麻州地鐵將更換在Packard’s
Corner，以及哈佛道(Harvard
Avenue)和奧斯頓街(Allston)之間，長達2000英尺的軌道，並更換提供列車電源的管道和地下線路，並沿著B分線重漆綠線的橫越人行道、自行車道和月台邊緣。。
受影響的車站將由接駁巴士代替列車。
麻州地鐵總經理伍華偉( Philip Eng)說，”當他接受這份工作時，他就向公眾承諾，要恢復 (麻州地鐵)的安全與可靠性”。”最近發生的出軌事件是他們還有工作要做的醒目提醒，而在學校停課時加速這工作，是處理這長期問題的最好辦法。
6月12日的出軌事故是一列西行的B線有軌電車以低速行駛時脫軌。伍華偉表示，當時大約有30名乘客安全下了車，軌道狀況是兩節連接車輛的輪子脫離軌道的原因之一。
7月時，不只是麻州地鐵有路段要關閉，麻州交通廳
(MassDOT)也已宣佈，Sumner隧道將於7月5日至8月31日關閉，進行維修。
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| 左起，麻州聯邦眾議員Steven Lynch，麻州勞工廳廳長Lauren Jones， 波士頓市長吳弭，麻州州長Maura Healey，女電工學徒，聯邦眾議院 助理議長Katherine Clark，美國商務部長 Gina Raimondo，聯邦眾議員 Ayana Pressley，電工工會經理Lou Antonellis等人在參訪中合影。(周菊子攝) |
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| 政要參訪JATC座談現場。(周菊子攝) |
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| 麻州州長Maura Healey，聯邦眾議院助理議長Katherine Clark， 美國商務部長 Gina Raimondo。 (周菊子攝) |
凱薩琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）表示，在巡訪地方中，她了解到托兒照顧對許多行業的重要性，也因此民主黨爭取在政府通過的「美國援救法 (ARPA)」中，讓20萬個托兒照顧中心，在新冠病毒疫情期間仍然可以營運，還通過聯邦預算案，增加托兒照顧投資2000萬元，另外藉晶片及科學法案，在未來5到10年間，於全美各地創造10萬個製造業、建築業的工會工作岡位。
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| 波士頓市長吳弭 (右起) 和美國商務部長 Gina Raimondo 向Lou Antonellis 探溫學徒培訓概況。 (周菊子攝) |
自己曾任羅德島州州長的雷萌朵說，她知道身為職業婦女，如果沒有可靠的托兒照顧，很難兼顧工作，這也是為什麼在拜登總統草擬晶片及科學政策時，她們要把托兒照顧條款加進去的原因。
麻州州長奚莉在競選期間已強調托兒照顧對改善工薪家庭生活的重要性。她就任州長以後，也陸續公佈政策，包括3月底簽署補充預算，其中6800萬元撥給托兒照顧獎助金 (C3
grants)，6月6日在波士頓舉行的生物科技創新組織
(BIO)國際會議中，也宣佈了5000萬元的”麻州人才”計畫。這天她在參訪座談中表示，雷萌朵部長做得很對，因為沒有托兒照顧，就不會有可靠的人力，而若沒有充足人力，經濟也不可能成長。
在新冠病毒疫情期間，麻州的托兒照顧業失去10%從業人員，在波士頓市，去年底也有大約50個早期教育的教室，因為沒有足夠人手經營而空置。在拜登政府的美國援救法資助下，波士頓市獲得700萬元，資助邦克丘社區學院 (Bunker Hill Community College)，麻州大學波士頓分校及市區學院(University
of Massachusetts Boston and Urban College)，還有鄰里村(Neighborhood
Villages)這些機構，來經由「增加人力基金 (Growing the Workforce Fund)」為800名學生提供成為幼教人才的免費培訓。
在參訪座談中，前述政要聆聽了IBEW 103的女電工學徒們，分享托兒照顧，以及職業培訓對她們有多重要。其中一名女電工學徒表示，托兒照顧一週的費用就要大約575元，她出外打工賺到的錢，連支付托兒照顧費都不夠。接受電工培訓後，時薪可由受訓第一年的19元跳升至畢業後的50元以上，她很珍惜這樣的機會。
(Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 上任即將滿半年，波士頓環球報 (Boston Globe) 今 (22) 日發表一篇文章，質疑奚莉政府在” 公開、透明” 上的執行力。
波士頓環球報指出，奚莉州長在競選州長時曾揚言，她要和以往的政府有所不同，會更加透明、公開，讓人們更容易獲取有關政府的資料。然而奚莉上任後，為舉辦就職慶典，以及處理政府過渡交接事務而成立的”奚莉-Driscoll過渡公司 (Healey-Driscoll
Transition, Inc.)”成立的這501
( C)4免繳稅社會福利組織，卻是捐贈者和捐贈金額都保密。
根據聯邦稅務法
(IRS)，這種501(
C)4組織，一般是不需要公開接露捐贈者姓名的。
奚莉州長也不是第一個用非牟利組織來資助政府交接的人，包括前任州長查理貝克
