Author: john_velis

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July 1st, 2023 – Weekly Update

Hello everyone, 

My office and I came into this week with great energy fresh off a great weekend of basketball at Hooplandia! Thank you to the Big E and all the participants for organizing and hosting this phenomenal event to raise money for local Boys and Girls Clubs. 

I began the week visiting the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin along with my colleagues Sen. Comerford and Sen. Kennedy. Organizations like CACFAQ are on the frontlines of the behavioral and mental health crises as they work to address the needs of children who have experienced abuse and trauma. Addressing these physical and mental traumas that young people are experiencing is going to be crucial in ensuring our kids have the best opportunity to grow into confident and successful individuals. 

Massachusetts got some good news Monday as we learned that we would be on the receiving end of $147 million in federal funding for expanding high-speed internet access. In the aftermath of COVID we’ve seen how convenient it can be to access meetings like doctor’s appointments remotely. This accessibility is still unavailable to many in rural communities and this funding will help us address that.  

Tuesday I had the opportunity to speak with several business leaders in Holyoke about the importance of mental health in the workplace and the benefits we’ve seen when employers prioritize employee mental health. Later I sat down with Peter Babineau of Learn to Cope on this month’s episode of Beacon Hill to the 413. Peter is a leader in the substance use and recovery space, and it’s always fascinating to catch up and hear new voices in the recovery world while we work to tackle the opioid crisis. 

The Westfield Women’s Club hosted their annual tea party on Wednesday and honored their volunteers of the year. This is a fantastic event every year! It’s great to see everyone come out in their tea party attire and celebrate the great work the Women’s Club does. We also hosted office hours in Southampton. This marks the last time we will be with Director Joan Lennihan at the Southampton Senior Center. Joan has been a staple in the Councils on Aging in Southwick, Agawam, and now Southampton throughout her long career. My office attended a retirement party for her Thursday evening to honor the valuable work Joan has done. 

We began Friday with the TreeHouse Foundation’s legislative breakfast where we recognized their leadership in the foster care community and congratulated the Foundation on being the recipients of this year’s Massachusetts Non-profit Network’s Excellence in Advocacy Award. Later on Friday, I met with Clean Crop in Holyoke to learn about the innovations they made in sustainable urban farming. I can’t wait to see the success they have! 

Next week’s office hours in Agawam are being rescheduled. Please keep an eye out on our office facebook page for the reschedule date! As always we can be reached at John.Velis@masenate.gov, or by phone at (413)572-3920. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis

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June 24th, 2023 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

I hope everyone had an excellent Fathers’ Day and long weekend! 

My office hit the ground running on Tuesday in the Statehouse and the District, hosting office hours at the Easthampton Senior Center. Office hours are always a great opportunity to connect with my team and I encourage you to stop by. Next week we will be hosting office hours at the Westfield Council on Aging at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, at the Russell Council on Aging at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, and at the Southampton Council on Aging at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. 

Wednesday I was able to attend the Grand Opening of Northstar Recovery’s new facility in West Springfield. It was a pleasure meeting the staff and I am excited to work alongside them as well as their many partners in the community to ensure the highest quality of care for those in recovery. That afternoon I met with the Massachusetts Associations of Physicians Assistants (MAPA) to learn more about the crucial role they play in the Behavioral Health workforce, and how the pandemic impacted the volume of Behavioral Health cases PAs are handling day-to-day. It is critical we continue to support the Behavioral Health workforce in the wake of the pandemic as their caseload is larger and more varied than ever before. 

 
As schools across the district wrapped up this week, my team and I had the opportunity to visit Mountain View School in Easthampton on Thursday to speak with students about how our government operates at the state level, and our role at the Statehouse and back home in Western Mass. This also gave us the opportunity to present a citation to honor the retirement of Mrs. Messer, who has served 25 years in Easthampton Public Schools – congratulations on a phenomenal career Mrs. Messer! That evening I attended the Grow Holyoke Awards which was put on by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and honored the valuable contributions made by business owners throughout the community.  


Friday, I had the opportunity to tour the proposed site of a new workforce development center at the Holyoke Health Center which would offer training to local, low-income residents in an operational medical facility. This will prepare their workforce to immediately transition to full-time work following their training. I can’t wait to see this important vision come to fruition! 

 
This weekend I am incredibly excited to compete in Hooplandia, a 3 on 3 basketball tournament which raises money for local Boys and Girls Clubs. Good luck to all the participants! 

