Community Policing and Behavioral Health Advisory Council Statute

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Legal Authority:

M.G.L. Chapter 19, Section 25(e)
Chapter 253, Section 117 of the Acts of 2020

 

Full text of the Legislation:

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleII/Chapter19/Section25
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2020/Chapter253

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Summary

M.G.L. Chapter 19, Section 25(e): Center for responsive training in crisis intervention

(e) There shall be a community policing and behavioral health advisory council, consisting of 11 members:

• Secretary of health and human services or the secretary's designee, who shall serve as a co-chair of the council
• Secretary of public safety and security or the secretary's designee, who shall serve as a co-chair of the council
• Commissioner of the department of mental health or the commissioner's designee
• Commissioner of the department of public health or the commissioner's designee
• Executive director of the municipal police training committee or the director's designee
• Representative of a mental health consumer advocacy group, as appointed by the secretary of health and human services
• 2 community members who are consumers of behavioral health services, appointed by the secretary of health and human services
• 3 municipal police chiefs or commanding officers to be selected by the executive director of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, which shall include:
  • 1 police chief or commanding officer employed by a community with fewer than 10,000 residents
  • 1 police chief or commanding officer employed by a community with 10,000 or more residents and fewer than 60,000 residents;
  • 1 police chief or commanding officer employed by a community with 60,000 or more residents.

• Members of the council shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, and may be reappointed for consecutive 3-year terms. Each member shall be reimbursed by the commonwealth for all expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

The council shall advise the chairs in directing the activities of the center consistent with subsection (c), and shall receive ongoing reports from the center concerning its activities. The council shall solicit public comment in the area of community policing and behavioral health, and in so doing may convene public hearings throughout the commonwealth. The council shall hold not less than 2 meetings per year and may convene special meetings at the call of the chair or a majority of the council.

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Summary

Chapter 253, Section 117 of the Acts of 2020

Chapter 253, Section 117 of the Acts of 2020

SECTION 117.  (a) 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. The study shall include, but not be limited to: (i) a comprehensive review and evaluation of existing crisis intervention, alternative emergency response and jail diversion models, services and programs in the commonwealth at the state, county and municipal level and models used effectively in other jurisdictions; (ii) a method for evaluating the effectiveness of existing crisis intervention, alternative emergency response and jail diversion models, services and programs in diverting individuals from the criminal justice system and emergency departments to appropriate care; (iii) recommendations for expanding effective crisis intervention and jail diversion models, services and programs identified in clause (ii) across the commonwealth; (iv) identification of crisis response training programs and protocols for law enforcement officers and 911 telecommunicators that reflect best practices and a plan for standardizing systems and aligning such programs and protocols across the commonwealth; (v) identification of outcome measurements and data collection procedures to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the crisis response system and its components; (vi) an analysis of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national guidelines for behavioral health crisis care, including regional crisis call centers and mobile crisis teams; and (vii) an estimate of the additional costs or cost savings of implementing the council’s recommendations under this section and possible sources of funding for delivering the crisis response and continuity of care system at the state, county and municipal levels. In developing recommendations for a crisis response and jail diversion system, the council, where appropriate, shall prioritize non-police community-based programs.

(b)  The council may commission an independent research or academic organization with expertise in clinical social work, criminal justice, behavioral health jail diversion modalities and accessible analysis of quantitative and qualitative data and communication of study results to conduct the study. The council shall facilitate the collection of data needed to complete the study pursuant to a memoranda of understanding with the department of mental health, the executive office of public safety and security, the executive office of health and human services and relevant social service agencies.

(c)  The study shall be designed in consultation with interested stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Inc.; the National Association of Social Workers, Inc.; the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc.; the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. and members of the general court.

(d)  Not later than July 1, 2022, the council shall submit the study’s findings to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery, the joint committee on public health, the joint committee on health care financing, the joint committee on public safety and homeland security and the center for responsive training in crisis intervention established pursuant to section 25 of chapter 19 of the General Laws. The study’s findings shall be published on the department of mental health’s website. Not later than 3 months after receiving the study’s findings, the council shall solicit public comment and hold not less than 4 public hearings, 1 of which shall be held in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire or Hampden county and 1 of which shall be held in the Worcester area.

(e)  The council shall report on existing and innovative crisis response models and recommend legislation or regulations to advance and strengthen non-police solutions to crisis response and jail diversion. The report shall incorporate the study’s findings and issues raised in public comments and hearings. The report and recommendations shall be submitted to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery not later than July 1, 2023.

(f)  The center for responsive training in crisis intervention shall consider the council’s recommendations for incorporation into regional training opportunities and training curricula.

Date published:	August 31, 2023