AG HEALEY, PROJECT BREAD, FOOD BANKS AND PANTRIES PARTNER ON EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH ENERGY COSTS

AG HEALEY, PROJECT BREAD, FOOD BANKS AND PANTRIES PARTNER ON EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO HELP RESIDENTS WITH ENERGY COSTS 

Staff from the AG’s Office Joined La Colaborativa in Chelsea to Hand out Food Boxes and Distribute Multilingual Energy Assistance Resources for Families in Need this Winter 

 

BOSTON – With gas and electric rates climbing to record high prices this winter, Attorney General Maura Healey is collaborating with Project Bread and the state’s regional food banks and pantries on a campaign to educate residents about assistance available to help pay their monthly energy bills this winter. 

 

“As energy costs go up this winter, we want to make sure families know that help is out there to put food on the table and keep the lights on in their homes,” AG Healey said. “We’re grateful to Project Bread and our regional food banks and pantries for partnering with us to educate residents on how they can access the financial assistance and support they need.”           

As part of the education awareness campaign, the AG’s Office is working with Project Bread and the state’s regional food banks – The Greater Boston Food Bank, the Worcester County Food Bank, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Merrimack Valley Food Bank – and their partner pantries to educate customers on the new winter rates and available energy assistance programs. The campaign includes the distribution of thousands of multilingual flyers and an updated website with resources on how to save on monthly bills. On Tuesday, staff from the AG’s Office joined volunteers and staff from La Colaborativa in Chelsea to distribute resource flyers in English, Spanish, and Portuguese to families picking up boxes of food ahead of Thanksgiving. 

 

As of September 2022, according to Project Bread, a statewide organization committed to solving hunger, more than a fifth of households with children in Massachusetts were facing food insecurity, with the increasing costs of basic needs like food and utilities likely contributing to the rising hunger rates in the state. According to data from the state’s utility companies, more than 900,000 customers in Massachusetts are behind on their energy bills.   

 

“The winter months can be especially difficult for the 21.5% of households with children in Massachusetts who are experiencing food insecurity,” said Erin McAleer, President and CEO of Project Bread. “Food insecurity is an economic condition and increased utility costs mean less grocery money for these families. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Attorney General Healey’s office on this campaign to raise awareness about energy assistance, and throughout the year to raise awareness about food resources.”        

“Heating costs this winter are expected to surge and put a real pinch on household budgets,” said Catherine D’Amato, President and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank. “We are only in November and already we are seeing an increase in the number of new clients visiting our food pantry partners so we are happy to partner with the Attorney General and her team to help spread the word about the new and expanded programs that are available to help our neighbors get through the difficult winter months.”  

 

“People should not be making the difficult choice between whether to have enough food to eat or enough heat to warm their homes during the winter months,” said Jean McMurray, CEO of the Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB).  “WCFB and its network of food pantries appreciate the partnership with the Office of the Attorney General to provide essential resources to help our neighbors pay their energy bills this winter.”  
 

“At The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, we know that the high costs of housing, utilities, and food create real challenges for families struggling to meet their basic needs,” said Christina Maxwell, Director of Programs at The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “We are happy to be partnering with the Attorney General’s office to provide information and resources that may be helpful to people, especially during a New England winter.” 

               

                “The rising prices of essential items like food and utilities are making this an especially hard winter for our families,” said Debbie Callery, Executive Director of The Merrimack Valley Food Bank. “The Merrimack Valley Food Bank and our partner pantries are happy to partner with the Attorney General’s Office to connect our neighbors with resources to help them pay their energy bills this winter.” 

 

As the ratepayer advocate for Massachusetts, AG Healey’s Energy and Telecommunications Division works to ensure reasonable prices, access to clean energy for all customers, and to educate customers on the available programs that will help them keep the lights on and stay warm. The AG’s Office is reminding residents of the following resources as part of this education campaign: 

 

Winter Shutoff Moratorium 

 

Residential customers are protected from having their gas or electric service shutoff from November 15, 2022 to March 15, 2023 if the service is needed for heating. More information about the shut-off protections available to qualifying Massachusetts residents can be found here. Customers will, however, still be responsible for paying bills after the winter moratorium ends and making no payments during the four-month period means a larger bill to pay later. To avoid falling into debt, the AG’s Office urges customers to enroll in a payment plan that will provide shut-off protection and potentially balance forgiveness.  

