An Act relative to creating a pilot program to transfer high acuity behavioral health and dual diagnosis patients away from overcrowded emergency departments

This bill establishes a two-year pilot program at Taunton State Hospital to treat high-acuity behavioral health and dual diagnosis patients who are currently clogging emergency departments in Massachusetts's Southeast region. Under the plan, medically stable individuals with these conditions would be transferred to the hospital if they cannot be moved to another appropriate facility within four hours of arrival. The program would be staffed by registered nurses, psychiatrists, and other necessary personnel, with a specific committee tasked with developing care protocols and staffing plans during the first six months. After two years, an independent entity will produce a report evaluating the pilot's success in reducing emergency room overcrowding and the quality of care provided.