Take Action for An Act modernizing the six fundamental rights (H.2229/S.1389)!

Latest Updates (4/3/26):

Despite being the first time this bill has been put before the Legislature, it has made it all the way to Ways & Means. This is a critical committee, and they need to hear your voice.

Please call or email the chairs of the Senate and House side of the committee and tell them why the six fundamental rights need to be updated! See the email template at the bottom of this page for ideas on what you can say.

Please Call/Email the Senate and House Committee Chairs!

Committee on Ways & Means:

House Chair: Rep. Aaron Michlewitz

Aaron.M.Michlewitz@mahouse.gov | (617) 722-2990

Senate Chair: Sen. Michael Rodrigues

Michael.Rodrigues@masenate.gov | (617) 722-1114

Legislators are more likely to listen to their constituents than anyone else. Please check to see if you are a constituent of any member of the Ways & Means Committee: Link to all committee members.

If your representative or senator is on the committee, please reach out to them – they always want to hear from constituents. Without your voice and support, An Act modernizing the 6 fundamental rights will not pass.

Not sure who your Representative is? You can enter your address to check here!

Type in your address into the link above to find out who represents you

If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Brown, at trolbrown1@me.com

About this bill:

People struggling with histories of trauma or other extreme experiences either seek or are coerced to enter inpatient mental health facilities. The hope is that they find care, support, and empathy. However, many individuals–disproportionately transgender and Black–frequently experience rampant abuse and discrimination rather than the help they desperately need. 

Passing An Act modernizing the 6 fundamental rights (H.5229/S.1389) will be a step toward ending the inhumane treatment of psychiatric unit residents by further protecting their rights and dignity.

This bill will: 

  • Increase access to gender appropriate facilities and create more human environments for trans patients.
  • Provide patients with the right to access email.
  • Clarify visiting rules and vague legal definitions.
  • A process for holding organizations accountable for rights abuses with financial penalties.

As members of our community, we know many of us have either witnessed or experienced abuse in psychiatric units; we understand why this issue is so important.

There is a template email below for you to use as a guideline. You do not have to follow the template. Any personal experience you can provide will make your letter more effective and memorable to legislators.

It is our responsibility to speak out for the voiceless and ensure anyone who is suffering receives the care they deserve.

Email Template


Hello,

My name is _________ and I am one of your constituents living in ___________ (Town).

I am writing to you in support of H.229/S.1389, An Act modernizing the six fundamental rights.

A significant number of people held in inpatient mental health facilities –disproportionately transgender and Black–frequently experience rampant abuse and discrimination rather than the help they desperately need.

 A 2023 study published in the Journal of Patient Experience, reported there were 17,962 total complaints of abuse and 92,670 episodes of restraint and seclusion at psychiatric facilities in Massachusetts from 2008 to 2018. Another recent study found that 80% of transgender patients had had their hormone replacement therapy withheld when in a psychiatric facility. Black patients have also been found to be at a higher risk for security responses that can lead to unnecessary restraint and violations of rights like access to phones and visitors.

Unfortunately, these were only complaints that had been filed with the Department of Mental Health. Many abuses are not reported. Beyond physical and emotional damage, experiencing abuse in a psychiatric unit lowers a patient’s willingness to voluntarily seek care and causes an increased risk of suicide.   

In 2015 the Six Fundamental Rights were enacted to ensure that patients in psychiatric units were treated with dignity. While a significant step forward, the passage of these rights has still not prevented serious harm. This is why we are committed to passing An Act modernizing the 6 fundamental rights.

This bill will: 

  • Increase access to gender appropriate facilities and create more humane environments for trans patients.
  • Modernize communication rights by providing people staying at inpatient facilities regular access to email and cell phones.
  • Clarify vague legal definitions of visiting rules to include peer supporters.
  • A process for holding organizations accountable for rights abuses with financial penalties.

[Write reasons this bill is so important, E.g., “I am passionate about supporting this bill because people who are given mental health diagnoses frequently find themselves treated like criminals in psychiatric spaces.”

This is also where you can insert your own personal experience.]

For these reasons, I am asking you to report this critical bill on fundamental human rights favorably out of committee. 

Thank you!

[Name]

[Email]

[Phone Number]

[Address]