Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health
Section 19 - Regulations Relative to Coordination of Care and Management; Discharge Planning for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs

Section 19. The department shall promulgate regulations relative to coordination of care and management that includes effective discharge planning for substance use disorder treatment programs subject to licensure or approval under sections 24 and 24D of chapter 90, sections 6 and 6A of chapter 111B and section 7 of chapter 111E. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that such substance use disorder treatment providers shall:
(1) provide enhanced care coordination and management, which shall include effective discharge planning that engages and educates the patient and the patient's outpatient medical and psychiatric providers to ensure continuity of care;
(2) provide a discharge plan to each client leaving a licensed substance use disorder treatment program, which shall include recommended follow-up treatment, contact information for certified alcohol and drug free housing pursuant to section 18A, additional resources for substance use disorder treatment, including information on United States Food and Drug Administration-approved medication assisted-treatment and the availability of such treatments in each geographic region of the commonwealth, resources for workforce options, information and links to community and social supports and information on family support services;
(3) provide patient specific treatment that is individualized based on the patient's past history of treatment, medical history, psychiatric history and social history;
(4) facilitate transitions from more intensive to less intensive treatment based on the patient's needs and response to treatment;
(5) upon admission, acquire informed consent from each patient regarding the risk and benefit of all medication assisted treatment options, as well as the risk and benefit of not receiving treatment;
(6) provide information to the patient prior to discharge about the patient's option to file a voluntary non-opiate directive form pursuant to section 18B of chapter 94C; and
(7) provide regular monitoring of patients' behavior and addressing relapse risks.
A discharge plan shall not include a referral or recommendation to alcohol and drug free housing unless such housing is certified pursuant to section 18A.

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