transcript

transcript  Special Commission on State Institutions July 18, 2024


good morning good afternoon everyone we would like to call this meeting of the

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special Commission of state of Institute to

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order my name is Evelyn Matel and I'm one of the commissions coach here my

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colleague Matt Melly is here as a

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commission as the commission's other co-chair as usual before we begin we

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would like to let everyone know this commission meeting must follow the open meeting law any votes taken during the

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meeting will be done via qu v v vote we

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ask the commission members please mute themselves when they are not speaking

1:00

and use the raised hand feature if they would like to speak before speaking

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please state your name so everyone knows who is talking for any questions posted

1:13

from the audience and the question answer for this meeting Cedar will be re

1:19

viewing the questions and holding them until the end of the meeting we hope

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everyone has taken a moment to view the agenda this these are the items we will

1:36

be discussing today

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s

2:35

thank

2:47

you I'm sorry to interrupt Evelyn um just want to let you know there's a

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couple of um commission members that are should be joining um as attendees they

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came in as partici ipants so um I just wanted to let you know that

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um I'm not sure if Matt do I just continue I'm sorry yes please he um he

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hasn't um joined

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okay since our last meeting we have had a new commission member appointed Bill

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and H Bill hen who will serve as the representative of the center of

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Independent Living bill would like to introduce would you like to introduce

3:44

yourself sure thank you Evelyn I'm Bill Henning um director of the Boston Center

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for Independent Living I know uh number of you are we've crossed paths over the

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year I've been engaged in disability ad for many years with a focus on some of

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the deinstitutionalization that's occurred in massachusett so I'm pleased to be

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here thank you Evelyn thank you Bill we want to

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announce the departure of one of our commission members Conor snow who has

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served as a representative of the massachusett state

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archive on the special commission we will be leave we will be

4:33

leaving who will be leaving at the end of August on behalf of the special

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commission I would like to say that we have greatly appreciated working with OK

4:45

Conor your Insight and knowledge have been very valuable and we want to wish

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you the best of luck in the future Conor will you like to say

4:58

anything yeah this Conor snow from the master archives thank you Evelyn and um

5:03

yeah it's been a real pleasure working with everyone here at the commission uh the commission's been doing great work uh also want to give a special thank you

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to everyone at Cedar and for being a part of this um without you guys the you know the resources of putting together

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all this research in this commission has just been truly wonderful and uh I'm really excited to see where this is

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going to go and uh yeah I wish you all the best of luck

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we would like to invite Emily SE see from Cedar to provide a high level recap

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of our last meeting before vote to approve the

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minutes thank you so much Ellen so in in the last meeting uh the

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commission discussed a number of areas there was a tool of commonly used terms

6:07

and acronyms that was prepared by Cedar that was presented to members which will be updated as needed the commission

6:14

members discussed a proposed timeline for the commission's Work Commission

6:19

members were reminded that they can expect a draft report from Ceder in September Commissioners agreed to add a

6:27

meeting in October to give them enough time together to discuss each of the

6:32

three areas of content which are burials records and a memorial before the end of

6:39

the year Commissioners discussed recent media about matters relevant to the

6:44

commission's work articles covered topics including the planning process

6:50

for the fold grounds a family member's efforts to get records about their

6:55

family member who lived at fernal and an article of about confidential

7:00

confidential police files that were stored

7:06

unsecured each of the working groups also gave an update the records group discussed a

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state bill that was proposed in the past that would give people access to public

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records from institutions they talked about the idea of an amnesty program to allow people to

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return items previously stolen sold or purchased from institutions without

7:32

facing charges they also talked about information gathered from 36 other

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states on their record access rules the burial work group talked about

7:44

putting together a list of all known institutional cemeteries in the state

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and a gap analysis tool to review each institutional ceter we'll talk more about that tool in

7:57

today's meeting there was also discussion about the need to educate local towns and City officials about how

8:05

to properly search for unmarked Graves and handle it when there is a suspected

8:11

unmarked grave in their town in discussion commission members supported drafting guidance for these

8:19

towns and cities the work group on the framework for public recognition discussed what

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they learned about work in other Memorial projects and plan and to learn

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about the process used by the Willowbrook Memorial in New York I'll turn it back to

8:53

Evelyn so now we're going to um thank you

9:01

thanks Emily before we dive into the afternoon discussion we have our vote one minute from the commission's last

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meeting back in March draft coffee of meet of meetings and email members last

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week do members have any suggestion changes to the minute

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if not we can proceed with the voting as usual we'll

9:35

be did this sorry contact the all if

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anyone would if everyone would please unmute I will call out your names in

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alphabetical order first we have a motion to approve the minutes please

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remember to state your name thank you

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and from the dppc I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from the last

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meeting does R Kelly I second

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it thank you I'll read the me read out members names in alphabetical order from

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last name um I Arena

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all right Elise go ahead you approve yes okay thank

10:41

you Kate Benson yes sister Linda B Bess yes sister Linda

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bessam I approve thank you Reggie Clark

11:10

Reggie Clark yes and um

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f I approve Alex green sorry stay because I

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wasn't there Bill hennon uh stain I wasn't on

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the commission at that point Kelly

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yes Andrew yes Mary

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Mahon Mary Mahoney

11:58

[Music]

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W

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Moore rest Moore Brenda

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ring yes or no for aing minute Ming minut you approved them yeah

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okay thank you Conor snow yes and Matt

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M and myself have liit I approve did I miss

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anyone no you're all set thank you everyone the minutes are

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approved as a reminder copies of the approved minutes and all the materials

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from our commission meeting meetings are available on the commission

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website okay the next item on the agenda on the

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agenda is the letter of inquiry regarding records and Records access

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that were sent to the Govern Governor Haley and secretary Walsh in March the

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special commission got a response on Monday and it will it was included in

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the materials of this meeting it is is there

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anyone who did not receive the

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letter um

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we would now like to turn the discussion over to commissioner member reggy

14:23

clerk hello hello hey Reggie this is Jen fugle stad

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the slide is up for you yeah well yesterday when you call we talked

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about the letter yesterday and you read the letter to me telling me about the records and

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everything

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yesterday we talked about a little bit about what we're going to talk about today during the meeting

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are you there Jen I am Reggie would you like us to read out a summary of the

15:17

letter yes okay great yes please I think um I started I think that was um Emily that

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was gonna read out the letter um summary Reggie perfect

15:29

okay yeah yes thank you so the commission made five requests in their

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letter of inquiry and I will go through each of the requests in a plain sum plain Language summary of their response

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so the first request was to look for any remaining records at the closed

15:49

institutions the response stated that the dmh and DDS so the Department of

15:54

Mental Health and the Department of Developmental Services checked State institutions that they used to run to