 
               Utility payment plans  

 

Massachusetts utility companies offer several financial assistance programs for customers. The AG’s Office encourages customers who experience difficulty paying their monthly bills to contact their utility as soon as possible to learn about the options available. Customers should also consider enrolling in budget billing with their utility, which will establish more predictable payments and can help customers better manage utility costs that often fluctuate depending on the season, the price of energy, and customer usage.  

 

Income-eligible assistance programs 

 

The AG’s Office encourages customers who are struggling financially to consult with their utility company to see if they qualify for an income-eligible rate, which provides a discount on the customer’s entire bill. Income-eligible customers may also qualify for enrollment in a balance forgiveness program. Additionally, income-eligible customers can benefit from the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). In order to qualify for LIHEAP and other income-eligible assistance programs, customers must have a household income that does not exceed 60 percent of the state median income. Applications for LIHEAP for the 2022-2023 heating season can be submitted now and throughout the winter. For help in determining their eligibility for these programs, and to learn more about how to apply, customers should contact their local Community Action Network. Customers can also reach out to the Cold Relief Hotline at (800) 632-8175.  

 

Customers who have a household income that is between 60 to 80 percent of the state median income may be able to seek help from the Good Neighbor Energy Fund. Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food assistance benefits may also be eligible for utility discounts and should contact their utility company to inquire about enrolling.   

 

Energy efficiency audit 

 

The AG’s Office recommends that customers contact Mass Save for an energy efficiency audit to see how they can reduce their overall energy use. Customers can also lower their bills by installing a programmable thermostat and replacing outdated light bulbs with ENERGY STAR certified light bulbs. Customers interested in reducing energy usage through solar panels or community solar programs can visit the AG’s FAQ at www.mass.gov/ago/solar. 

 

            Beware of competitive suppliers 

 

The AG’s Office urges customers to beware of deceptive competitive electric suppliers who may try to take advantage of this winter’s record-high rates with false promises of savings.  A report released by the AG’s Office in April 2021 showed that Massachusetts customers who received their electricity from competitive suppliers were charged $426 million more on their bills than if they would have stayed with their utility.  

 

More information on electric prices and the available assistance programs are available on the AG’s new resource flyer which is currently available in Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin and will soon be available in Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, and Vietnamese. The flyers will also be provided to community organizations including consumer advocates, municipal associations, and nonprofit service organizations across Massachusetts. Customers who have concerns about their utility rights should contact the AG’s consumer assistance hotline at 617-727-8400 or file a complaint online.   

 

Anyone who is having trouble paying for food is encouraged to call Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333, which provides confidential assistance on connecting with food resources, including SNAP benefits, in 180 languages and for the hearing impaired. 

AG HEALEY ANNOUNCES $6.6 BILLION NATIONWIDE SETTLEMENT WITH TEVA AND ALLERGAN OVER CLAIMS OF ILLEGALLY MARKETING OPIOIDS

 AG HEALEY ANNOUNCES $6.6 BILLION NATIONWIDE SETTLEMENT WITH TEVA AND ALLERGAN OVER CLAIMS OF ILLEGALLY MARKETING OPIOIDS 

Massachusetts Stands to Receive More Than $130 Million for Harm Reduction, Treatment, and Recovery Services 

 

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey today announced that proposed nationwide settlements totaling $6.6 billion have been reached with opioid makers Teva Pharmaceuticals and Allergan, resolving allegations that they contributed to the opioid crisis by illegally marketing their opioids and failing to maintain effective diversion controls.   

 

“Teva and Allergan’s unlawful behavior contributed to a national public health crisis,” said AG Healey. “These settlements require them to pay for the treatment, recovery, and support services that families need, change their business practices, and turn over millions of internal documents for the public to see.”    

 

The proposed nationwide settlements call for Teva to pay a total of $4.24 billion over 13 years and Allergan to pay $2.37 billion over seven years. These figures include amounts the companies paid to previously settling states. Massachusetts and its municipalities stand to receive more than $130 million from these two settlements to abate the opioid crisis, which would be directed to the state’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund and participating municipalities, in accordance with the state’s State-Subdivision Agreement.    

