June 17, 2026
Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 10:00 a.m.,
Room B-2, State House, Boston, MA
And virtual
Special Commission on Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children holds a hearing, with members seeking testimony from invited stakeholders and the public. The Massachusetts Nurses Association says family members of current and former Pappas patients are expected to speak, as well as Pappas staff. Gov. Healey in January 2025 proposed shuttering the state-run hospital as a cost-cutting measure, though she walked back that plan amid public outcry. Located on about 166 acres in Canton, the hospital provides medical, rehabilitative, educational and recreational services for patients ages 7-22 with serious physical and cognitive disabilities. A separate Pappas work group released a report last fall that recommended "near-term" facility upgrades to address life safety and quality issues, plus longer-term ideas to modernize the hospital's infrastructure, lower the level of care offered at Pappas, close the hospital or invest in pediatric care at Western Massachusetts Hospital. That work group laid the foundation for the commission, created through a fiscal 2026 budget policy rider. The commission is supposed to file a report by Dec. 31 on the hospital's finances, programs, pediatric services and infrastructure.
