S.1383/H.5231, An Act establishing peer-run respite centers throughout the Commonwealth and S.1389/H.5229, An Act Modernizing the Six Fundamental Rights are now in the Ways and Means Committee in both the Massachusetts House and the Senate!

Use the form on this page to email the committee leadership and your legislator asking them to support these bills!

If passed, these bills will:

• Establish a total of 18 peer respites in Massachusetts, including two LGBTQIA+ and two BIPOC affinity peer respites.
• Establish an accountability process for violations of the 6 Fundamental Rights statute, including fines to facilities and independent investigations for rights violations
• Modernize communication access in psych settings to include e-mail and access to personal devices
• Reduce longstanding confusion as to who can visit someone on an inpatient psychiatric unit and when
• Clarify definitions of terms in the 6 Fundamental Rights law like “legal advocate” and “peer support”
• Prevent psych facilities from withholding gender affirming medications from Trans people
• Increase access to gender-appropriate facilities and culturally relevant personal care products in psych settings.

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