As always we can be reached by phone at  (413)572-3920, or by email at john.velis@masenate.gov. 

 
Sincerely, 

John Velis 

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Elder Affairs Committee Advances Long-Term Care Bill 

(BOSTON – 6/21/2023) Last week the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, and Senate Vice-Chair John Velis(D-Westfield), announced a favorable committee report on An Act to improve quality and oversight of long-term care. This priority legislation enhances the quality of care for residents of nursing homes, ensures accountability of facility owners and operators, and improves direct care staff recruitment and retention. The bill takes a comprehensive approach towards updating needed transparency and oversight reforms for the long-term care industry while also providing additional supports for direct care workers. 

“Over the past year, four Western Massachusetts nursing homes closed, impacting hundreds of residents and families throughout the region. There are so many comprehensive measures included in this legislation, but I am especially proud of the initiatives focused on growing our nursing home workforce and ensuring accountability of facility operators,” said Sen. John Velis, Senate Vice-Chair of the Committee “This legislation will go a long way to support our seniors and nursing homes, and I am grateful for the work of Chairs Jehlen and Stanley, Vice-Chair Lipper-Garabedian, and all the members of the Elder Affairs committee.” 

“For well over a decade, we have been working to address the gaps in quality of care, funding, staffing, and housing and service options available to our aging family members, friends, and neighbors.  With this bill, we address many of the needs expressed to us by nursing home residents, their families, workers, nursing facility administrators, and state agencies. It is time to move these policies forward.  And I look forward to further collaboration on strengthening the entire continuum of care for older adults,” said Sen. Patricia Jehlen, Senate Chair of the Committee.

“Nursing homes serve some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable populations,” said Rep. Thomas Stanley, House Chair of the Committee. “As such, the quality of care individuals receive in these settings is paramount. The career ladder and loan repayment provisions in the bill for direct care staff will help address the workforce crisis in nursing homes. The licensure and suitability reforms will ensure owners and operators never compromise on providing high-quality care to their residents. The increased fines and doubling of the statute of limitations will help the Attorney General’s Office investigate and punish bad actors. I am proud of the work my co-chair and this Committee have done to produce and advance this bill.”  

“No group has endured more loss and hardship during the pandemic than our seniors and those who care for them,” said Rep. Lipper-Garabedian, House Vice-Chair of the Committee. “The pandemic taught us hard lessons about what is and who are ‘essential’ to a thriving, healthier future for our older residents. Even before the pandemic, we have known that there are significant health and wellbeing challenges for our seniors, their families, and the workforce who cares for them. And with an average of 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day in the country, it is imperative that state laws meet the moment. This bill, endorsed by the Committee, reflects robust collaborative engagement among legislators, executive branch offices, advocates, and other stakeholders and will affect critical reforms in nursing homes.” 

This legislation addresses the remaining recommendations from the 2020 Nursing Facility Task Force report, including establishing new career ladder grants and new leadership training to support the development and retention of talent. Further, to increase the recruitment and performance of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) working in long-term care facilities, the bill creates a tuition reimbursement program for these direct care workers who begin employment within 12 months of training completion. 

Under the bill, the Department of Public Health (DPH) will have new tools to monitor and take punitive action on facilities, such as reviewing both the civil and criminal history of nursing home license applicants, and expanding the scope of suitability reviews to include management companies. The bill also strengthens DPH’s ability to limit, restrict, and suspend nursing home licenses, and install a temporary manager in instances of noncompliance. By providing DPH with additional oversight authority, nursing home operators will be held accountable for the quality of care they deliver to their residents. 

Other provisions of the legislation include:  

  • Increased penalties the Attorney General may seek in instances of abuse and an expansion of the statute of limitations from 2 to 4 years.  
  • A process making it easier for “small house nursing homes” to be licensed in the Commonwealth which are facilities designed similarly to residential homes with no more than fourteen individuals per unit. 
  • A mandate for long-term care facilities to develop Outbreak Response Plans to utilize in the event of future infectious disease outbreaks. 
  • A directive for DPH to establish and implement a training and education program for facilities and staff regarding best practices and frequent deficiencies. 
  • A requirement for facilities to develop policies to prevent social isolation with special consideration given to those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other disabilities. 
  • A directive for DPH to issue an annual report examining cost trends and financial performance across the nursing home industry. 

