An Act to provide more timely treatment of inpatient mental health care

HD 2431 amends Massachusetts mental health care laws to improve timeliness for inpatients. It requires hospitals to develop evening/night coverage plans consistent with physician resources and national standards. The bill shortens key timelines: independent medical exams must be completed within 3 business days of request (down from unspecified), and mental health facility hearings must occur within 7 days of petition filing (down from 14 days). It also creates a new facilitated process for approving antipsychotic medications for children in foster care hospitalized in psychiatric facilities, administered by the Department of Children and Families and the Child Advocate. These changes directly affect inpatient mental health facilities, patients seeking treatment, and children in state custody receiving psychiatric care.