BOSTON — Securing a commitment for his son to receive substance addiction treatment was a “last chance” effort that Tom Berry made to try to save his life, but without his knowledge Berry’s 20-year-old Stephen was released early and died days later of an overdose.
Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers and the young man’s grieving family on Wednesday to call for a change in state law that would require family to be notified when someone is released from involuntary commitment.
Sen. Cindy Friedman, an Arlington Democrat and co-chairwoman of the committee, asked whether the legislation would conflict with federal health care privacy laws.