 

Teva manufactures the branded fentanyl products Actiq and Fentora, as well as generic opioids including oxycodone. Ireland-based Allergan formerly made Norco- and Kadian-branded and generic opioids. Allergan sold its generic portfolio, including opioid products, to Teva in 2016. The settlements prohibit Teva and Allergan from promoting opioids, directly and through front groups, and from engaging in opioid-related lobbying activities. The settlements also require the companies to turn over for public disclosure millions of internal documents they produced in the litigation.  

 

The parties are optimistic that the proposed settlements will gain critical support from attorneys general nationwide, so that local governments have an opportunity to join the resolutions during the first quarter of 2023.     

This is the second major nationwide opioid settlement that the AG’s Office has announced this month. Last week, a proposed $3 billion settlement was reached with Walmart, resolving allegations that the company contributed to the opioid crisis by failing to properly oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores. Massachusetts and its municipalities stand to receive more than $61 million of those funds. 

 

On July 21, 2021, AG Healey announced a $26 billion resolution with opioid distributors and Johnson & Johnson, which will provide more than $500 million to the Commonwealth and its cities and towns for prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery across Massachusetts. Funds from these settlements began flowing into Massachusetts in June 2022. 

 

Attorneys General from California, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia served as the lead negotiators on today’s resolutions.   

Healey and Driscoll Announce Inaugural Committee Leadership

 Healey and Driscoll Announce Inaugural Committee Leadership 

BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor-elect Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Kim Driscoll today announced the leadership team for their Inaugural Committee. The Committee Co-Chairs will be Bryan Rafanelli and Barbara Lee. The Inaugural Committee's Director will be Katie Prisco-Buxbaum. The Inaugural Celebration, which will take place on January 5th, will be produced by Rafanelli Events. 

“Lieutenant Governor-elect Driscoll and I look forward to hosting an inaugural event that celebrates the amazing people of Massachusetts and this great state,” said Governor-elect Healey. “We’re putting together a team of experts who will produce events that bring people together and celebrate the important work that the Healey-Driscoll Administration will do to move Massachusetts forward.”

Bryan Rafanelli is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Rafanelli Events, the premier event planning, design and production company in New England, with expertise in social events, non-profit events, and weddings. Rafanelli and his company most recently planned the wedding of President Joe Biden’s granddaughter Naomi Biden at the White House on November 19th. Rafanelli has long served as the Finance Committee Co-Chair of Healey’s political committee. 

Barbara Lee is a national leader in advancing women’s equality and representation in American politics. Through the Barbara Lee Political Office, she has helped elect 197 women in 33 states, including the first woman Vice President of the United States and every sitting Democratic woman Governor and U.S. Senator. Barbara encouraged Healey to run for Attorney General in 2013, and she has been a strong supporter ever since.

Katie Prisco-Buxbaum is the Founder and Principal of Hyphenated Strategies. She is a veteran of Massachusetts, California, and national politics and has served as a trusted advisor to numerous women candidates, including as General Consultant for Lieutenant Governor-elect Kim Driscoll’s successful campaign.

The inaugural events will be funded through private donations, not with taxpayer dollars. The Healey-Driscoll Inaugural Committee will be imposing a contribution limit of $25,000 for individuals and businesses. Additional information will be forthcoming. 

黃官羨閱報室慶感恩節 台山鄉親聯誼會獻牌匾

黃官羨閱報室慶祝感恩節，部分出席者合影。 (黃周麗桃提供)

台山鄉親聯誼會會長鄺元傑 (左二起向右)和副會長黃紹培、黃漢湖，黃偉健等人製作牌匾
，送給黃官羨(左一)，表達感恩之心。 (黃周麗桃提供)

               (Boston Orange) 感恩節在美國是個比聖誕節還重要的全家團聚節日，幾乎所有店鋪都歇業，好讓員工與家人團聚。「黃官羨閱報室」和台山同鄉聯誼會攜手，特地趕在11月24日這節日前的週末，歡喜聚會，向彼此表達一年來互相扶持的感恩之心。

右起，伍煥華，伍輝民和黃官羨、陳美霞、陳家驊、黃兆祥等人圍桌暢敘。 (黃周麗桃提供)

               台山鄉親聯誼會會長鄺元杰和副會長黃漢湖，黃紹培，黃偉健等人代表該會，特地製作了一塊精緻牌匾，刻印上「樂善好施富而好禮、生財有道商業奇才」這些讚詞，送給黃官羨，感謝他把必珠街上一處物業的土庫，改建成「黃官羨閱報室」，讓台山鄉親、所有華人來到波士頓華埠時，都有個落腳休息，喝杯茶，看看報，和同鄉、同胞聊聊天，話家常的地方。