(Charlie Baker)在內，有至少2名州長也曾在交接期間設立了一個非牟利組織。查理貝克還公開申報這組織在他就任那年，花了24萬2200元，不過也沒公佈那些錢都花在什麼地方的細節。
波士頓環球報指出，奚莉州長與交接相關的這非牟利組織，設立宗旨是為政府交接提供”協助，輔佐，及其他支持”，但這組織在奚莉州長就任很久以後，還在花錢。五月份時，這組織花了1萬5600元，資助奚莉州長，Kim
Driscoll副州長，以及奚莉政府的高級職員、內閣成員共26人在劍橋市的美國藝術科學學院，舉辦為期2天的聚會，約等於每人600元。
這做法很快地引起了檢察官們和良好政府組織等的注意。新英格蘭第一修正案聯盟
(New England First Amendment Coalition)會長，本身也是檢察官的Gregory V. Sullivan說，因為這群人看來是”參加政府活動”，幫忙資助奚莉州長及其高層助理的聚會，奚莉應該透明化誰是捐款人。
奚莉的顧問說，該非牟利組織在聘僱過程中，以及在她競選及宣誓就任的那些日子中，就住宅、經濟發展，以及交通等事務構建想法上，”支持”了新政府
波士頓環球報稱，去年12月時，奚莉的助理Karissa
Hand說，該非牟利組織的”交接經費”也會用來付款給Krauthamer
& Associates，作為該公司搜尋新任麻州地鐵(MBTA)總經理的費用。MBTA後來在3月份時，點名伍偉華
(Philip Eng)出任總經理。不過奚莉的顧問現在說，付這筆費用的是麻州地鐵，不是該非牟利組織。
州政府的紀錄也顯示，麻州地鐵在12月時付了7萬2千元給Krauthamer
& Associates。
“同理念麻州 (Common
Cause Massachusetts)”執行主任Geoff
Foster指出，儘管奚莉的非牟利組織運作，並未違法，但卻也是州政府需要訂定更嚴格揭露法，以怯除任何對民選官員有不當影響的例子。
(Boston Orange摘要編譯) 麻省公共衛生局 (DPH)今 (22) 日公佈初步數據，2022年麻州鴉片類相關藥物用藥過量死亡率比2021年增加了2.5%，其中黑人、非西班牙裔居民增幅最大。
2022年有2,357例確認和估計的鴉片類相關藥物過量死亡案件，比2021年的峰值還超過57例。初步數據還顯示，在2023年前三個月中確認和估計的鴉片類藥物過量死亡人數為522例，比2022年同期下降7.7%。
在非西班牙裔黑人居民中，鴉片類相關藥物過量死亡率增加了42％，從2021年的每10萬名居民有36.4人死亡，增加到2022年的51.7人。當按性別來分開計算時，數據顯示，非西班牙裔黑人男性在所有種族/民族群體的男性中，鴉片類相關藥物過量死亡率增幅最高，從每10萬人的56.4人增加到79.6人（增加41％）。非西班牙裔黑人女性的死亡率增加了47％，從每10萬人的17.4人增加到25.5人。
奚莉(Healey-Driscoll)政府的防止鴉片類藥物濫用工作，集中在為社區提供所需資源上，包括以支持各種行為健康和無家可歸者為中心的藥物使用計劃。奚莉政府的2024財政年度（FY24）預算，還提議投資超過6億美元用於物質成癮預防和治療計劃，包括用於擴大門診服務的重要資金，增加社區和急診科的穩定危機服務，以及加強住院環境中的連續性照護。
麻州繼續擴大現有的藥物使用障礙治療和預防過量計劃，包括增加人們取得逆轉用藥過量的藥物納洛酮 (Naloxone)的服務。麻州已經超過了聯邦納洛酮“飽和”目標，並計畫擴大的為社區提供足夠的納洛酮以防止可能因缺乏獲得醫藥機會而導致的藥物過量死亡。自2020年以來，DPH已經發放了將近30萬劑納洛酮套件，給減少損害項目，鴉片治療供應者，社區健康中心，醫院急診部門，以及郡拘留所。分發量每年增加約40%。最近這幾年，DPH在納洛酮上花的錢也增加了140%，從2018年的290萬美元增加到2022年的700萬美元。通過這些投資，DPH於2022年5月推出了[社區納洛酮購買計劃]( https://www.mass.gov/service-details/community-naloxone-purchasing-program-cnpp)，以經由這些組織向麻州社區成員分發免費的納洛酮。
Massachusetts opioid-related overdose deaths rose 2.5 percent in 2022
Black residents accounted for the largest increase in opioid overdose death rates
BOSTON (June 22, 2023) – Opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts increased by 2.5 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, with rates among Black, non-Hispanic residents making up the largest increase, according to preliminary data released today by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH).