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find out if there were records left there they found that records of people who lived uh at these locations were

16:08

moved to other buildings at the Department of Mental Health and at DDS

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before the institutions closed and changed ownership there are some places that

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were not safe to search so at places like Medfield state hospital where only

16:26

part of the buildings are closed um eohhs which is the Executive offices

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of Health and Human Services has been surveying the campuses dh's survey at

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Medfield state hospital was limited because of safety worries with condemned

16:43

buildings they plan to work with other state agencies to see if they can safely

16:49

get into those areas to search for records there was also a request by the

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commission to address any record security issues identif ifed the Executive offices of Health and

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Human Services checked closed dmh and DDS facilities and they said they found

17:08

no record security problems except at the fernal Developmental Center which is

17:14

a previous topic of discussion of this commission they said that if any issues come up dmh and DDS will handle them

17:23

quickly following federal and state rules the commission asked the uh

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agencies to develop an easyto follow process to make record

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requests the executive office in he Health and Human Services wants to help the commission and families of people

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who used to get Services by making it easier to get their records according to their letter they said they're working

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on simple clear ways to do this the steps for former and current

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service recipients to ask for their records or for a family or a state to ask for them are on both the dmh and DDS

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websites on ma.gov according to the letter according to state law family

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members can get medical records of dmh and DDS clients in certain

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situations this includes when the family member is legally authorized to

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represent the person like being a custodial parent Court approved guardian

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or a personal representative of the diseased person's

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estate records can also be given if a court orders it if the client agrees or

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if the commissioner decides it's best for the person the fourth request of the

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commission was to create a clear process for how all confidential records were to be stored and when these

18:54

records are allowed to be destroyed the letter stated that dmh and DDS have specific rules and procedures

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for handling client and patient records both DM's privacy handbook and

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dds's privacy handbook outline rules for how to handle store and keep

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confidential records the handbooks are stated to follow state and federal laws requiring

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staff to protect the confidentiality of protected health information or Phi um that the agencies

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create or keep the policies require taking reasonable steps to present

19:36

accidental sharing and to keep protected health information in Secure places like

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locked offices or filing cabinets DDS and dmh stated that they

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follow the Massachusetts Statewide records retention schedule for deciding

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how long to keep records and how to dispose of them a copy of the schedule can be found on

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the secretary of the Commonwealth's website the law that governs how long

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medical records must be kept requires a 20-year retention period medical records

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can't be destroyed or moved to the state archives unless the records conservation

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board which is overseen by the secretary of the Commonwealth gives permission the letter States a tracking

20:28

system is used to monitor when records are moved who takes them and where they

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are kept the final request of the Commission in this letter was to provide a list of

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records that may be stored at facilities or government offices still in

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operation letter states that both dmh and DDS maintain detailed lists of

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records and have access to records still in their possession including those

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stored in the state archives and that concludes the summary of the letter

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thank you we would like to open up a discussion about the e o HS respond to

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the letter of the

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inquiry since the last meeting of the commission was one news articles have

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been PL published that we want everyone to know about the article is from

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warburn and the and that report ongoing vandalism of

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the fernal property and and the discovery of the Nazi skin

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head graph griffi we want to to share the article

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with the commission and see what people

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thought are there any things that commission want to discuss about this

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article Matt has his hand Alex hi this is Alex green

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um I'll uh I'll go first I guess on on both of these items obviously the skin

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head graffiti is very disturbing um at the fold schol and um you know the the I

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was struck that the city of Walt's response the police response said that this was not did not use the word hate

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crime for this um they refused to call it hate and um that they're proud of

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having arrested 50 people when there's been documented thousands and thousands of break-ins there so it's it's sort of

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um and I guess that goes to maybe the way that things are framed and written I'm I'm disappointed in the letter um

23:28

that we've received from the secretary um because I think it's

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talking around things and I think we need to get specific about things um which is the whole reason that this commission exists but um you know some

23:41

things that just stand out to me where they're examples of where we could get more specific um the letter sounds like

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it's just the fernal but um as we've said repeatedly and I I do want to be clear also that these things are often

23:53

said repeatedly and have been brought forward repeatedly um many of those records that

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were left at the fold were in boxes labeled from other state institutions so

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to say that there were none found at other institutions doesn't really vibrate

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because in actuality those other institutions documents were then sent to fold and left open to the public and

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that's where we need an inventory and an accounting that gets specific about what this is um if a tracking system is used

24:24

I would love to know at our very first meeting last year our dmh representative

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to the board who is the head of inpatient facilities said openly in the

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meeting that tons of documents were left in buildings that were no longer being

24:40

used by dmh and the staff regularly talked about how they did not know what

24:47

they were supposed to do with them and how to handle them so if things are tracked I would like to know what has

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changed between last May's meeting and now specifically that tracks where those

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documents were and where they've gone to because if that tracking system is in place according to the letter then we

25:05

should know that um if we don't know that rif through this letter and in

25:11

general that are born out of being non unspecific and and what it all led me to

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believe is if they're really on a 20year retention schedule and taking these things to the records commission uh the

25:24

oversight board I I would love to see that stopped for some time until we have a handle on on what is going on like no

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no request should be granted from dmh or DDS to destroy records right now until

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we know what those records are because I feel like this is not taking this seriously um that will come up later

25:44

with another matter that's that's that's in front of us but I I I I'm I'm at a

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low E on this one so sorry to talk for so long but I I found this an incredibly um whitewashed take on this

25:58

relative to the severity of the issue and I'll remind my colleagues on the commission that this is being investigated by the Civil Rights

26:05

division of the federal office of Health and Human Services this is a very serious matter and I did not take I did

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not think that this letter should have taken 90 days or 60 days or whatever to produce given how little it told

26:22

me Victor yes thank you I just want to make sure that uh nobody else is has their

26:30

hand raised first because they wanted to uh respond to the letter of inquiry um

26:37

from the secretary uh so I don't want to use anybody else's uh uh speaking opportunity for that is anybody else's

26:44

hand up no okay thank you okay um this just

26:51

kind of dug Tales a little bit on this topic uh but I'm not going to comment on

26:57

this topic uh directly but um as we know uh this this

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this subject uh came to light um from U

27:10

um people on campus who uh went on campus and took pictures um of the uh

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the the documents and I just wanted to um bring

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to light that uh you know fernal as we know is a a closed facility that is uh

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under the opes now the city of walam but um with

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u DDS still having 23 area offices for

27:44

Regions and two uh operating facilities and Hogan and

27:50

Danvers in Ram Developmental Center we would just want to uh bring to

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a light that you know if anybody goes on these campuses or these

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offices to take pictures or anything like that um particularly you know those