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June 17th, 2023 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

I hope you are all doing well!  

We had a busy week in the Statehouse and throughout the district. Monday, I chaired a meeting of the Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery Committee where we had the opportunity to hear from healthcare professionals regarding contaminants in the drug supply and the difficulties these pose in fighting the Opioid Epidemic. I am incredibly proud to work alongside House Chair Madaro and my colleagues from both chambers as Massachusetts works to respond to these challenges in our communities. 

Tuesday, I chaired a hearing for the Veterans and Federal Affairs committee where we heard testimony on a number of bills, including two of my own, S2358: An Act promoting equality in veterans’ bonus eligibility, and S2360: An Act establishing a women’s veterans network. As we are celebrating Pride month it is crucial that we continue to work to achieve equity and fairness for service members denied bonuses and benefits under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, and that is exactly what S2358 gets after. S2360 focuses on expanding outreach and benefits for servicewomen within the Commonwealth. 

My team hosted office hours at the West Springfield Senior Center on Wednesday, thank you to everyone who came to speak with us! Later in the day I had the opportunity to continue my conversations about Mental and Behavioral Health resources throughout the Commonwealth with Westfield State President Linda Thompson. We had a great discussion on what measures we can take at the State level to help the growth of the Behavioral Health workforce in our colleges. 

Thursday was another busy day in session debating Tax Relief legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to deliver relief to our constituents as we continue to do everything in our power to combat inflation. During the debate, I spoke on the floor in support of additional investments to the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP). For those who don’t know, HDIP is a tax credit incentive program that is focused on increasing market-rate housing development in Gateway Cities specifically, including Westfield, Holyoke and Chicopee. Our legislation passed on Thursday authorizes record funding for the program to expand additional projects throughout our communities.  

We began Friday with a ceremony to honor volunteers at the Southampton Council on Aging, thank you for all you do! Later on I sat down with students and faculty in Agawam to discuss mental health resources in schools. These conversations are truly informing for my work on the committee.  

This weekend I am excited to attend a flag raising in honor of Pride month in Holyoke and spend Fathers’ Day on Sunday with my family. I hope you all have a great weekend as well. 

Next week my office will be hosting office hours at the Easthampton Council on Aging at 10:30 on Tuesday, and at the Holyoke Council on Aging at 10:00 on Wednesday. Please drop by to see us! 

 
Sincerely, 

John 

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Senate Resoundingly Approves Tax Relief Bill 

(BOSTON– 6/15/23) The Massachusetts Senate approved on Thursday a $590 million Tax Relief bill which delivers support to low- and middle-income earners and chips away at the headwinds that threaten Massachusetts’ competitiveness. Focusing on providing relief to residents across Massachusetts while upholding fiscal responsibility, the Senate’s tax relief package will provide relief to renters, seniors, and parents struggling with high early education costs while also increasing much-needed housing production.  

Senator Velis, who filed his own tax relief legislation this session to increase the Dependent Tax Credit, the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit, and the Estate Tax Threshold, joined his colleagues in voting for the legislation and spoke on the Senate floor during the debate on investments the bill also makes to the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) for Gateway Cities.  

“Like so many of my colleagues, I continue to hear from residents in my communities about the high costs their families are dealing with, and the tangible impact that the tax reform initiatives in this bill will have on their lives,” said Senator Velis (D-Westfield). “But this legislation also goes far beyond that by addressing challenges that our Commonwealth is facing as a whole, with one of the biggest focuses being on housing. That is why I was proud to speak on the Senate floor during our debate on the transformative investments this bill makes into the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), which is specifically focused on developing market-rate housing in Gateway Cities like Westfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee.” 

This package includes a variety of initiatives as tax relief for the residents of Massachusetts. The bill: 

