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Partner with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane Named President of the Massachusetts Council of School Attorneys (COSA)

Kevin Bresnahan, a partner with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, was named President of the Massachusetts Council of School Attorneys (COSA) during their annual meeting on December 6, 2019. The COSA officers are made up of an executive committee comprised of president, president-elect, two members at large, a past president, and ex officio.

Emerging Issues in Education Law 2019 took place at the UMASS Club in Boston. Melissa Murphy, Esq., current President of COSA was the program moderator for the meeting. Kevin Bresnahan spoke on the recent Dedham teachers strike during the annual meeting. Interesting cases were presented by local attorneys during the afternoon meeting. Before the conclusion of the meeting, the election of officers and steering committee took place. Kevin Bresnahan was installed as the 2020 President of COSA.

COSA was formed in 1997 to provide information and practical assistance to attorneys who represent public school districts, COSA with the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Council of School Attorneys is a membership organization of more than 40 affiliate state councils and more than 3000 attorneys nationwide who work to improve the practice of school law and prevent lawsuits against public schools.

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane LLP is known throughout New England for its labor and employment practice. In addition the firm has an extensive education law practice representing more than one hundred and fifty public, private and nonprofit educational institutions through the collegiate level.

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Statutory Regulations Released for Interagency Review of Complex Cases

On March 1, 2024, EOHHS and DESE released the long-awaited, final adoption of the regulations governing the Interagency Review of Complex Cases (published as 101 CMR 27.00). These regulations had been anticipated since the Massachusetts Legislature passed “An Act Addressing Barriers to Care for Mental Health” in August, 2022. The purpose of the law is the establishment of a team that will collaborate on complex cases where there is an urgent need to address a lack of consensus between state agencies about the service needs or placement of an individual. This replaces what was known as the Unified Planning Team, or “UPT”. The co-chairs of the IRT will be the secretary (or a designee) from EOHHS and the commissioner (or a designee) of DESE.

Legal Updates

Statutory Regulations Released for Interagency Review of Complex Cases

On March 1, 2024, EOHHS and DESE released the long-awaited, final adoption of the regulations governing the Interagency Review of Complex Cases (published as 101 CMR 27.00). These regulations had been anticipated since the Massachusetts Legislature passed “An Act Addressing Barriers to Care for Mental Health” in August, 2022. The purpose of the law is the establishment of a team that will collaborate on complex cases where there is an urgent need to address a lack of consensus between state agencies about the service needs or placement of an individual. This replaces what was known as the Unified Planning Team, or “UPT”. The co-chairs of the IRT will be the secretary (or a designee) from EOHHS and the commissioner (or a designee) of DESE.

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