Name: Massachusetts Association for Mental Health
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Jul 18, 2026

A briefing was held at the State House in June in strong support of bills that require the transfer of Bridgewater State Hospital oversight from the Department of Correction (DOC) to the Department of Mental Health (DMH).

Representative Christine Barber, Senator Cynthia Creem, and the Disability Law Center (DLC) organized the briefing in support of H.3291 and S.1386, backed by a broad coalition of organizations advocating for the transfer: the Center for Public Representation, MAMH, the Massachusetts Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, NAMI Massachusetts, and Prisoners' Legal Services.

"A Hospital in Name Only"

The briefing opened with an overview of Bridgewater State Hospital (Bridgewater) by Jordan Goldstein, Senior Disability Rights Advocate and on-site monitor at BSH, from the DLC. Jordan explained that BSH is a “hospital in name only.” In actuality, the facility is run by the Department of Correction (DOC) as a medium security state prison, serving men with serious psychiatric needs who also have pending criminal charges, convictions, or who have been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Experiences at Bridgewater State Hospital

Jordan then introduced Rushawn Davis and Vadym, two individuals formerly committed to Bridgewater.

Rushawn spoke about his experiences during a total of 20 months at Bridgewater. Prior to being admitted to Bridgewater, Rushawn feared that the facility would be the same as jail, and when he arrived, his fear was confirmed. “Even jail doesn’t give off such strong dungeon vibes," he said.

Rushawn expressed that the staff exhibited “a total abuse of power,” which he attributed to the correctional model under which the facility operates. He recounted moments where the staff administered unnecessary physical force, justifying their actions through baseless claims such as alleging persons committed to Bridgewater were being “too loud.” Additionally, the staff heavily relies on forced intramuscular injection for sedation, which happens frequently and without proper warning.

“It is depressing and confusing," Rushawn shared. "The purpose of being in a hospital is to improve one's mental health.”

Echoing many of the concerns about staff behavior raised by Rushawn, Vadym shared his personal experience, touching on issues regarding the state of the facility and treatment. Vadym addressed the deteriorating physical condition of Bridgewater and recounted a moment when he saw a large piece of the ceiling laying on the floor of the building that houses the cafeteria. He views the transfer from DOC to DMH as necessary to ensure that individuals receive appropriate, therapeutic care.

“I think if DMH took over BSH a lot of things would change in terms of treatment towards patients and will reduce stress for patients and that would make a more therapeutic environment to recover and focus on change and motivation to do better.”

Vadym, Person with Lived Experience, on Bridgewater State Hospital

Current Findings at Bridgewater

The concerns raised by Rushawn and Vadym were further reflected by Tatum Pritchard, the Legal Director of the DLC, who reported on the current findings at Bridgewater. Tatum recognized that the population committed to Bridgewater is disproportionately made of individuals with low incomes and people of color. Additionally, Bridgewater only serves men, who are committed for forensic evaluation or for treatment while under sentence, women are all served at DMH hospitals.

The DLC’s ongoing investigation, which began in 2014, continues to uncover violations of health, safety, and rights against individuals committed to Bridgewater as Tatum reported. Tatum went on to address specific examples, including:

Unsafe environmental conditions
Denial of care and protections individuals would otherwise receive in DMH hospitals
Staff administering unnecessary medical restraints on individuals who are calm, or even asleep

Families Advocate for Change

Family members of individuals committed to Bridgewater are relentlessly advocating for reforms at the facility. To represent the family perspective, Jacqueline Hubbard from NAMI Massachusetts spoke about families' hope for change in the treatment of their loved ones. “Families want to know that their loved ones are being treated as patients first and foremost," she said.

A Call to Action

Representative Christine Barber and Barbara A. L’Italien, Executive Director and CEO of DLC, gave a call to action to support H.3291 and S.1386. Legislation is required to transfer authority of Bridgewater from DOC to DMH, and Massachusetts is long overdue. Emphasizing the urgent need for change, MAMH President and CEO Danna Mauch highlighted that Massachusetts is the only state in the country where the department of correction oversees a forensic hospital. She underscored that there is no excuse for Massachusetts to remain the outlier, and it is time for Bridgewater to "deliver the improvements that patients so justly deserve."

Learn more about the history and our recommendations for next steps regarding Bridgewater State Hospital on the MAMH webpage.

More information is available from DLC, including their webinar series and public reports on Bridgewater State Hospital.

MAMH Blog

Legislative Briefing Highlights Need to Transfer Bridgewater State Hospital Oversight

"A Hospital in Name Only"

Experiences at Bridgewater State Hospital

Current Findings at Bridgewater

A Call to Action

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