               11月20日這天，包括華美福利會執行長陳美霞，波士頓僑領陳家驊，伍胥山公所美東總理伍煥華，新英格蘭伍胥山公所主席伍輝民，曾任紐英崙中華公所主席的黃兆祥，黃氏宗親會議長黃國麟，波士頓同源會創辦人李衛新許多人都應邀出席，與眾同樂，一同感恩幸運的華埠社區內有很多善心人士為社區默默付出。

 

Healey-Driscoll交接團隊宣佈已有750人申請加入新政府

             (Boston Orange 編譯) 不到2週，逾750人申請，候任麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey)和副州長Kim Driscoll交接團隊報喜訊，稱網站才推出，就已吸引這麼多人申請政府職位，目前經濟發展、衛生及人類服務和教育部門最多人有興趣。

            人才招募告捷之外，交接團隊還收到250多份關於政府應優先考慮哪些政策問題的意見書。民眾分別就氣候、交通、健康和人類服務等提出許多建議。交接團隊正在檢視這些意見，以做為籌備未來工作計畫的參考。

            交接團隊主席暨候任副州長Kim Driscoll表示，她和候任週長奚莉對於這麼快就有這麼多人有意願加入政府服務，感到非常高興。他們將仔細翻閱每一申請及建議，也鼓勵人們繼續遞交申請表及意見書，她們也將和地方市鎮及州和聯邦官員，企業團體等溝通，以確保政府有最優秀的人才。

            有意加入Healey-Driscoll政府者，可點擊這兒(here)遞交申請表，有意提交意見者，可點擊這兒 ( here)。查詢更多資訊可上網HealeyDriscollTransition.com。

麻州政府擬設立緊急庇護所收案中心

Baker-Polito Administration Announces New Intake Center to Facilitate Emergency Shelter Needs

DEVENS – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced plans to establish and maintain a temporary central intake center as part of the Commonwealth’s response to substantially increased demand on the emergency assistance shelter system. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will temporarily utilize the Bob Eisengrein Community Center in Devens as an intake center where up to 60 families (125 individuals maximum) at a time can reside during their first few days in shelter and receive timely case management services and various intake assessments before being transferred to an emergency assistance site or another more permanent housing solution. The temporary site will open in early December and remain open for at least four months. Families will stay at the intake center for a few days, where they will receive housing case management, human services and case management, and if eligible, will be enrolled in state benefits. The intake center will be operated by MEMA in partnership with a shelter provider. The center will be equipped to provide short-term congregate lodging, food, and laundry services for resident families. “Thanks to collaboration from MEMA, the Department of Housing and Community Development, Devens community leaders, and various partners, the Commonwealth is quickly standing up a temporary intake center to more effectively respond to increased demand for shelter from new arrivals and individuals experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “By creating a centralized space to conduct intake activities before families are placed in their emergency assistance site, we will be able to better assess the needs of these individuals and better prepare communities for the arrival of families to shelter sites in their city or town.” On November 18, Governor Charlie Baker filed a $139 million Fiscal Year 2023 supplemental budget to support the Commonwealth’s response to substantially increased demand on the emergency assistance shelter system, including $20 million to establish and maintain a temporary central intake center. The targeted funding and policy changes in this bill will provide resources to expand emergency shelter capacity to address an uptick in need for these services, which is driven in part by a recent increase in migrant entries to Massachusetts, due to federal immigration policy. A former U.S. Army base in central Massachusetts, Devens is being redeveloped by MassDevelopment into a mixed-use community and is currently home to approximately 950 residents and 100 businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations.