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that are active meaning that you know individuals living there people working there uh that is that is

28:18

trespassing um you DDS has an not has obligation to protect the individuals

28:26

and staff who work there so uh you know we asked that if uh anybody

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receives anything where um it's clear that they had trespassed onto

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particularly an anactive um facility or office that you can just let me know

28:46

that would be highly appreciative because of um you know there's uh videos

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or pictures being circulated from an active facility that means that you know

28:58

we had individuals close by and um we need to make sure that our individuals

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are protected so uh you know we ask that people do that um and um you know like

29:10

anybody else who trespasses onto our properties uh operated by

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DDS you know health and safety of our individuals and staff um are foremost

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and we would have to take un necessary action including uh up to including notifying the local authorities so uh

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you know this is that's is not directed towards a letter of inquiry but it kind of like presents an opportunity just to

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make sure that it's it's there and uh you know I just wanted to be able to U

29:41

share this and U happy to discuss this offline um with folks um just in the

29:49

interest of time that's all I have to say on this uh thanks again for the opportunity

29:58

hello this is Reggie Callin I agree everything with Alex green has

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said the next item on the agenda is a report from s sorry to interrupt um

30:19

Evelyn this is Jennifer again uh Jay has his hand up uh good afternoon I just

30:25

want to acknowledge the comments that were made and say I agree I'm I'm Jay

30:31

tomman I'm from the Department of Mental Health I uh have been participating in

30:36

the um larger meetings that the commission has and I just want to say we can always do things better in terms of

30:43

Records um it it it is a little troubling to hear Alex the example that

30:48

you gave in terms of redaction and people not understanding um what they're

30:54

receiving and why they're receiving it in the format that they're getting so that is definitely something uh you know

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we could definitely do better on and I mean this this this is a process where we welcome uh you know input and feedback

31:09

hopefully what comes out of this is recommendations I think that's part of what this group is charge with you know

31:15

as an agency as agencies um you know we would welcome input on how we could do

31:21

things better or more more efficiently um and then in terms of just records I will say for the Department of Mental

31:29

Health um most of the facilities that have closed most of the buildings have

31:34

been demolished except at Medfield as Emily um mentioned as she described uh

31:40

the letter from the secretary that is one area where um we cannot say for for

31:47

certain because we were unable to um when we surveyed building safely get into those buildings but for the most

31:54

part former um Department mental health operated facilities those buildings um

32:02

that have closed have been demolished and that's why um we we we know we also

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you know we have surveyed on many different times um buildings when they were there um to try to get at that and

32:17

um yes we do we do um know um uh where

32:23

our records are um and I think to speak to speak to why I mean we're an agency

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of 4,000 employees um there's a lot of confusion out there about different

32:34

things um uh it's not an excuse It's not to make but in terms of

32:40

communication um you know sometimes um you know we don't all know as the policy

32:46

director of the Department of Mental Health I can assure you I don't know everything about the department I'm learning every day even on these issues

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I'm learning from this group and I'm learning from from from folks in the department M finding the right people

32:59

who have the institutional knowledge and who have the experience and and that's what I hope as someone who can help um

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as a liaison to this commission can help we can help identify who those people

33:13

are and who can where we can access and and and and and find information so I I

33:19

I think we can always do a better job I'm not saying that everything we do with the Department is 100% perfect but

33:25

um you know we we we do try I and we were here to collaborate and work uh

33:31

with the commission Bill hon sure thank you um

33:41

this is my first meeting so I'm bit new to the issue though I have read the many

33:46

news accounts on the records at fernal um Jay said something that kind of

33:54

answered the point I was going to raise but it's still out there kind of to me

34:00

Alex raised some very serious concern still being outstanding and was just

34:08

wondering uh if this body might take further steps if there was not full

34:13

satisfaction with the letter that secretary Walsh took because it sounds

34:19

like there are issues still out there maybe you know Jay suggested the

34:24

commission could make recommendations I just wondered if there's any plan to further pursue the matter because

34:31

there's been some concern with the response letter I didn't I have not seen

34:36

the original letter sent to secretary Walsh that would be helpful too so I could understand things better thank

34:44

you Emily thank you Bill we certainly make

34:50

sure you get that letter the letter had two areas that I think I want to make sure the commission um recognized as an

34:58

opportunity to consider one the agencies did offer to work with the commission to

35:04

improve transparency and in other areas so I think the commission Commissioners could consider where they would like to

35:11

work with the agencies and in what Manner secondly if there is not full

35:17

satisfaction with the response the work of the commission I think has the opportunity to try to verify or validate

35:25

that the responses that you received are accurate and complete so you can also

35:30

identify areas of further work this with or without Cedar support where you would

35:35

like to do some Fair validation work uh to gather your own facts so just put

35:42

those two areas out there for consideration for

35:55

Commissioners Alex to that end what if we were to have the

36:01

work groups over the before the next meeting consider each their own responses to to how they'd like to move

36:07

forward with this and put something forward to the chairs as a for consideration as a unified kind of way

36:14

to respond to this at the next meeting so we could put something forward that's clear and organized uh the work doesn't

36:20

just fall to the chairs it falls into the specialization of each work group could identify each area get it to

36:26

something really really short clear and then consider that uh for for a vote

36:31

either for a letter or for future action for the next next meeting that

36:37

I does that sound reasonable to folks I could put that forward as a motion I we could just agree to do it um I don't

36:47

know I agree Alex um you this is Mary Manan mcau from

36:53

mod and um can everyone hear me okay I'm joining via phone today

36:58

yes okay great um I I just want to make couple of comments going back a little

37:04

bit I agree that it's extremely disturbing that skin heads um mocking up

37:11

the the buildings it's it's that that piece I don't know what else to say about that but it's and and secondly of

37:20

um the the it's interesting response as far as the letter and I would that some

37:28

of what's on some of what's in the letter is kind of the the rules at hand

37:33

um the way things should go the way things should be and and I think what

37:41

what we've seen and and what's been um shown and uncovered and um it's part of why this

37:48

commission exists and has had the commission exist is that you know things

37:53

aren't always done like they should be right um you know for the state for 35

37:58

years and and for the most part I'm always going to you know kind of support

38:05

um a lot of my colleagues through the years have been great employees um but you know that doesn't mean that you know

38:11

everything that the Commonwealth has condoned or done has always been good we know clearly that there's been many many

38:18

problems and in these institutions there were there was illegal activity and and

38:25

um you know just very unfair treatment and it goes on and on and you know we're

38:30

trying to uncover that in a way as we've discussed to uncover to disclose it to

38:36

identify um the things that would that that were done that shouldn't have been done to to give um you know to give

38:46

pride and recognition to the individuals that weren't completely respected as humans in many ways and and getting back

