House Passes Legislation Protecting Persons with Disabilities

BOSTON- Representative David P. Linsky (D-Natick) joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to unanimously pass legislation to create a registry of care providers who harmed a person or persons with an intellectual or developmental disabilities. The bill seeks to prevent those providers from being hired for programs funded or operated by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS).

The legislation, An Act to Protect Persons with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities from Abuse, creates a registry of care providers against whom the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) has made a final decision regarding “substantiated findings” of acts resulting in serious physical or emotional injury of a person with an intellectual or developmental disability.

“It is important that we continue to do all that we can to ensure that we are protecting and standing up for persons with disabilities in Massachusetts,” said Representative Linsky. “I was proud to vote on legislation that helps to protect one of our most vulnerable populations and this legislation helps to ensure that we continue to be a voice for that population.”

The bill requires care provider employers to check the registry prior to hiring or retaining any person as a care provider and prevents employers from hiring or retaining any provider who appears on the registry. Those employers include those with DDS licenses for day services, those that have contracts with DDS, and those receiving funding from DDS. Under the bill, DCCP imposes monetary fines or other penalties on any employer that fails to comply. The legislation also includes due process protections for care providers.

The bill will now go to the Senate.

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