department shall develop guidelines for implementation of these programs.
Subject to appropriation, the department shall also establish a program to disseminate said guidelines statewide to train health care providers in community health centers and acute care hospitals licensed as defined in section 25B of chapter one hundred and eleven and others as deemed appropriate by the department. For the purposes of this section, “health care providers” shall mean a person or entity providing medical care or services, including but not limited to physicians, physician’s assistants, and nurses.