Author: john_velis

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March 14th, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

Spring is finally in the air.  I don’t know about you all, but the beautiful weather this week has me excited to get outside.   

This week was a busy one.  Early on in the week I had the unique opportunity of joining a radio show based in Greece.  My family and I are very proud of our Greek heritage and I was honored that the “Voice of Greece” invited me to be a guest on their show.  We spoke at length about the Greek Diaspora, the contributions of Greco-American immigrants, and the hardships of the immigrant experience.  It was a great discussion and I would love to be a guest again.  S’ efharistó! 

This past Tuesday I took part in a great virtual Twitter conversation about the impact Covid-19 has had on mental health in our communities.  This event was hosted by Mass Support Network and I was joined by colleagues from across the state.  Sadly, this topic is not talked about enough and I look forward to continuing to work on these issues as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. 

This week Westfield was awarded a $60,000 grant from the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development to help invest in downtown and commercial projects. This “Downtown Initiative” grant is a part of Local Rapid Recovery Planning (LRPP) program and will help the city invest in projects that will boost the recovery of local businesses.  

On Friday I met with Representative Duffy of Holyoke and the interim Receiver-Superintendent of Holyoke Public Schools, Anthony Soto.  It was a productive meeting and I’m fully confident that Superintendent Soto will do an excellent job serving the students of Holyoke.  It has been great working with him so far.  

Friday also marked three years since the tragic passing of Brian Donaghue Simpson of Westborough.  Brian struggled with and eventually succumbed to opioid addiction in 2018.  I gathered virtually with members of his family, Attorney General Healey, Senator Markey, and Dr. Lipi Roy, an addiction specialist, to commemorate his passing and talk about how we can lift the stigma around opioid addiction.  Through committee work and my own legislation, I plan to take on the opioid crisis head first.  In matters of addiction, silence so often leads to death which is why we must all work to stop the stigma surrounding it.    

This week the State also launched a preregistration system to sign up for vaccine appointments at mass vaccination sites. Individuals who preregister will receive weekly status updates, and will be contacted to book an appointment when available instead of constantly checking the website. You can preregister at vaccinesignup.mass.gov/#/ 

I am hopeful that implementing this pre-registration system will improve how our vaccine rollout is organized. Although mass vaccination sites will be the only sites you can preregister for to start, the Governor has stated that other sites will added to the system soon which will be especially important in our region. As our vaccine supply continues to expand, it is critical that our vaccination sites expand as well and I will to continue to advocate. 

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/  To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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March 7, 2021 – Weekly Update

Happy March Everyone, 

Now that spring has begun and we can be outside for longer than fifteen minutes, I’m looking forward to some more outdoor events in the community.   

On Tuesday I presented two Senate citations to members of our medical community,  one to Physicians’ Assistant Kenzi Holden and the other to Doctor Sarah O’Shea.  During the onset of the pandemic, these two went above and beyond for their clinic, routinely seeing more than twenty patients a day and almost completely giving up time with their families in order to best protect their patients.  The Commonwealth is lucky  have them working in our healthcare system.   

Thursday, I attended the Baystate’s COVID-19 legislative update alongside other legislators from Western Mass.  Members of both the public sector and Baystate staff discussed the many issues facing healthcare workers right now, chief amongst them being lack of vaccine supply.  Positive test rates are–thankfully–starting to drop across the Commonwealth.  However, there are still miles ahead of us and I urge everyone to continue to taken proper precautions.   

Later on Thursday I visited the State Police headquarters in Framingham to discuss public safety in the Commonwealth and projects that they are co-opting with the Department of Homeland Security on.  I also toured the Massachusetts Fusion Center, which is the operational hub of the Commonwealth’s homeland security efforts.  The work these agencies are doing to is paramount to keeping the Commonwealth safe and I look forward to working with them to determine how the Massachusetts legislature can best aid them in their duties.   

To finish the week, I sat in on a roundtable for the Connecticut Valley Superintendents.  This group is comprised of superintendents from Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin counties as well as officials from local universities and community colleges.  Educational institutions have already been left reeling by the pandemic.  From declining enrollment to the more intangible learning loss, the complex ways in which schools have been changed will be felt for years if not decades to come. The state legislature needs to be prepared to aid however it can and I will continue to support strong funding for our public school systems in the state budget.  

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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Velis one of twenty legislators across the country to be selected for opioid fellowship

(BOSTON 3/4/2021) – Last week the National Conference of State Legislatures announced that they had selected twenty state legislators from across the country to participate in their 2021 Opioid Policy Fellows Program. Among those selected was Senator John Velis (D-Westfield). Prior to his selection and the application process, Senator Velis had been nominated for the fellowship program by Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland).  