38:54

to the letter as far as what we're discussing the transparency is I agree that the letter is you know

39:00

there's a lot of generalizations and how things should be but I like the idea of bringing back the letter to the

39:07

subcommittees and maybe taking particular sections and saying um yes

39:13

this you know this may be the rule and how it should go but you know we've seen

39:19

from this or that action that that's not always happening or um you know we we

39:26

want to help and we want to make changes right and and so if we can go back with

39:33

suggestions ideas recommendations and within that there's

39:39

all there's also questions on different sections of the letter that that we're

39:44

questioning so you know that that's how I'd want to proceed

40:04

does that make sense yes does anyone have um their hand

40:17

raised sorry this will be the last time I talk on this why why don't we leave it at this

40:24

then I I um I will make a motion that I make a motion that we uh take the

40:31

letter into the subcommittees for consideration and recommendations for next steps uh to the chairs before the

40:38

next meeting I'd second the

40:45

motion this is

40:53

Mary we're going to um continue the I'm sorry to interrupt would we do a

41:00

vote at this point I'm just looking at the notes for uh capturing is this something that we should be voting

41:11

on I believe so with a motion on the floor

41:19

okay eing do you want to do the roll call again yes I can

41:37

sorry um

41:49

Alise Alise hi no no questions sorry about

41:56

that

42:06

Pate Benson yes sister

42:13

Linda uh yes I agree very good suggestion

42:20

Reggie Reggie yes an

42:39

Alex yes Bill

42:44

yes Reena yes Andrew

42:54

present Mary yes

43:05

vper Brenda you guys vote

43:11

Yes okay yeah okay thank you

43:17

Conor yes Matt

43:38

um and myself yes

43:48

[Music]

44:08

Evelyn I think everybody agreed um uh four yeses and one um uh person

44:17

absent okay move

44:24

on the next item on the agenda is a report from the work groups we have

44:30

three work groups one on records and record request

44:36

process one on burials and burials location and one on focusing focused on

44:44

framework for remembrance the groups need add the

44:50

groups need additional members please consider joining a work group if you

44:57

would like to participate in any of the work groups please email Cedar support

45:06

email address and Cedar's team will share the dates and the

45:12

next schedule work groups

45:20

meetings and now we and we would now like to invite each work group to share

45:27

reports on their work they have done so

45:36

far Alex hey folks reporting out from the

45:43

records and Records access committee and I'll just Echo what Evelyn's saying um we desperately need folks in the work

45:48

groups um especially these coming months we're going to get near a report we're going to really have to drill into it

45:54

we're going to want to be offering suggestions obviously these meetings are large and we have a lot to uh get

46:00

through so if you can join in on those subcommittee meetings you don't have to join them all but joining one subcommittee and being there is an

46:06

awesome thing and super helpful in the records committee we met uh recently um

46:11

handful of things we're going through right now um uh just an update on legislative activity there's a bill in

46:18

the Senate and in the house uh that will open records up after 75 years uh at the

46:24

Massachusetts archives it was originally put for forward by the secretary of the Commonwealth which oversees the archives

46:30

so it is supported by them to bring us in line with other states because we lock off records in an unusual way in

46:37

this state right now um uh the legislative session formal session ends the end of the month um bills

46:44

technically have to pass by then um though they can pass in What's called the informal session before the end of

46:50

the year as long as nobody objects um it's a little tricky the bill has gotten farther than it ever has before um it

46:57

seems to have a lot of supporters now that folks know what it does um but that's no guarantee and so we will

47:02

continue to watch and see I think always anyone in the state would be foolish to say that they are certain a bill is

47:08

going to pass it's more likely that it may not pass just because very few bills pass in any year um but we are watching

47:14

and uh hopeful that it it might move its way through um you've heard a little about records requests from family

47:20

members to the state some of those are going through on the DDS side DDS is providing records and Outreach uh I know

47:28

of a handful of folks so far who've gotten records um and as you heard me describe I think it's a somewhat uneven

47:33

process but we are at least talking that through um with DDS um uh and I think

47:40

trying to work on it in good faith um couple other things and then I will absolutely take uh take some questions

47:45

and comments um Foxboro state hospital um Cedar and and the records committee

47:50

are working with dmh to explore the possibility of actually recreating one of the lists of people buried at

47:57

foxboro's State Hospital uh Cemetery um there doesn't there's not a list anymore

48:03

but it's possible to recreate one um so they're discussing ways to retrieve that information and if records can kind of

48:09

tell us then to disclose the names of those people which would be a really really nice thing so um early in that

48:16

hard to know but um going through those steps which is nice um uh and um uh um

48:25

the the letter of inquiry As We Know um we kind of discussed where what next steps on that will be um so happy to

48:30

take any questions um I see sister Linda's hand um yes yes I I was

48:36

wondering uh what what is the bill number for that legislation I I always

48:42

um look things up afterwards and I know the bill number is very helpful sure um

48:49

it's a terrific question it um let me make sure that I actually give you the right the right number um so hang on one

48:56

second in the house is is

49:02

h333 and in the Senate the bill is S1

49:08

965 I will say that when you read the house version it was revised recently by

49:15

the committee um and they know that that revision is not where it needs to end up

49:20

being so you will see some difference between the Senate version which is just one line that's the original version of

49:26

the bill um and that's kind of what a lot of the supporters and folks have been after um

49:32

the house version they tried something but I think there was some misunder understanding so they're just working through the language on it try to move

49:37

it back toward what it was before okay thank you thank

49:46

you if there are no other questions I will kick it back to the

49:52

chair back to you Evelyn welcome could you please give an update on the

49:59

burials and burials location work group absolutely this is Kate Benson um

50:05

the burials and burial locations group also met recently um we've compiled a

50:10

list of as many known burial locations as we can find 26 cemeteries and all

50:17

have been identified across the state some of those cemeteries are on the grounds of former

50:24

institutions um but some burials took placed in the city or town cemeteries in

50:29

plots that were purchased by the state currently the status of each

50:35

Cemetery needs to be evaluated um there's a wide variation in relation to

50:40

the care and maintenance of these cemeteries and also a wide variation regarding whether or not the graves are

50:47

marked in several cemeteries uh Andor institutions are rumored to have

50:53

unmarked Graves on the grounds we've as a group have requested assistance from

50:58

the mass State archaeologist's office to collect guidance on what steps to take

51:04

if a possible unmarked grave is suspected at any of the sites of former

51:10

institutions um Jen is there a next

51:15

slide yeah there's a a couple more I wasna say I was like I think I have way more to say

