House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North
Reading) has appointed State Representative Kimberly N. Ferguson (R-Holden) to
serve as his designee on the Special Commission on Behavioral Health Promotion
and Upstream Prevention.
Created as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 state budget, the
special commission is charged with investigating evidence-based practices,
programs and systems to prevent behavioral health disorders and promote
behavioral health across the Commonwealth.
In addition to developing recommendations for improving behavioral
health in Massachusetts through early detection and intervention, the
commission will also focus on increasing collaboration at the state and local
levels between community coalitions and public health, mental health,
healthcare, education, social services and public safety organizations.
“Representative Ferguson’s education and background in
speech/language pathology will serve her well as a member of the special
commission,” said Representative Jones.
“I am confident that she will make a positive contribution to the
commission as it works to improve the state’s ability to assist individuals and
families dealing with behavioral health issues.”
The commission will hold a minimum of 3 public hearings, and
is required to issue a report within 24 months of its first meeting. The commission also has the option of making a
draft report available for public comment before filing its final version.
Representative Ferguson is the
Ranking House Republican on the Joint Committee on Children, Families and
Persons with Disabilities, and is also a member of the Joint Committee on
Education and the House Committee on Ways and Means. A
former member of the Wachusett Regional School District Committee and the
Holden Board of Selectmen, she is currently serving her third term in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Representative Ferguson represents
the First Worcester District, which
is comprised of Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, Precinct 1 in Sterling and
Precinct 2 in Westminster.
