BOSTON (SHNS) – There was movement Tuesday in the conversation about transferring oversight of Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Correction to the Department of Mental Health, as senators unanimously adopted an amendment to their fiscal 2027 budget requiring action.
The amendment from Sen. Cindy Creem requires DMH and DOC to submit an “implementation plan” outlining what’s necessary for a transfer of oversight to DMH.
The medium-security facility houses male patients who were either civilly committed without criminal sentences, or who are pre-trial detainees “sent for competency and criminal responsibility evaluations by the court,” per the state. According to the Disability Law Center (DLC), as of Jan. 1, 2026, there were 245 patients in the facility, only six of whom were serving a criminal sentence.
“DMH oversight will ensure patients are treated with dignity and receive the mental health services they need,” Creem said on the floor. “It’s time we finally move this conversation forward by having the agencies develop a plan.”
A February 2026 DLC report recommended that the state “immediately” place the facility under DMH authority and “urgently” construct a modern DMH hospital facility for patients.
“DLC has consistently called for the transition to DMH in our bi-annual reports, and found that, under the supervision of DOC, Bridgewater State Hospital patients are denied mental health services and legal protections commensurate with patients in DMH-licensed and accredited psychiatric hospitals,” DLC Executive Director and CEO Barbara L’Italien, a former state senator, wrote. “We are pleased to see this first step toward this transition.”
The plan would have to be submitted no later than June 30, 2027. Its recommendations must include an estimated timeline for implementing a transition by Dec. 31, 2028 “without requiring the designation or construction of a new facility,” per amendment text. The plan also must consider the potential impact DMH oversight would have on clinical mental health access; drafts of legislation necessary to facilitate the transfer; an analysis of existing staffing ratios; fiscal impacts associated with the transfer; and more.
Sen. Cindy Friedman also spoke in favor of the amendment, remarking that “99.9% of the people in Bridgewater deserve to be in a therapeutic environment, and trust me, you can’t get it in Bridgewater.”