(Westfield News- Cliff Clark) A bill to make substance-abuse disorder treatment and recovery support more affordable, and championed by state Sen. John Velis, was signed by Gov. Maura Healey on Christmas Eve.
“The unfortunate truth is that most people in our Commonwealth know someone who is struggling or has struggled with addiction, and it is absolutely heartbreaking how many loved ones we continue to lose to this disease,” said Velis, who served as the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery, which negotiated with House leadership to reach a compromise with the House on the bill.
“I am grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, my colleagues in the House and Senate, and all of the advocates and individuals with lived experiences who have so worked tirelessly on this legislation that will save and change countless lives,” Velis said in a statement after the bill was signed.
The bill Healey signed makes treatment and recovery support more affordable and accessible for residents living with substance use disorder.
Notably, the legislation expands access to lifesaving opioid reversal medications like naloxone and ensures that they are covered by health insurance, which Velis noted.
“Not only does this legislation bolster access to life saving overdose reversal tools but it also expands access to recovery coaches, vital providers who truly understand what it is like to navigate recovery because of their lived experiences,” he said.
Westfield, like other cities and towns across the commonwealth, have not been spared the heavy toll of the opioid epidemic.
Since 2016, 112 people in the city have succumbed to an opioid-related overdose, with 10 in 2023, according to statistics released by the state’s Department of Public Health in June.
Healey was “proud” to sign the bill.
“I’m proud to sign this bill that will expand access to lifesaving overdose reversal medications and coaching throughout the recovery process. I’m grateful to our partners in the Legislature for their leadership in making sure Massachusetts continues to be a national leader in the fight against the opioid crisis,” she said in a statement announcing the new initiatives.
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