51:21

um the in the last meeting we shared that we created a gap analysis in order

51:26

to evaluate the status of the cemeteries and some of the things that the Gap

51:31

analysis will evaluate in each Cemetery um is the condition of the cemetery is

51:37

there signage that tells you a cemetery is even there um and what cemetery it is

51:43

is there evidence of ongoing maintenance like mowing weed whacking plantings um

51:49

maintenance of stones is there any kind of security whether it be a gate or um

51:55

security Patrols is there evidence of trash being left behind vandalism being

52:01

committed um we're also evaluating the barrial locations are there grave markers and what do those grave markers

52:08

look like is there a memorial some of the cemeteries have a main stone with the list of everyone's names on them or

52:15

some other type of Memorial and is there a possibility of unmarked graves in that

52:21

cemetery and also the records are records available that contain um the

52:26

necessary information the person's name what section of the cemetery they're in what their plot number is is there a way

52:32

to locate who's buried

52:39

where um as an example we chose the Northampton State Hospital Cemetery this is what a gap analysis could look like

52:45

for Northampton um the burial ground was used from 1858 to 1921 and Records

52:51

mention it as the hospital Cemetery or Hillside Cemetery um it is an inactive

52:56

it's currently managed by Smith vocational agricultural school um the land is owned by the city of Northampton

53:03

under permanent agricultural use restriction um dmh staff research in

53:08

1997 found 181 confirmed burials using hospital records and City registers and

53:15

another 413 burials were unclear but possibly on the hospital grounds after

53:21

1921 some patients who weren't claimed by family were sent to medical schools under state laws um the hospital closed

53:29

in 1993 and the cemetery area called Cemetery Hill is now used by Smith vocational for farming instruction and

53:36

it's protected for agricultural use and has no grave markers the exact location

53:42

and number of burials are unknown so Northampton obviously is kind of the worst case scenario example but this is

53:49

what a gap analysis could look like um once it's completed for each Cemetery

53:59

um so some of the things that we would like all members of the commission to consider when it comes to the burials

54:07

piece is um how does the commission want to complete the Gap analysis for each

54:12

Cemetery we have some options for how that can get finished um how does the commission want to explore the

54:18

likelihood and possible locations at unmarked Graves there are some current

54:24

questions about how that's be approached because there have been um some other

54:30

individuals who have approached possible unmarked Graves and cemetery

54:36

locations um and of course just open discussion so um the first question how

54:42

we want to complete the Gap analysis does anyone want to weigh in on that it's kind of a big

54:50

question I don't know if anyone has thoughts this might be something people want to spend more time thinking about

54:56

before jumping jumping on the bandwagon on this

55:04

one Alex yes to your point yes more time

55:09

time to think yeah this is a really big question and it's it's one that just the

55:15

action alone of considering this Gap analysis is going to take some time what do you recommend on that do you

55:21

recommend kind of taking that up in the subcommittee because that's a lot so I I feel like it deserves its own maybe okay

55:28

and I think this is also another good place to encourage other Commissioners to join the Committees um this is going

55:36

to be a lot of um a lot of leg work so having more members on the burial

55:43

committee would be wonderful to be able to um open these discussions up to how

55:48

we want to handle this this activity so I'll just put that plug out there again

55:54

um and the second question Also may take some some more some further thought of

56:01

how we want to approach the likelihood and possible locations of unmarked Graves um Alex has found in his research

56:09

that there are um outliers in a number of the cemeteries I know that for us in

56:15

belter town we are unsure whether or not our fence line is correct so there's a possibility that we may have some

56:22

unmarked and unconsidered individuals um there are also some quote unquote lost cemeteries um for us to

56:31

consider so that's a pretty pretty big category as

56:37

well does anyone have any general questions

56:42

thoughts yes this is hi Kate this is Mary MIM how are you I actually have a

56:50

question about um in in some ways both of them but the the first one as far as

56:57

the Gap analysis I'm wondering if it's that you want some assistance in what

57:04

factors or variables to list as far as the gaps if it's going to be more things

57:10

than what you talked about earlier in future in cemeteries like as far as

57:16

doing the Gap analysis or is it that you're looking for how to complete this body of work

57:24

which is quite immense because I think it was

57:29

26 um cemeteries altoe that we know of or was it kind of

57:36

both um so Jen has already assembled the Gap analysis itself um so we have a

57:42

template to work from I think it's how we're going to approach the body of work in general as you said because it's a

57:49

lot of cemeteries um some of the cemeteries are exceptionally large we think about tuxbury with 8,500 people

57:56

and we're not even there's also the matter of which of those were mm's house burials which were

58:04

State Hospital burials we also have some cemeteries that are now serving a dual

58:10

purpose between previous dmh burials and then they shipped it to Doc burials so I

58:16

think um how we're going to complete this Gap analysis is what we're what

58:22

we're approaching now is what this could look like how we get it done

58:28

um yes that that is going to take some thought some thought in many interns

58:33

maybe yes definitely um bill I saw your hand up but Emily do you want to jump in

58:39

first thank you Kate I just wanted to clarify what Cedar has done to date so

58:44

we've we've taken what's available in kind of paper documents and online documents and other things and try to

58:51

populate this Gap analysis or fill it in as best we can but there is another set

58:58

of work to confirm that information and probably some field-based work so it

59:03

could be that the commission considers you know requesting a budget and a set of recommendations about what

59:10

to do next and requests additional assistance filling in the Gap analysis

59:17

is beyond the financial resources that the commission has allocated to it for

59:23

this particular period and the timeline so just wanted to let you know it's not that the Gap analysis is blank but it

59:30

has more work needed and and that's kind of where we're we're sitting with its current state in case that's helpful for

59:38

Commissioners to understand yes yeah um Mary asked a question I had

59:47

and when she was talking and Kate and now especially Emily on the resources

59:53

answered a further question I had there aren't the full needed resources because

59:59

as Kate presented it it looks super intense with work still ahead but all

1:00:04

important thank you absolutely are there any other questions

1:00:11

regarding the burials piece Andrew uh yes uh thank you Andrew

1:00:17

Lal dppc so I guess um to Circle back to Emily's point so would that be something

1:00:23

that we'd want to maybe consider for our final report for the year is an assessment of basically what we'll need

1:00:28

for resources moving forward and um yeah yes okay absolutely

1:00:38

okay okay if there are no other questions about the burials piece I will turn it back over to

1:00:46

Evelyn thank you everyone Reggie could you give an update of the framework for

1:00:53

Rememberance work group please

1:01:16

I would agree with Alex everything Alex said and everything and uh we just need

1:01:22

to come together and figure out you know who who's doing what to make sure that

1:01:28

people ask for something you're entitled to get it instead of you know instead of

1:01:34

digging ourselves in a hole that we can't get out

1:01:40

of regie I will always agree with your agreement with me because it feels good it's nice to hear your voice we need a

