An Act relative to medication-assisted treatment

This bill updates Massachusetts laws regarding how healthcare providers handle cases involving prenatal substance use to better support infants and their families. It clarifies that a baby's exposure to substances at birth alone is not enough to automatically remove the child from their parents' care, requiring instead evidence of ongoing risk to the child's safety. The legislation mandates that doctors and hospitals screen for substance use, offer treatment referrals, and create a "Plan of Safe Care" to ensure the family's needs are met after the baby leaves the hospital. Additionally, the bill requires the state to establish a central system for connecting families with necessary health and support services while collecting data to monitor the effectiveness of these new protections.