  • increases the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which provides critical support to working families, from 30% to 40% of the federal credit  
  • merges existing credits into a new and enhanced Child and Dependent Tax Credit (CDTC), increases the amount of the credit from $180 to $310 per child/dependent, and eliminates the current cap of two children/dependents 
  • increases statewide cap for the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) from $10 million to $57 million on a one-time basis and then to $30 million annually 
  • increases the cap on the rental deduction from $3,000 to $4,000 
  • raises annual authorization of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, which directly supports the production of affordable housing units across the Commonwealth, from $40 million to $60 million  
  • doubles the maximum senior circuit breaker credit, which supports elderly residents who struggle with high housing costs, from $1,200 to $2,400  
  • excludes homes valued at under $2 million from the Estate Tax and eliminates the “cliff effect” by allowing a uniform credit of $99,600 for all estates 
  • triples the maximum credit under the Title V Tax Credit, which supports families who must replace failed septic systems, from $6,000 to $18,000, and lifts the amount claimable to $4,000 per year 
  • increases the statewide cap for the Dairy Tax credit from $6 million to $8 million 
  • expands eligible occupations for the Apprenticeship Tax Credit  
  • doubles the credit for lead paint abatement to $3,000 for full abatement and $1,000 for partial abatement 
  • expands the types of alcoholic drinks which qualify for a lower tax rate as part of the cider tax 

Notably, this legislation ensures that student loan payment assistance offered by employers will not be treated as taxable compensation. The bill also adds regional transit fares and bike commuter expenses to the allowable commuter expenses eligible for favorable tax status.  

To encourage affordable housing, the bill gives municipalities the option of adopting a local property tax exemption for real estate that is rented to a person below a certain area-dependent income level. 

Additionally, the bill also directs the following studies: 

  • A study by the Executive Office of Administration and Finance on the feasibility of making advance quarterly payments of the Child and Dependent Tax Credit 
  • A study by the Department of Revenue on the efficacy of an additional, elective entity-level tax of up to 4 percent on a portion of qualified taxable income in the Commonwealth, coupled with a refundable credit, for eligible pass-through entities 

As different versions of this legislation have passed the Senate and the House of Representatives, a conference committee will now be appointed to resolve differences between the two bills.  

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Over 40 Legislators Join Senator Velis in Calling for Increase to Substance Use Treatment Reimbursement Rates 

(BOSTON – 6/14/2023) With treatment beds across Massachusetts closing, 43 legislators joined Senator Velis today on a letter to EOHHS Secretary Walsh urging the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to increase the MassHealth reimbursement rates for substance-related and addictive disorders program. 

“Residents throughout our districts are struggling with substance use disorders and the data shows that this crisis is only continuing to grow. It is on us–as a Commonwealth–to do whatever we can to increase treatment services in our communities, and these reimbursement rates for substance use providers play a critical role in that,” said Senator Velis, who is Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. “Treatment beds in my own district and throughout Massachusetts are closing because the current reimbursement rates are simply not sustainable. These closures don’t just impact the MassHealth members and uninsured residents who desperately depend on these programs, they increase the burden on our entire public healthcare system.”  

The letter from legislators notes that current reimbursement rates have led to the recent closure of MiraVista Behavioral Health Center’s Acute Treatment Service (ATS) and Clinical Stabilization Service (CSS) beds. From February to March 2023, 189 ATS and CSS beds and 61 TSS and RRS beds closed either temporarily or permanently. Legislators state that reimbursement rates must be competitive with surrounding states and other mental health and hospital bed rates to guarantee that substance use providers are able to provide necessary care to those who are not privately insured, while remaining financially viable.  

“In every meeting I’ve had with providers on this issue, the first thing they always bring up is reimbursement rates. Turnover and burnout is rampant throughout our healthcare system, but this is especially true in the substance use realm,” said Senator Velis. “We have to do more to keep folks in these fields and keep these crucial services in our communities open, and that starts with increasing these reimbursement rates.” 

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June 10th, 2023 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone,

I hope everybody enjoyed a milder week despite the haze here in Western Mass. Luckily, it looks like we have a beautiful weekend ahead of us. We had a busy week here in the district and so did our local schools! Congratulations to all the graduates of 2023.

Monday my team hosted office hours at the Agawam Council on Aging. These sessions offer a great opportunity for anyone to sit down with myself or a member of my team and raise any issues or questions you may have, or even just chat about what it is we do here in the community. I encourage you all to take advantage of this opportunity. Later in the day my team met with Rep. Duffy and several health organizations throughout Holyoke to learn about how we can work to promote health and wellness in our communities.

On Tuesday, as we recognized the Anniversary of D-Day and remembered the ultimate sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service of our Country, my team had the opportunity to sit down with several Veterans’ groups from throughout the District, including Operation Veteran Vacation, Warriors’ Art Room, and the Easthampton Coalition for Veteran Wellness. Kudos to these organizations for all they do for our service members.

