Public Hearing Notice  Community Policing & Behavioral Health Advisory Council Request for Public Input

Pursuant to Section 117 of Chapter 253 of the Acts and Resolves of 2020, the Community Policing and Behavioral Health Advisory Council established in subsection (e) of section 25 of chapter 19 of the General Laws, shall study and make recommendations for creating a crisis response and continuity of care system that delivers alternative emergency services and programs across the commonwealth that reflect specific regional, racial, ethnic, and sexual orientation needs and differences in delivering such services.

To fulfill its mandate, the Council will be conducting public hearings to consider testimony from the public regarding the Crisis Services Report, which may be found here: Report of the Community Policing and Behavioral Health Advisory Council in accordance with Section 117 of Chapter 253 of the Acts of 2020 and Section 25 of Chapter 19 (mass.gov)

Members of the public are invited to share their thoughts at these hearings:

• December 5, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

       Location:     Springfield Public Library, 220 State Street, Springfield, MA

• December 5, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

       Location:     Worcester Public Library, 2 Salem Square, Worcester, MA

• December 12, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

       Location:     Roslindale Public Library, 4246 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA

• December 13, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Attend virtually by clicking HERE

In addition to attending a hearing listed above, or as an alternative to attending, members of the public may submit comments by email to CrisisServicesStudy@umassmed.edu. Please attach written testimony as either an attached Word or PDF document or as text within the body of the email with "Crisis System Report” in the subject line. All written testimony must include the sender’s full name, mailing address, and organization or affiliation. Written testimony will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. on January 3, 2024.

Pre-registration for attending the public hearings is requested for planning purposes, but it is not mandatory, please email melissa.touadjine@mass.gov to pre-register.           

Closed captioning and American Sign Language Interpreters will be available at all hearings.  For all other reasonable accommodations or Spanish and Portuguese translation, please contact CrisisServicesStudy@umassmed.edu or 1-508-856-2748.

In case of inclement weather or other emergency, hearing cancellation announcements will be posted.