1:01:48

what do we need we need an update from you on the framework for remembrance

1:01:54

committee the um Willowbrook which I I I missed um and to have missed do you have

1:02:00

do you have an update on what the what that what your work been to yeah Will Brook um me and

1:02:10

Jen and uh some of us talked about that they talked about the museum they had

1:02:15

there in Willowbrook which is in New York and everything Jim sure I can um provide uh the

1:02:24

commission some details this is Jen Fugal stad from Cedar um the

1:02:29

presentation that Reggie referenced um was done by the steering committee of um

1:02:36

the Willowbrook mile that was back in June um we did record um the

1:02:42

presentation um so if members would like to see that I I thought I believe I sent it out um so we we spoke uh we listened

1:02:52

for about an hour about how the Willowbrook mile um was created um and

1:02:58

some of the takeaways that we learned at that uh meeting was uh first off the

1:03:05

Willowbrook mile is dedicated to only one institution um which is the

1:03:10

Willowbrook State School on Staten Island in New York we also learned that the

1:03:18

Willowbrook mile took several years to complete it included Gathering input

1:03:23

from stakeholders securing support from their legislature um which included funding as

1:03:31

well as securing property um the Willowbrook steering

1:03:36

committee also had to do some fundraising um so they have a um ongoing

1:03:41

fundraising um project to continue to enhance the

1:03:47

memorial they also had to um develop a design for the memorial that had

1:03:53

multiple components um including a walking trail a

1:03:58

museum um a number of Memorial plaques along the way um and they're continuing

1:04:06

to enhance their me Memorial by making it accessible for people who are

1:04:11

visually impaired as well um so I was

1:04:16

wondering um if there was anyone who attended the presentation or watch the recording that wanted to share your

1:04:23

thoughts

1:04:39

hi Will Jen hi this is Kate Benson um I really appreciated the presentation

1:04:44

about the Willow Brook mile because I think it gives us some great ideas of where to start here in Massachusetts

1:04:51

especially when um I think it was Diane right Jen was her name um when Diane

1:04:57

discussed how they got legislators involved they were able to fund raise

1:05:04

they did get State money um and I think those are are places that we've had

1:05:10

trouble starting at here in Massachusetts and I think after hearing how Diana approached it um she had some

1:05:19

really great ideas that I think we can employ here we have a lot of State

1:05:26

legislative folks who are now really very aware of what we're doing they're

1:05:32

very aware of disability history um it's a recent thing but I think we've got a

1:05:37

lot of um a lot of attention and a lot of a lot of heat right now that we can

1:05:43

capitalize on um and I think projects like the will Brook mile are things that

1:05:49

we can kind of interpret into the institutions that we had here in Massachusetts it's kind of it's close to

1:05:55

what some of what we're doing in belch toown which was really cool to hear um because we're going to have interpretive trails and a museum and things like that

1:06:02

so that was reaffirming that um you know others others have been able to do it so

1:06:09

um I really appreciated and enjoyed that

1:06:22

presentation any other um feedback or issues points that folks would like to

1:06:33

raise well um what I will um let folks know is uh we are um setting up a time

1:06:41

to talk with the people who created the California Memorial project um which has

1:06:46

been going on for the past 20 years in the state of California um and their

1:06:52

framework for remembrance is really covers their whole state and includes

1:06:58

all the institutions and hospitals um for people with disabilities in that state so we're um

1:07:06

setting up time to talk with them to learn more about how they took a Statewide approach to their framework

1:07:11

for remembrance

1:07:25

thank you everyone next we would like to ask Cedar to lead a discussion regarding the history of institution in

1:07:33

Massachusetts and the related scope of work for the

1:07:41

commission thanks Evelyn this is Jennifer from Cedar I'm going to spend a few minutes um talking about the history

1:07:48

of institutions in Massachusetts because we're hoping to um EST establish kind of

1:07:56

the scope in which we're going to um focus our research so I wanted to take

1:08:02

just a few minutes of your time to talk through um the history uh next slide

1:08:08

please I also wanted to mention um before we get started there there are

1:08:13

some words used um in this presentation that are offensive um these are words

1:08:21

that were used over time in the history um um uh that were used to label people

1:08:29

um and we're using those to show the full history of the institutions in the

1:08:35

state so I wanted to just give that word of warning next slide um in order to talk

1:08:42

about the history of institutions in Massachusetts we have to start by talking about how Massachusetts took

1:08:49

care of their poor um poor people were typically people who could not take care

1:08:54

of themselves and um support themselves financially um often that would be

1:09:00

somebody who was elderly um or somebody who has a a physical disability um

1:09:06

somebody who may have been blind or deaf as well as people who have um intellectual or developmental

1:09:12

disabilities or mental illness um in the colonial times when Massachusetts was still a colony you

1:09:20

could get and you couldn't take care of yourself um the community around you would come and come together to help you

1:09:27

could stay with your neighbor um or people may come to your home and give you assistance and it could be longterm

1:09:34

or shortterm um but by the 19 uh by the

1:09:40

1700s um the care of the poor became known as what we call custodial care

1:09:46

meaning that the towns would pay families to look after the poor people

1:09:51

in their Town um and towns also started building what they call um alms houses um

1:09:59

sometimes referred to as poor houses and that's where people could live and receive help but you had to be a

1:10:07

resident of the town we move forward in in Massachusetts

1:10:13

history and we see that institutionalization became kind of a formal structure it was really the

1:10:20

institutionalization of the poor um so in the 18 50s there were a lot of

1:10:26

immigrants coming to the US and the AL houses were they couldn't help everyone

1:10:32

um who was sick or poor so the the state government built alms houses in

1:10:38

Bridgewater mson and tberry because more and more people needed help

1:10:44

um when people went to an alm's house they may have been sorted into groups

1:10:50

like sick or drunk or insane or healthy or

1:10:55

disabled um and some people stayed in the Alms House for the rest of their lives um at an Alms House you were

1:11:03

expected to learn skills like weaving and farming and Woodworking and that you had to help pay for your food and your

1:11:11

care um and at that same time many people who lived there also had a mental

1:11:17

illness or disability there were not separate places for people to go to um

1:11:24

but alm's houses did start to create separate spaces within the Alms House um

1:11:29

for people who they called insane to keep them apart from

1:11:34

others um and over time people with disabilities became a very large part of

1:11:40

the Alms House population um and when they got too crowded people with disabilities were sent to the

1:11:47

prisons um and the prisons were overcrowded and life there was very hard

1:11:53

for the children and adults who were were sick and elderly or disabled next slide

1:12:02

please so in the mid 1800s um people like dorotha dicks LED

1:12:10

movements to improve the conditions for the mentally ill and disabled what she saw um she saw were people warehoused in

