An Act Improving Emergency Access to Mental Health Services Social Workers To Be Able To Sign “Section 12” Commitments

 

As presented in Staff Meeting, a new Massachusetts law, An Act Improving Emergency Access to Mental Health Services, becomeseffective in November 2010. The law authorizes Clinical Social Workers with LICSW licensure to issue a "Section 12" (pink paper). Currently, the law only authorizes physicians, psychologists, psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists and police officers to sign the involuntary order for examination, transport to an ED, and emergency hospitalization of persons in imminent danger of causing harm to themselves or someone else. The new law, a long-sought victory for social work, adds LICSW's as qualified mental health professionals who can issue a "Section 12".

The new law also provides social workers immunity from civil suits stemming from the authorization of a “Section 12”.

See full law: Chapter 278 of the Acts of 2010

As noted in Staff Meeting, the department’s policies for outpatient homicide and suicide assessment and documentation have been revised to include pertinent processes, and outpatient staff have received related training. Social Service staff (including interns) can view the revised policies on the Staff Access area of our website: Homicide Assessment- Outpatient and Suicide Assessment- Outpatient .

 

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