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S 141

An Act regarding families and children in need of assistance

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Robyn Kennedy

Creates a statewide network of community-based child and family centers to provide early supports for at-risk families, aiming to keep kids home and out of courts.

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
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Bill Summary · S 141

Summary — S.141: An Act regarding families and children in need of assistance

Bill file: Senate Docket No. 1693 (MA) — Introduced January 16, 2025
Petitioner / Sponsor: Sen. Robyn K. Kennedy (First Worcester)
Committee referral: Read twice and referred to Committee on Finance; hearing scheduled 07/08/2025, 1:00–5:00 PM (A‑1).
Note: This summary covers the Massachusetts bill that replaces section 16U of Chapter 6A. (Document contains other federal material that is unrelated to this state bill.)

Purpose / intent

The bill revises and replaces G.L. c.6A, §16U to create a statewide, coordinated network of community‑based child and family service programs and family resource centers. Its intent is to provide early, community‑level supports so families “requiring assistance” can avoid entry or re‑entry into the child protective and juvenile court systems, keep children safely at home and in their community schools, and address risks such as chronic absenteeism, behavioral issues, and other needs.

Key provisions

  • Definitions: updates and clarifies key terms including “child requiring assistance,” “family requiring assistance,” “community‑based services,” “chronic absenteeism” (missing ≥10% of enrolled days), and “habitually absent without permission.”
  • Network creation: directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the “Secretary”), subject to appropriation or third‑party reimbursement, to establish a statewide network of community‑based programs and family resource centers to serve families requiring assistance.
  • Minimum services and integration:
    • Integrate services with existing behavioral health systems, schools, local public agencies, medical/mental health providers, housing and education offices.
    • Include outreach, intake, screening, assessment, referral and in‑house services (e.g., mental/behavioral health, substance use treatment, basic needs assistance, childcare supports, legal and education placement help).
  • Standards, monitoring and technical assistance: Secretary must develop statewide guidelines and standards, monitor centers, provide technical assistance, and encourage interagency cooperation.
  • Standardized intake and assessments: requires use of standard screening tools to identify family strengths, needs, and eligibility for state‑funded services; tools must capture mental health, disabilities, basic needs, childcare, insurance, legal and education issues.
  • Data collection and reporting:
    • Create a data system for centers that preserves client privacy and tracks service needs, insurance/benefit status, wait times, services received, and outcomes.
    • Annual reporting to Ways & Means, the Joint Committee on Children, Families & Persons with Disabilities, and the Child Advocate. Required report elements include numbers served, service types and outcomes, service gaps/wait lists, client feedback, multidisciplinary team usage, and counts of juvenile court referrals after team processes. Data must be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, disability, primary language, and age.
  • Case‑level coordination: establishes multidisciplinary team approach for families and tracks whether families referred to such teams later receive juvenile court petitions.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: children at risk (including those with chronic absenteeism or referred under juvenile statutes) and their families/caregivers.
  • Providers and agencies: family resource centers, community behavioral and medical providers, local schools, local public agencies, and state agencies (EHS, Education, Housing/Homelessness, etc.) that will coordinate services.
  • State government: Executive Office of Health and Human Services (Secretariat) responsible for implementation, oversight, data systems, standards and reporting.
  • Fiscal: implementation depends on legislative appropriation or third‑party reimbursement; centers may use sliding fee scales based on income documentation.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Positive effects could include earlier, coordinated intervention to keep children safely at home and in school, identification of service gaps, and improved cross‑agency collaboration.
  • Implementation will require funding, data system development, staff training, standardized assessment tools, and ongoing oversight — all carrying potential fiscal and administrative costs.
  • The bill emphasizes privacy protections for client data and requires disaggregated reporting to identify disparities and service gaps.

Procedural status

  • Introduced in MA Senate 1/16/2025 by Sen. Robyn K. Kennedy; read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • Hearing scheduled for July 8, 2025 (1:00–5:00 PM, Room A‑1).
  • Replaces existing G.L. c.6A, §16U (substantive rewrite).

(Parts of the bill text in the provided document are truncated; this summary captures the bill’s principal, available provisions.)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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