1:12:18

alm's houses and prisons and that led to the creation of State asylums to care

1:12:24

for those with a mental illness and the first Asylum was opened in

1:12:30

Worster um the state also wanted to make some changes for the poor children who

1:12:35

lived in the state um so um a state Primary School Reform schools and

1:12:42

training schools were created to help poor children become educated and learn skills that would help them become what

1:12:50

they say were productive members of society and lift them out of poverty

1:12:56

um children who committed minor crimes like skipping school or being

1:13:02

disobedient could be sent to um a training school or a reform school um sometimes it was the court or

1:13:10

it was their family or local officials who decided where a child should go um

1:13:15

but the goal was that this was short term the once a child learned the skills for a job and how to stay out of trouble

1:13:23

they would return home or live with a local family um and also at the same time the

1:13:31

US was going into an industrial revolution so factories needed workers

1:13:36

and schools started offering kind of this vocational education to prepare children for

1:13:42

jobs but um one of the challenges the schools faced were children that had

1:13:49

disabilities these children often struggled to find and keep jobs or live

1:13:54

independently and the schools were saying that these children um took up space and other kids

1:14:02

needed to enter the school so they the schools started to create some separate

1:14:07

housing on their campuses for children with disabilities um with that happening um

1:14:15

the state wanted to improve uh education for childrens with

1:14:20

disabilities and they formed some commissions that eventually led to the creation

1:14:25

of specialized institutions like the Perkins School for the Blind and the fold school next slide

1:14:35

please so in the late 1800s early n

1:14:40

1900s you we saw a lot of Institutions being built um in Massachusetts about 15

1:14:47

depending on how you count um uh institutions for the insane and the feeble-minded were built across the

1:14:54

state um IQ tests also became more widely used

1:15:00

though you know it's not the same way that we would use an IQ test now

1:15:06

especially how it was administered or interpreted um and these tests often

1:15:11

determine where individuals would be placed sometimes the state used IQ test to decide if someone should be committed

1:15:17

to an institution um also at the same time Eugenics was becoming more popular and

1:15:25

Eugenics um promoted the idea that healthy or quote unquote Superior people

1:15:31

should reproduce while those who were considered inferior like those with

1:15:37

disabilities or people who didn't fit societal Norms should not um so the

1:15:44

eugenicists believed that society would benefit by removing people they considered unfit through segregation and

1:15:51

social exclusion next slide please

1:15:56

and then finally defective delinquents um in the early 1900s the

1:16:03

state conducted a study on what they saw was a rise of crime and the presence of

1:16:09

individuals labeled mentally ill or mentally deficient that's the language of the time um you know they also

1:16:16

included epileptics or quote unquote degenerates and as a result they created

1:16:22

a new category called defective delinquent um and these were individuals considered

1:16:28

mentally deficient criminals and the legislature authorize the segregation of these individuals by

1:16:35

establishing Departments of defective delinquents and this allowed for their permanent removal from society and

1:16:42

placement into custodial care for the rest of their lives um and superintendent of US

1:16:49

prisons asylums for the insane and schools for the feeble-minded had authority to actually

1:16:56

transfer people to the Department of defective delinquents um if they thought

1:17:02

that that person was not suitable for their um institution next

1:17:10

slide so on this slide is the listing of the formal specialized

1:17:16

Massachusetts Massachusetts state institutions so we have our dmh facilities Boston State Danver State

1:17:23

Foxboro state Garder Grafton Medfield met State

1:17:29

Northampton Taunton West BR and Wier a lot of of um facilities there and then

1:17:35

we have the DDS facilities belard toown de fernal glavin Hogan mson Templeton

1:17:42

and rentham next slide

1:17:47

um so basically kind of the summary is people with mental illnesses and

1:17:52

developmental disabilities were included in different parts of institutional settings in Massachusetts over time and

1:17:59

separate institutions for people with these conditions were created starting around late 1800s early

1:18:07

1900s so for example institutions that served

1:18:13

many people with mental illness and Def excuse me developmental disabilities before institution separate institutions

1:18:20

were created included the Alms House Primary reform and training schools as

1:18:26

well as the defective delinquent class I know we're very close on time here what

1:18:31

we wanted to do is have a discussion about what should be included in the work of the special commission so I want

1:18:38

to open it up to anybody who had thoughts or comments

1:18:59

hi this is Kate um I know we talked about this in our smaller group the other day and um Alex had to hop off so

1:19:05

he asked me to be his voice is oh no that Alex is still there never mind U but I'm still gonna talk for him because

1:19:11

I can um I know we talked briefly about the primary reform and training school

1:19:18

piece um and how we can kind of bring those under our umbrella or not um we

1:19:26

talked a little bit um and this is for everyone else on the commission we talked a bit about how how broad our

1:19:31

scope already is you saw the list of all of those institutions it's it's pretty lengthy um but there is really heavy

1:19:39

evidence that people with disabilities were housed first in those reform and

1:19:46

training schools and the primary schools like mson um and then a lot of times those individuals with disabilities and

1:19:53

with mental illness were passed back and forth um so it's a really tough question

1:20:00

to ask of how how wide do we open our arms and how broad do we go but because

1:20:06

we did have a question about some of those lost cemeteries some of those lost cemeteries are on grounds of Reform

1:20:14

schools that then became um asylums that then later became something else we've

1:20:19

had a lot of Institutions that have changed hands and changed names and purposes um so I think it's really

1:20:25

important to think about how we include some of those institutions in our world

1:20:32

um especially you know after Jen's summary of looking at how those

1:20:38

institutions all worked together came together served a lot of the same people

1:20:43

over time um so I guess it's just a question of how big of a bite can we

1:20:51

take um

1:20:56

uh thanks Kate bill um I I don't know if

1:21:01

the commission has the ability to dig deeply on all of them but I found the

1:21:07

history extraordinarily useful and I'll speak as somebody who's older than most

1:21:12

of you on this Chanel and I drove and I can remember as a kid grown up near

1:21:19

Worcester going by the all Worcester State hospital or we used to drive down Route 9 to go to a Red Sox game or

1:21:26

something like that and you'd look off to the left going down Route n and see the reform school as it was told to me

1:21:33

in westbo and you anywhere in the state and

1:21:40

even just hearing that starts to bring back a a memory and a mystery and there's a whole generation of people

1:21:47

like me who went by those and never really understood because it was the classic put them away in these

1:21:54

frightening list looking places your parents would say if you're not good you could go there or something like that

1:22:01

you know and at minimum I found that just that little presentation at the end

1:22:08

on the list of them and what they were and how it all ties into segregating and

1:22:15

punishing people for no good reason as extraordinarily critical background

1:22:21

that's in a memory for a whole set of people my age who don't even know what disability rights is I