It was an honor to join Mayor McCabe, Representative Pease, members of the Westfield City Council and Massachusetts School Building Authority for the groundbreaking at Franklin Avenue School in Westfield on Wednesday. The start of this project represents years of hard work, and I cannot wait to see the finished product!

A jam-packed Thursday gave me the opportunity to sit down with students and faculty from Westfield Technical Academy and Westfield High School to discuss mental health in our schools. These conversations offer valuable insight into how we can best support students, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators. In my role as Chair of the Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery Committee, I am proud to head up the efforts to address these evolving concerns and ensure that students throughout the Commonwealth have the resources and supports they need.

Next week we will be hosting office hours at the Chicopee Council on Aging on Tuesday at 10:00AM, and on Wednesday at the West Springfield Council on Aging at 11:00AM. Feel free to stop by with any questions, comments, concerns, or just to say hello!

If you are unable to make our office hours or need assistance any sooner, I can always be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413)572-3920. You can also find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter!

Best,

John Velis

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June 3rd, 2023 – Weekly Update

Hi Everyone, 

Happy June! Hard to believe we’re already through May. While there haven’t been too many unbearably hot days yet, I’m sure many of you are also thinking about lugging those air conditioners out of storage.  

Before we turned the page on May though, we had Memorial Day weekend. I was proud to join community members for powerful Memorial Day ceremonies in Westfield, Agawam, Chicopee, West Springfield and Russell. We will never forget the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation, and it was inspiring to see so many come out to recognize this sacred day. 

Our Commonwealth remains committed to our service members, and I am proud of funding the Senate included in our FY’24 budget last week for veterans. The final package includes two of my amendments that allocate $200,000 to expand outreach to women veterans specifically and $500,000 for Massachusetts General Hospital’s Home Base program to expand their trauma services for veterans across the state.  

As I said last week though, there is a lot more from the Senate’s budget debate to share. After 3 days of debating amendments, I am proud that my team and I were able to secure $750,000 in local funding specifically for our district. Among other funding for Westfield, this includes $40,000 to improve the Cross Street Park and Playground, $50,000 for Baystate Noble’s Opioid Treatment Program, $50,000 for improvements to the Westfield Athenaeum, and $10,000 for programming at the Amelia Park Children’s Musuem. This funding is the result of months of meetings with leaders and organizations throughout our district. The next step is for the Senate to negotiate a final budget with the House, and I look forward to advocating for these priorities throughout that process.  

With the Senate budget over, it was great to spend more time in the district this week, highlighted by graduation ceremonies for Westfield Technical Academy on Thursday and for Westfield High School on Friday. It’s also special to see our community’s hardworking students celebrate their achievements with classmates and family.  

Thursday evening, I also joined community members for the Pride Flag raising at Westfield City Hall. I look forward to seeing more friendly faces at events throughout Pride Month as we celebrate the right of every person to be themselves and love the person of their choice.  

This week we also celebrated the grand opening of Pioneer Valley Fiberglass Pools & Spas on Southampton Road in Westfield. It was great to attend the event and I wish the business much success.  

My team held office hours at the Southampton COA this week. Next week we will be at the Agawam COA on Monday from 11AM to 12PM. If you can’t make office hours, I can always be reached at john.velis@masenate.gov or at (413)572-3920. You can also find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.   

Sincerely,  
John Velis 

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May 27th, 2023 – Weekly Update

Happy Memorial Day Everyone,  

I hope all of you are able to enjoy this long weekend with friends and family, the weather looks to be ideal for cookouts and spending time outdoors. While we enjoy this time, it is important to remember the purpose of Memorial Day. It is a time to reflect on those members of our armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation and allow us to enjoy the freedoms that we hold so near and dear.  

I spent the majority of the week in Boston as we took up the Senate’s FY’24 budget proposal.  My colleagues and I are thrilled to see the thoughtful and important investments in our public infrastructure, schools, healthcare systems, and so much more. At the same time, I am proud to have advocated for and secured several amendments of my own. These include increased funding for the MA Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, $500,000 to expand MGH’s Home Base Program – allowing them to expand veteran services across the state, $200,000 to enhance outreach to women veterans, and $500,000 to establish a behavioral health pilot program for schools. In addition to these statewide initiatives, I will be bringing back $750,000 to fund local projects and organizations. I believe that each of these buckets of funding will work to address some of the most critical challenges we face as a state. Looking forward to sharing more details soon! 

