Hello Everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful week spent with friends and family!
On Monday Governor Healey signed into law major legislation aimed at reducing overdose deaths here in the Commonwealth. 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. From the onset of my appointment last year as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery, I have made it explicitly clear that one of my top priorities was to send comprehensive pieces of legislation to the Governor’s desk that will help keep people alive and make quality recovery resources easily accessible. 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. It is my sincere hope that this legislation will help Massachusetts continue its recent progress in reducing overdose deaths.
This week Team Velis joined officials in Chicopee to highlight the special gift of an organ donation. One organ donor has the ability to save 8 lives. Transplant patients receive these organs from either people who have left our world, and are making this last act of kindness, or living donors who step up and donate to a patient who is waiting for this life-saving opportunity. Checking the organ donor box on your driver’s license application could improve the quality of life for a patient. To learn more about organ donation check out: https://neds.org/ .
This week I was able to take some time to spend with my friends and family in celebration of the holidays. This year was truly so special seeing the joy that Christmas morning brought to my son Carson. This week also marked the beginning of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, to all those who celebrate I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!
As a reminder some of my regularly scheduled office hours were moved around this month to accommodate the holidays, as result there will be no office hours this week. If you are in need of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, or you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.
Happy New Year!
John Velis