1:22:32

imagine Andrew uh yes hi Andrew Leal and I know

1:22:38

we're up against time and I'm sure this is sort of a uh an idea that the working group already had but I mean I I'm

1:22:45

guessing maybe the best way to focus it would be to start you know with the primary history sort of the most recent

1:22:52

facilities because obviously that's the most targeted to our work and then sort of work our way backwards from there

1:22:57

this is obviously going to be a multi-year effort and you know start with sort of where the focuses and let's

1:23:03

see how far along we get and how much we get for resources and then maybe we can work

1:23:10

backwards thank you Linda yes um I'm part of another group that's looking

1:23:17

into like reparations and the what you just put

1:23:23

forth for us it almost seems there needs to be some form of reparations for for

1:23:31

as as uh people said people were segregated and and really treated in a

1:23:39

very subhuman way you know and and basically their their rights were

1:23:45

violated that's how it's coming across so it's a question that I raise um what

1:23:52

that you know looking at the the current situation now where those institutions

1:23:58

are what what is the question of

1:24:03

reparations is is that something um that is needed and I don't know what form

1:24:11

that would take but um it it just raises to mind definitely I think there has to

1:24:17

be some public apology saying you know this is what happened

1:24:24

um truly uh disrespectful to the innate human dignity of of all and and what

1:24:32

does it mean to to move forward from this and even with these current places

1:24:39

like what what what is going on there now you know so like it just raises

1:24:46

those questions for me that's that's all I'm saying yeah thank you Linda

1:24:55

Alex I have to jump in a second but I I just um uh first of all again thank you

1:25:02

I know we said this the other day but I'll say it to high heaven this s stuff is so overwhelmingly large it is

1:25:08

together in such a clear and powerful and compelling way is is really really

1:25:14

really important to see um I I just wanted to Sister Linda when you just

1:25:20

said what you were you were saying I I I just wanted to let you know and Air irm that when we were writing the

1:25:27

legislation and the Coalition of folks was pushing this through what you just said was the type of stuff that was

1:25:34

discussed around the component on memorialization and Remembrance and where do we go in the future and it was

1:25:42

said at the time and especially Senator Barrett who was kind of pushing this a lot through said he wanted us to think

1:25:49

expansively and radically and widely and in a Forward Thinking way way about what

1:25:55

it means to not do these things at their worst again to people what does it mean

1:26:00

to go forward as a society so I would just I really what you're saying the way you said it just resonates a lot with me

1:26:07

and I would really encourage you to join in on the the memorialization work group that Reggie's been doing a lot with and

1:26:14

some of the other folks and really put these ideas forward be because I think they get to the heart and soul of of a

1:26:21

lot of what what motivated a lot of us to get involved D in this in the first place oh well I thank you for that

1:26:27

invitation and you know I I I will do that and and I do it because I'm part of

1:26:35

this other group that's looking just for the city of Boston that issued a a

1:26:41

public apology for the for its role in the transatlantic slave trade let me

1:26:48

tell you and that public apology was um

1:26:55

incredible and it might be a model of how we need to proceed so um I and and

1:27:03

there's conversations going on right now right now there's conversations going on

1:27:10

on this whole theme of of uh reparations that are just one of the most powerful

1:27:18

uh yeah very powerful so I I can imagine if you do the same

1:27:24

you know on on on this issue of um it it

1:27:30

has ramification so all right I I will do that I excellent right on and you

1:27:36

have a good starting place in the 1990s the residents of the fernal school who it was revealed and and R them I

1:27:44

believe who had been tested with radioactive material they were promised an apology they never got and I just

1:27:51

spoke maybe a month ago with one of the last surviving wow State boys who were

1:27:57

tested on and that was the first thing that he said I never got my apology from the state so I think there's there's

1:28:03

space in there to move and think so sorry I know we're over time and I but thank you so much yeah yeah you're

1:28:09

welcome yeah wow

1:28:15

okay um hi this is Mary I I wanted to add one thing if I don't know if people

1:28:21

all need to jump off or um no I won't expand on it but I I really

1:28:27

think this all of this in information is just so expansive it's huge and Jennifer

1:28:35

thank you very much for the the history um lesson which I think was really

1:28:41

helpful and thinking back to our very first meeting we discussed how there's

1:28:47

so many types of Institutions that have you know that have been in the Commonwealth of

1:28:54

Massachusetts and that we need to keep our Focus because we just cannot do it

1:29:00

all within this one commission even over several years and should should focus

1:29:06

more on the institutions I like the idea going from the now and then going back

1:29:13

but focus on the ones that were specifically for people with mental health issues and folks with

1:29:18

intellectual developmental disabilities even though we know that there were people that incarcerated that

1:29:25

a large percentage of disabilities and and there was a lot of mix in all of these institutions going back I think

1:29:32

that should be the focus for now which is which is huge enough and then

1:29:37

starting from the institutions that were more recently closed during this Century

1:29:44

going back from now back to 2000 and then going back from there to the 90s and so forth and just sticking with the

1:29:51

ones that were more um of recent years 50 years or so um more for ID in mental

1:29:59

health IND people with mental health

1:30:05

issues thank you Mary thank you

1:30:12

everyone um I think to our final minutes we want

1:30:18

to remind everyone that we have scheduled a next full commission meeting

1:30:24

on for Thursday September 12th at 2:30 does that work for

1:30:38

everyone yep [Music]

1:30:43

yeah if members have any questions before then you should feel free to

1:30:49

contact us if there's no items to discuss we can

1:30:56

vote to adjourn please unmute yourself for the

1:31:03

roll call vote do we have a

1:31:08

motion toj I make a motion to

1:31:16

adjourn second I stay in touch with me and

1:31:21

Mary yes thank you I have a question don't we have to vote for something or we already

1:31:29

did Evelyn we need to vote but I can um as you requested I can read the

1:31:34

names okay this is Jennifer okay

1:31:42

Elise Kate yes sister

1:31:47

Linda uh yes and I thank all of folks who put this agenda together and the

1:31:54

reports that you gave I learned so much thank you thank you sister Linda

1:32:02

Reggie yes

1:32:08

Ann Alex uh Bill yes and I have to jump to

1:32:16

another meeting thanks everybody who was informative

1:32:21

exponentially thank you Ron yes and I have to jump off too thank you

1:32:29

Andrew yes and same I will see you guys in a few a few months yes uh

1:32:36

Mary yes Vesper

1:32:44

Brenda Connor yes and I have to go the building is

1:32:50

closing uh Matt he's absent and

1:32:55

Evelyn yes I think you can adjourn the

1:33:03

meeting thank you everyone meeting adjourned