The Section 35 Commission was established in August 2018 with Governor Baker’s signing into law of chapter 208 of the Acts of 2018. The commission is charged with: studying the efficacy of involuntary inpatient treatment for individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder; and evaluating and developing a proposal for a consistent statewide standard for the medical review of individuals who are involuntarily committed due to an alcohol or substance use disorder pursuant to section 35 of chapter 123 of the General Laws. The commission is chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and is comprised of a diverse panel of policymakers, public health professionals, legal scholars, clinicians, and local residents.