Massachusetts. Division of Drug Rehabilitation

State oversight of treatment for drug abuse in Massachusetts was successively the responsibility of the Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Board, established 1963 in the Dept. of Public Health, and of the Division of Drug Rehabilitation, established 1969 in the department of the attorney general, transferred to the Dept. of Mental Health effective 1971, and then to the Dept. of Public Health, effective 1982. In 1986 the division was merged with that department's Division of Alcoholism to form (as of 1989) the Division of Substance Abuse Services.

From the description of Funding application files, 1971-1979. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 84275734

From the description of Coordinator of health education administrative files, 1969-1972. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80453154

From the description of Legal counsel policy and information files, 1972-1977. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81639437

From the description of Administrative files, 1972-1975. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80362456

From the description of Criminal justice liaison subject files, 1976-1977. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79357719

From the description of Director of research subject files, 1965-1974. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 84273714

Pursuant to MGLA c 111E, the Division of Drug Rehabilitation was responsible, from 1969 until 1986, for establishing and operating within Massachusetts a comprehensive program for treating drug dependent persons and persons in need of immediate assistance due to the use of a dependency-related drug.

The state's role in treating drug addicts can be traced back to passage of St 1909, c 504, s 50, which extended laws concerning the treatment of persons with alcohol abuse problems to include those addicted to the intemperate use of narcotics or stimulants. However, it was not until St 1963, c 763 that a Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Board was established within but not subject to the control of the Dept. of Public Health, consisting of the commissioners of public health, mental health, and correction, as well as an administrator. (The chairman of the Youth Service Board was added by St 1966, c 67.) The board was charged with establishing state drug addiction rehabilitation centers for the treatment, custody, control, and rehabilitation of drug addicts; with coordinating related services and activities of other state and federal agencies; and with developing educational and research programs on the causes, prevention, control, and diagnosis of drug addiction, and on treatment and rehabilitation of addicts.

St 1969, c 889 replaced the board with a Division of Drug Rehabiliation within the department of the attorney general (but directed by an assistant commissioner of mental health) as the sole state agency responsible for care and treatment of drug-dependent persons. Within the division was established a Drug Rehabilitation Advisory Board, comprised of human services commissioners and seven experts appointed by the governor to provide advice and assistance. The division assumed the mission and functions of its predecessor, but including a mandate to take cognizance of all matters affecting drug dependency.

Specifically the division was charged with developing, encouraging, and fostering statewide, regional, and local plans and programs for prevention and treatment of drug dependency in cooperation with interested public agencies and private organizations. The range of treatment programs included emergency, inpatient, and outpatient treatment; residential aftercare; and treatment within correctional facilities. The state was divided into service regions and catchment areas to facilitate planning and delivery of these services.

In addition the division was responsible for maintaining, supervising, and controlling all facilities operated by it; issuing, suspending, or revoking licenses for drug treatment facilities not part of general hospitals or runs by the state or federal governments; making recommendations concerning and administering rules and regulations and licensing standards pursant to the law; preparing, publishing, and disseminating educational material dealing with the prevention, nature, and effects of drug dependency; organizing and fostering training programs for professional and nonprofessional workers in treatment of drug dependent persons; and engaging in research and gathering relevant statistics.

The division and board were transferred successively to the Dept. of Mental Health per St 1970, c 886 (effective 1971) and to the Dept. of Public Health per St 1981, c 704 (effective 1982). In 1986 the division was administratively merged with the Dept. of Public Health's Division of Alcoholism to become what was known by 1989 as the Division of Substance Abuse Services, and its advisory board began meeting jointly with the Advisory Council on Alcoholism.

NAME AUTHORITY NOTE. Series relating to the agencies described above can be found by searching the following access points for the time period stated: 1963-1969--Massachusetts. Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Board; 1969-1985--Massachusetts. Division of Drug Rehabilitation. Additional acess points may be provided as needed under: 1969-1985--Massachusetts. Drug Rehabilitation Advisory Board (for guidance on later records see: Massachusetts. Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. Agency history record)

From the description of Agency history record. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145429619