“Recovery—and the struggles of addiction—are issues that I personally understand and want to positively impact,” said Senator Velis, who is Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery. “I believe one of the long-lasting impacts of this pandemic is going to be the negative effect this period of isolation and stress has had on those suffering with mental health disorders and substance abuse. For many people these two issues are co-occurring, and I’m looking forward to learning more about what we can institute here in Massachusetts to help address these problems.” 

The program is designed for legislators who are emerging leaders in opioid and substance use disorder issues and is supported by health professionals, addiction experts, and policy specialists. The fellowship will include a series of seminars and conferences that focus on policies to prevent, intervene and treat opioid misuse, addiction and overdose. The program will also address the intersections of opioid use with mental health, maternal and pediatric health, human services, and criminal justice.  

“This is a unique opportunity to learn directly from those who have been studying issues of opioid addiction and substance use disorders for years,” said Senator Velis. “In addition to speaking with subject matter experts, this is also a chance to learn about innovative programs that other states have implemented that we here in Massachusetts might be missing out on. This is all about taking those best practices and policies that are out there and figuring out how we can implement them here in the Commonwealth to help save lives.” 

“So much of our world has changed due to the ongoing pandemic, and that includes how to best offer assistance to those with addiction and substance use disorders,” stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Senator Velis has been a longtime advocate for those in the recovery community and it’s for that reason I was thrilled to nominate him for NCSL’s 2021 Opioid Policy Fellow Program and congratulate him on his selection. I look forward to him sharing with the Senate more about his experience so that we can continue to build on our progress to help those most in need as they continue to recover.” 

Senator Velis was appointed Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery last month. The Chair of the Committee is Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro). 

“We always make better policy when we bring our most real vulnerable experiences to this work. I have much admiration for Senator Velis’ decision to share his own journey through addiction and use it to inform how we go about helping others,” said Senator Cyr. “Our committee work will benefit from his pursuit of further study on opioid policy.” 

The first conference for the program will be held virtually on the weekend of March 26th. There will be a series of shorter virtual webinars throughout the later spring and summer, and organizers hope to hold a second weekend conference in person in September.  

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February 28, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

The last week of February is upon us.  It seems to be thawing, so fingers crossed that Spring is coming a bit early this year and we can start to enjoy some warmer weather.  This week was just as busy as ever and I’m sure my staffers are starting to doubt me when I say, “Things should slow down next week.”  

To start it off, I had a very productive meeting on Monday with Mayor Nicole LaChapelle of Easthampton and Congressman Richard Neal, who represents most of Western Mass and all of my district in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Among other things, we discussed how the next federal stimulus package will be dispersed.  Federal aid is vital to ensure that our communities can recover from the pandemic.  

I also attended the Russell town meeting this past week.  Our hilltowns have had their own unique challenges both before and now during the pandemic.  This meeting’s purpose was to address these and determine how the State legislature can best help as we move forward in the new legislative session.   

This week the legislature also held its first oversight hearing on the state’s vaccine rollout and heard directly from Administration officials, including Governor Baker himself.  My colleagues questioned the Administration on vaccination sites and the appointment website among other issues, and pushed for improvements and more equitable vaccine distributions.  Last week I also joined colleagues on a letter to Governor Baker calling for more municipal and community sites, which I believe will improve vaccination accessibility as our supply expands.  

On Thursday I was lucky enough to get out to the Westfield Council On Aging to hand out some bagged lunches.  After one too many virtual meetings, it felt invigorating to get out in the community and tangibly help our seniors.  It was a great afternoon for it and it was so nice to see so many familiar faces.  I just can’t wait for the day when I can start calling bingo games at the Senior Center again.   

To finish my week on a high note, I had a meeting Friday morning with Girls’ Inc.  This is an organization that I think deserves special merit this week.  Their mission is to empower young women and forge the next generation of female leaders through both academic and extracurricular programs.  I was invited alongside Representative Patricia Duffy of Holyoke to host this meeting and we discussed how we as elected officials can bolster the young women of the Pioneer Valley.   

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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February 21, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

I hope you’re all doing well. I know many of you reached out to my office this week regarding COVID-19 vaccinations, especially on Thursday when the appointment website went down. This is completely unacceptable, and the system absolutely has to be improved.   

When individuals 65+ and those with 2+ comorbidities became eligible to book appointments this week, over a million new people became eligible. The state received just over 110,000 doses from the federal government this past week, and we simply do not have the vaccines at this time for everyone to get an appointment immediately. That being said, it should not be this difficult to access the site, book an appointment, and get clear information. Although Governor Baker is unilaterally overseeing the vaccine rollout and vaccination locations, I will continue to communicate these issues and advocate for improvements. Next week, the Legislature will be holding a public, livestreamed oversight hearing on Thursday to hear directly from Administration officials on the rollout of the vaccine process and the website itself. We expect answers from those responsible for this failure and a better system must be delivered for our residents.  

