LAST WEEK
On Thursday, the Massachusetts State Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 2519 to address barriers to care for mental health. As drafted, this bill would eliminate the prior authorization requirement for patients suffering from acute mental health symptoms who need immediate treatment, roll out a pilot program for tele-psychiatry in public schools, study culture competency within the mental health care system, and bring Massachusetts closer to providing behavior health services that are as accessible as physical health care. The bill will now move to the House for consideration.
Massachusetts State Representative Dan Cullinane, a Democrat representing the 12th Suffolk District, announced on Thursday that he will not seek reelection. He is the current Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.
THIS WEEK
On Thursday, the Kendall Square Association and the MBTA will host a discussion on the upcoming Lechmere Station shutdown. The station, along with Science Park, is scheduled to be closed for a year, as part of the Green Line extension project, beginning May 2020. During the construction work, commuters will be required to take a shuttle from North Station to Science Park and Lechmere.