Although the budget debate ran through the week, I was happy to attend several other meetings and ceremonies at the State House. On Tuesday, I participated in the Medal of Fidelity ceremony – recognizing service members who passed due to service-connected conditions. Later in the week on Wednesday I joined Governor Healey for the signing of a proclamation designating May as Military Appreciation Month.  

While in Boston, my team held down the fort in the district. District events of note included a retirement party for local service dog Yoshi at the Westfield Senior Center, congratulations Yoshi! On Thursday my staff also attended DPW Appreciation Day in Holyoke. We too often fail to appreciate and recognize those who make our cities run. Glad to see the good folks of the Holyoke DPW get the recognition they deserve. Later that afternoon, the Holyoke Soldiers Home held a Memorial Day Service. It was a great way to kick off this weekend of remembrance! 

This week my team held office hours in Westfield and Russell. Next week we will be at the Southampton COA on Wednesday from 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM. If you can’t make office hours, I can always be reached at john.velis@masenate.gov or at (413)572-3920. You can also find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely, 

John Velis 

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Sen. Velis Secures $3.76 Million for Statewide and District Priorities through Amendments to FY’24 Senate Budget 

(BOSTON – 5/25/2023) After considering over 1,000 amendments in a three-day-long debate, the Massachusetts State Senate today unanimously passed its final FY’24 budget. During the debate, the Senate adopted 16 policy and funding amendments filed by Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) that allocated a total of $3.76 million to policy initiatives and organizations across the Hampden and Hampshire District and the Commonwealth. 

“This final Senate FY’24 budget makes transformative investments in so many important areas of our Commonwealth and I am grateful to my colleagues for adopting several of my amendments throughout the debate for veterans’ services, behavioral health supports, and so many other priorities in our district and state,” said Senator Velis, who is Chairman of the Mental Health, Substance Use, & Recovery Committee and Chairman of the Veterans’ & Federal Affairs Committee. 

Veterans’ Affairs Amendments 

  • Amendment 362: $500,000 to the Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program to expand trauma services for Veterans across the state 
  • Amendment 490: $200,000 to implement the recommendations of last session’s Women Veterans Study, including expanding outreach to identify women veterans and services 
  • Amendment 372: Expanding eligibility for the MA Welcome Home Bonus to LGBTQ+ service members who were dishonorably discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” 
  • Amendment 352: $914,000 to Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts Service Fund, Inc. to provide counseling and benefits assistance to disabled veterans and their families 
  • Amendment 584: $100,000 to Vietnam Veterans of Massachusetts Inc to aid veterans in the commonwealth with filing claims for medical and financial benefits 

Health Care Amendments 

  • Amendment 531: $500,000 to establish a Behavioral Health School Pilot Program that will allow school counselors and administrators to call a specialist hotline to discuss behavioral health issues with students 
  • Amendment 378: Requires the Board of Nursing Home Administrators to report on nursing home closures and whether the closures were in compliance with state regulations 
  • Amendment 354: Ensures that Physicians are able to access mental health resources after being referred to Physician Health Services.  

Another amendment from Senator Velis, amendment 351, increases funding for the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs by $800,000, from $2.2M to $3M. That funding will support Boys & Girls Clubs across the Commonwealth in the next operating year. 

In addition to these statewide amendments, Senator Velis secured $750,000 in local funding, with amendments for all 9 municipalities in the district. Funding includes $250,000 to the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce to promote building restorations and business upgrades throughout the City of Holyoke, $50,000 to Bay State Noble Hospital’s opioid treatment and overdose prevention community grant program, and $50,000 to the West Springfield Council on Aging for renovations to their fitness center. 

“It’s my job as Senator to go down to Beacon Hill and zealously advocate for our district however I can,” said Senator Velis. “Over the past several months, my team and I have been meeting with local leaders and organizations throughout the district to learn about their needs and priorities. I am thrilled that I secured this important funding in the Senate’s budget to support our communities and some of the many incredible groups who do so much for our residents.” 

Senator Velis represents his hometown of Westfield, Agawam, parts of Chicopee, Easthampton, Holyoke, Montgomery, Russell, Southampton, and West Springfield. 

With these amendments now adopted into the Senate’s budget, it will now be considered in a conference committee with the House of Representatives.     

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