Two Sides in Shock-Therapy Debate Battle Over Treatments in Massachusetts

Part Two in a .

Supporters and opponents of , or shock-therapy, are battling over the right to use the treatment in Canton. The proponents and opponents spoke out at two public hearings last week, including Senator Brian A. Joyce and the Judge Rotenberg Center's Attorney Michael Flammia.

The state Department of Health and Human Services held Wednesday's hearing in Worcester and Friday's hearing in Boston to gain feedback from , which is practiced at the in Canton. The Judge Rotenberg Center is one of the only centers in the country that uses aversive therapy as treatment.

"It's an extraordinarily, positive step to protecting innocent and disabled children at the JRC from the current, clearly abusive practices," Senator Brian A. Joyce, who represents Canton, said.

Although the state senate passed Joyce’s sponsored amendment banning aversive therapy on May 26, the House did not take action on the amendment.

The state's new amendment is "virtually identical to the amendment that we passed in the senate during recent budget deliberation," Joyce told Patch.

However, despite the public hearings, the JRC believes any action on an amendment would be illegal, going against a 1986 Bristol County Court ruling.

"No it won’t impact the work that the (JRC is) doing," Attoreny Michael Flammia, legal counsel for the JRC, said in an interview with Patch. "(They state) would be in contempt of the settlement agreement from 1986."

Any regulations on aversives would be "illegal to the JRC and the JRC parents would file a contempt complaint," Flammia said. "We are quite confident the regulations are illegal and un-enforceable."

The attorney said JRC parents attended the two hearings and appealed to the state that the proposed amendment would "cause severe physical harm, if not death" to the severely disabled residents that need aversives.

said although some students that are severely self-injuring may still need aversives, the JRC uses shock treatments for minor issues with students who only have slight behavior problems.

The state should "maybe close the Rotenberg Center and use the shock (treatment for the self-injuring) in a hospital setting," Deabold said. "Extreme aversives should only be used in a hospital setting, and not put into hands of who has a vested interest in covering up mishaps if something goes tragically wrong."

Senator Joyce said he is happy the state is taking action on aversives.

"I applaud Governor Patrick for taking the steps to defend the defenseless," the senator said. "One way or another, I'm determined to do all that I can to protect these kids."

Joyce noted that there are protections in place for the JRC residents from New York, and no new residents from New York are allowed to receive electric shock treatments. However, Massachusetts "currently isn't affording the same to our children."