Rep. Stanley supports bill to create commission to study the former state institutions and their impact on individuals with development disabilities and mental health

Rep. Stanley submitted written testimony to the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery in support of H.2090/S.1257, legislation to establish a special commission to study and report on the history of state institutions for people with developmental and mental health disabilities in the Commonwealth. The passage of this legislation is essential to studying the impact the Commonwealth’s former institutions had on people with mental health and developmental disabilities.

H.2090/S.1257 would establish a Commission charged with studying the history of state institutions for people with developmental and mental health disabilities. The Commission would have a disability-majority of 18 people, with representation by state agencies and disability advocacy groups. Moreover, the Commission would specifically be tasked with reviewing the following: the status of former institutional residents living independently today; the location of all documents from the former state institutions; the availability of such records to former residents, descendants, and the general public; the location of burials for all residents who died in the care of the Commonwealth; and the potential for unmarked graves at former state institutions.