There were 2,357 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in 2022, surpassing the previous peak in 2021 by an estimated 57 deaths. Preliminary data also show there were 522 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in the first three months of 2023, a 7.7 percent decrease (an estimated 44 fewer deaths) from the same time period in 2022.
Among non-Hispanic Black residents, the opioid-related overdose death rate increased by 42 percent, from 36.4 to 51.7 deaths per 100,000 residents from 2021 to 2022. When broken down by sex, the data show that non-Hispanic Black men had the highest opioid-related overdose death rate increase among males in all race/ethnicity groups, from 56.4 to 79.6 per 100,000 (a 41 percent increase). The rate for non-Hispanic Black women increased by 47 percent, from 17.4 to 25.5 per 100,000.
The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s opioid prevention efforts are focused on providing communities with the resources needed to support a wide range of substance use programs, including those centered on behavioral health and homelessness. The Administration’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budget proposes investments of more than $600 million for substance addiction prevention and treatment programs, including critical funding for expanding outpatient services, increasing access to crisis stabilization services in communities and emergency departments, and strengthening the continuum of care in inpatient settings.
“As Attorney General, I made combatting the opioid crisis a top priority, and that commitment continues as Governor while we work to provide individuals and communities with the support they need for treatment, prevention and recovery,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Too many Massachusetts families, particularly families of color, have been impacted by this crisis, and in order to effectively respond, we need to address the gaps in the system by advancing long-term solutions that include housing, jobs, mental health care and more resources for our cities and towns.”
“We know that the opioid crisis impacts communities across Massachusetts and requires a collaborative response between the state and municipalities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “By investing in supports at the local level, including increasing access to crisis stabilization services in the community, we will be able to support people where they live, and where their families and communities can support them in their treatment.”
The Commonwealth continues to expand existing substance use disorder treatment and overdose prevention initiatives, including increasing access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone. Massachusetts has already exceeded, and plans to expand upon, federal naloxone “saturation” goals, providing communities with enough naloxone to prevent overdose deaths that may occur from a lack of medication access. Since 2020, DPH has distributed nearly 300,000 naloxone kits to harm reduction programs, opioid treatment providers, community health centers, hospital emergency departments, and county houses of correction, with distribution increasing about 40 percent each year. DPH has increased its investment in naloxone by more than 140 percent in recent years, from $2.9 million in 2018 to $7 million in 2022. Through these investments, DPH launched the Community Naloxone Purchasing Program in May 2022 to increase distribution of free naloxone through organizations to community members across Massachusetts.
In response to the rise in opioid-related overdose deaths, DPH issued an advisory last month urging all providers to increase availability of naloxone kits and train staff to dispense and administer naloxone to anyone who may need it. Retail pharmacies in Massachusetts should continue to dispense naloxone without a prescription as part of a statewide standing order. Everyone, especially those around people at high risk for overdose, should carry and know how to use naloxone, which can prevent serious harm and death from overdose. Those at high risk include people taking high doses of prescription opioids, people misusing prescription opioids, and people using illicit opioids or other drugs, which can be contaminated with the powerful opioid fentanyl.
“We understand that to address the opioid crisis, we need to prioritize overdose death prevention while simultaneously investing in comprehensive supports for those dealing with substance use disorder, to ensure they have every opportunity for recovery,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh. “We have to lean into the disparities we see in impacts on Black residents and target our interventions accordingly. Challenges like housing, hunger, and accessing education, behavioral health treatment and transportation need to be addressed in concert with substance use treatment in order to turn the tide of this epidemic.”
“The increase in opioid-related overdose deaths is a tragedy and alarming,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD. “We know overdose deaths are preventable. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on mental health and substance use, especially among marginalized communities. We are working to reverse these troubling trends by continuing to build on our data-driven and equity-based approaches toward responsive support and treatment.”
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