This Friday marked the official end of “bill filing” season.  After weeks of requests, research, and revisions, my staff and I are excited to announce all the bills that we’ve filed in the Senate so far. I will still have the ability to file bills through the entire two-year session, but submitting by this deadline ensures that they will be heard by a committee promptly. 

I’m also excited to announce that for this upcoming Legislative session, I will be the Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities as well as the Vice-Chair of  the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery.  As a veteran, I’m especially proud to announce my Chairmanship of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.  All of these are policy areas that I’m passionate about and I’m very much looking forward to a productive Legislative session.   

As a part of the bill filing process, my staff and I have been taking meetings with many constituents and experts regarding issues facing the Commonwealth.  Among those meetings I took this week, one that stands out is the meeting I had with Maryanne Frangules, the founder of the Massachusetts Organization of Addiction Recovery (MOAR).  We discussed how COVID-19 has exacerbated difficulties for those suffering from addiction and how the Legislature and especially my new position as Vice-Chairmanship of  the Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery can best help them in the upcoming session.   

Thursday morning, I met with the Western Mass Legislative delegation to discuss how Baystate’s pending consolidation of psychiatric beds in the region and Holyoke Medical Center’s acquisition of Providence Behavior Health Hospital will affect the area.  As always, we will work with our partners in both the Legislature and in the private sector to insure the best possible outcome for the patients of Western Mass.   

Recently, I also started sending out both quarterly newsletters and weekly email updates regarding the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.  To sign up for my COVID-19 updates, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ To sign up for my quarterly newsletter, head to senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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Velis named Chair of Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee

BOSTON (2/17/2021) – On Friday the Massachusetts State Senate announced new committee assignments for the 2021-2022 legislative session. Senator John Velis (D-Westfield) was named the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. When asked about his new position, Senator Velis stressed the importance of delivering for those who have served our country. 

“Those in our Armed Forces are selfless and courageous individuals who lay their lives on the line in defense of our great country. In turn, we need to do everything we can to make sure we are properly assisting and caring for those who serve and have served.” said Senator Velis, who is a Veteran and Major in the U.S. Army Reserves himself. “Our Veterans have their own unique needs and skillsets, and I am incredibly excited to chair the committee directly tasked with all aspects of Veteran affairs.” 

Senator Velis will chair the Joint Committee alongside State Representative Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham). Senator Velis noted that he has filed several pieces of Veteran Affairs legislation on his own already and that he hopes to see several major Veterans Bills be signed by Governor Baker this session. 

In addition to his chairmanship, Senator Velis was also named Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, and Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.  

“Both of these committees will be working on issues very near and dear to my heart,” said Senator Velis. “As someone who went through the special education system in Westfield, and as someone who has had their own struggles in recovery, I look forward to lending my personal insight to these committees as we work on legislation that will benefit residents across the Commonwealth.” 

Senator Velis will also be sitting on five other joint committees in the 2021-2022 legislative session, including the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, and the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.  

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February 7th, 2021 – Weekly Update

Happy February Everyone,

It was a cold and snowy start to the second month of the year and according to Punxsutawny Phil, we still have six weeks left until the weather starts to warm up.

More importantly, this Monday marks not only the beginning of February, but also the beginning of Black History Month. This time provides an opportune moment for us all to look forward and contemplate how we can create a more equitable and cohesive Commonwealth.

One of the few upsides of working from home is that I and my staff were able to keep working despite the “Snowageddon”. Thankfully so, as our weeks are only getting busier here as we move into this new Legislative session. At the beginning of the week, I met with members of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association to discuss their legislative priorities for this session. Teachers are some of the most dedicated and vital public servants in our Commonwealth. The purpose of these ongoing talks is find out what works best for them and how the legislature can help them during and beyond the pandemic.

Later that day I joined other State Senators on a zoom call with Secretary of Health and Human Services, Marylou Sudders, to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. This week the State launched the Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line, which individuals ages 75 and older may call to get assistance from a live representative on scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. The hotline can be reached by dialing 2-1-1, and will operate from 8:30AM to 5:00PM on weekdays. If you would like to stay up to date with vaccine information, please visit my website at https://senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ and sign up for our weekly COVID-19 newsletter.

This week I also had the honor of speaking with students of Westfield High about what the future holds for both them and our Commonwealth. I really enjoyed discussing my time at Westfield High School as well as answering their questions. Special thanks to their teacher, Sarah Corbett, who set up this talk and whom Westfield High is extremely lucky to have.

On Friday I met with members of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association to discuss their legislative priorities. This is just one of many legislative topics my office is taking meetings on as the bill filing season continues.