MAYOR WU AND BOSTON EMS CELEBRATE RECENT PROMOTIONS AND NEW EMT GRADUATES

MAYOR WU AND BOSTON EMS CELEBRATE RECENT PROMOTIONS AND NEW EMT GRADUATES

BOSTON – Monday, November 21, 2022 – Today, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu along with Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director Dr. Bisola Ojikutu and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief James Hooley celebrated the graduation of 19 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Recruits and the recent promotions of seven Lieutenants, five Paramedics, four Deputy Superintendents and two Superintendents. The 18 promotions took place over the last four months and represent approximately 300 years of combined experience working with Boston EMS. The EMTs will be assigned to 911 ambulances and dispatch operations, strengthening the City of Boston's Emergency Medical Services.    Mayor Michelle Wu provided the keynote address during the ceremony and recognized the newest EMTs and those promoted, as well as the department as a whole, for being on the frontlines of the City’s response to many priorities from substance use disorder, mental health, and health equity to violence and injury prevention.   “Boston EMS represents all of our neighborhoods and the time, training, resources that we invest in our graduates always find a way back to our neighborhoods and to our communities,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Boston is a stronger, safer and better city because of your commitment.”    Boston EMS is the first emergency medical service in the state to be approved for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of EMS, Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Emergency Department Avoidance program. In late October, Boston EMS launched its first MIH program, offering 9-1-1 callers experiencing a low acuity behavioral health emergency the option to be routed directly to an on-call Boston Emergency Services Team licensed clinician. Although Boston EMS does not yet offer this service 24/7, anyone in Boston can dial the BEST call center directly at 1-800-981-HELP (4357).    The 19 EMT-Recruit graduates began in April and throughout the last six months have spent time in the classroom expanding their clinical expertise and awareness, honing practical skills, and working in training ambulances, responding to a combined 3,000 real medical emergencies. Many of the graduates were drawn to Boston EMS through their desire to help people, give back to their community and the department’s reputation as one of the best emergency medical services in the country.    Graduate EMT Mateo Martinez credits Boston EMS for saving his life as a child as the principal reason he chose to come work for the department. “Seeing their ability to make difficult clinical decisions and advocate on my behalf impacted not just my immediate care, but also my long-term recovery,” said EMT Mateo Martinez.   The Boston EMS Recruit Academy is a full-time, paid training program for state certified EMTs, ensuring residents receive the highest quality pre-hospital care before they are badged as department EMTs. Boston EMS recently started a subsequent Academy class in September and is currently accepting applications for another class. EMTs interested in a rewarding career at Boston EMS are encouraged to go to www.boston.gov/ems to apply. Starting pay is $30 an hour (including wages, hazard duty and differential).    Mayor Wu approved Boston EMS for 24 additional positions in July of this year, which the department hopes to fill with the current hiring. This will allow Boston EMS to add more frontline ambulances, to meet the rising demand for service, as well as a new Alternative Response Unit, which will be jointly staffed with an EMT and mental health clinician from the Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST).    The 18 members of the department recognized for their recent promotions bring a range of specialties to their new roles, including training, field operations, dispatch operations, special operations, and wellness. They are role models, mentors, and advocates for both peers and patients.    In August, the five paramedics completed their three-month promotional internship, which includes classroom and field instruction. They are currently assigned to advanced life support ambulances. The Lieutenants began their new role on November 7th and are in the midst of a four-week training program, after which they will begin their supervisory assignment in the field or dispatch operations. Recognizing the vital role of dispatch operations, it will now be overseen by two newly promoted Deputy Superintendents. Deputy promotions also included a Shift Commander and a member focused on recruitment, diversity, and partnerships. Of the newly promoted Superintendents, one will lead Operations and the other Training, Recruitment and Community Initiatives.    Although this is the first ceremony that has jointly included graduates and promotees, Boston EMS has long seen benefit in combining them, allowing newest members to stand beside those with five, 10 and 20 or more years of experience, as equally vital members of the department.    “Emergency medical services, in Boston, and across the country, continue to change and become more challenging and complex,” said Boston EMS Chief of Department, Jim Hooley. “We depend on these members recognized today, at every rank, to carry us through these upcoming post-pandemic years, and whatever else the future holds. I am confident in the people we have chosen and will do my best to serve them well.”   “Boston EMS members serve at the intersection of public health and public safety, responding to the most pressing needs of our city, caring for our communities, and saving lives. Their work on the frontlines is critical to building a healthier, more equitable Boston,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. "The Boston EMS members recognized for their promotions today exemplify dedication and professionalism. I thank them for their continued service and thank this graduating class for taking up the call to serve the City of Boston.”   Boston EMS is one of the busiest municipal EMS providers in New England, responding to more than 126,000 emergency medical incidents per year. As a bureau of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Boston EMS is committed to serving Boston's residents through clinical excellence, emergency planning and preparedness, and community outreach.