That morning, I was also able to tour Westfield State and see the new COVID-19 testing site that they’re going to open. Even with the vaccine on the horizon, frequent testing remains the most effective way to prevent spread and serious symptoms. I implore all of you to stay vigilant so as to protect yourselves and your neighbors.

In this new legislative session, I will also be putting together newsletters from my office that can be sent right to your email inbox. If you would like to sign up for the newsletter, head to www.senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.

Sincerely,

John C. Velis

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February 14th, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone, 

Punxatawney Phil, our trusty groundhog, was unfortunately right.  This last week was even snowier than the first week of February.  Hopefully with March around the corner, Spring is on its way.     

This week, like the last couple, has been filled with zoom meetings after zoom meetings as the Legislative Session fully begins.  Hopefully, we can resume normal life relatively soon as vaccine rollout progresses.   If you’d like to stay up to date with the vaccine rollout info, visit my website at https://senatorjohnvelis.com/covid-19-updates/ to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates.   

On Monday, I met with John Hurst from the Massachusetts Retailers’ Association.  He and I had a very productive conversation on how the Massachusetts legislature can aid retail businesses in the Commonwealth.  Retail has been one of the worst hit sectors of our economy during the COVID-19 pandemic and we need to do everything in our powers to help our local businesses recover.   

Later that afternoon, I joined the Gateway cities caucus for another virtual Zoom meeting.  A gateway city is a medium sized, semi-economically independent city (Westfield, Holyoke, Chicopee) that serves as an intermediary between more rural towns (Southwick, Russell) and larger metros (Springfield, Boston).  Gateway cities are in very unique position economically and as such, they have their own specific needs that larger metros and smaller towns do not need to address.  I along with legislators from other Gateway cities had a very productive discussion on how the Legislature can best address these types of cities’ needs. 

This Tuesday marked another hearing for the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Oversight committee.  The committee heard testimonies from the Board of Trustees, Secretary of the Department of Veteran Services, Cheryl Poppe, and Secretary of Health and Humans Services, Marylou Sudders.  The purpose of these hearings is to find out the underlying institutional causes that led to the tragedy at the Home last spring and the committee will make our official recommendations to the Senate by March 31st.   

 Later in the week, I met with members of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare.  Everyone has been hit hard by the pandemic, but residents with substance use disorders have been faced with a new set of challenges.  Meeting with this organization will help me better identify legislative solutions I will be able to bring forth as a state Senator.  After that, along with other Western Massachusetts legislators, I met with the Commissioner of the Department of Early Education and Care to discuss COVID-19 testing to ensure our children and families are as safe as possible in our region.   

Recently, I also started sending quarterly newsletters from my office that can be sent right to your email inbox.  If you would like to sign up for the newsletter, head to www.senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/ 

As always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office.  I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com. 

Sincerely,  

John Velis 

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Winter Storm Tips

When winter storms are heading towards our district, my office will put out helpful information and updates as they become available. Below are resources and tips for how to stay safe during heavy snowfall and possible power outages.

Preparedness and Safety Information

Stay Informed

Online Resources

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January 24th, 2021 – Weekly Update

Hello Everyone,

Things are starting to pick up again as a new session begins. My staff and I are excited to roll up our sleeves and get to work as I start my first full term as your State Senator.

This week marks what would have been the 92nd birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King as well as a very profound national transition for our country. I hope all of you had a chance to celebrate on Monday.

On Wednesday, I virtually met with Robert Roose, the Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Medical Center, to discuss substance use disorders and how the pandemic continues to detrimentally impact people living with addiction. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with Dr. Roose and brainstorm potential legislation to help others struggling.

Later on Wednesday my office held another virtual listening session for families who currently have loved ones at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. I invited family members to share their stories and I give my deepest gratitude to those who did. It was insightful to hear from families about the current status of the Home and concerns that still exist.

On Thursday the Legislature’s Special Oversight Committee on the Soldiers’ Home held a public hearing where I was able to raise many of the concerns I have heard. Members of the administration, as well as Holyoke Soldiers’ Home employees, testified and fielded questions about staffing and labor-related issues among other topics. It is essential that we ensure the Home is moving forward in the right direction, so that our current and future Veterans get the care they deserve.

On Friday I was glad to join the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation in Springfield to help with the delivery of winter coats they were getting via the Coats4Vets program. My newly-elected colleague Senator Gomez was also there helping out and it was great to see all the donations come in that will go to our Veterans.

In this new legislative session, I will also be putting together newsletters from my office that can be sent right to your email inbox. If you would like to sign up for the newsletter, head to www.senatorjohnvelis.com/quarterly-newsletter/

As always if there is anything I can do to assist you, please never hesitate to reach out to my office. I can be reached at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920 and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.

Sincerely,

John C. Velis

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