Special to the Times
Rep. Adrian C. Madaro (D-1st Suffolk), chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, was appointed to the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (“ORRF”) Advisory Council. The Legislature established both the ORRF and the Advisory Council in 2021 in anticipation of then-Attorney General and current Governor Maura Healey successfully reaching settlement agreements with several opioid manufacturers and distributors. These settlement agreements are intended to hold accountable several corporations that flooded Massachusetts with opioids and bring desperately needed relief to people who are struggling with substance use disorder.
Over the next 15 years, Massachusetts is projected to receive over $600 million from companies that manufactured, marketed, and distributed opioids in the Commonwealth, $100 million of which has already been received and deposited into the ORRF. This is in addition to the $400 million that cities and towns across the Commonwealth will receive, as well as significant industry changes required by the global resolution of the multiple state, local, and individual cases filed against these companies.
The ORRF is administered by the Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council began its work in the spring of 2021 and has directed millions to expanding harm reduction services, increasing access to medications for addiction treatment, supporting the workforce, strengthening supportive housing programs, and conducting community outreach and engagement.
“I’m proud to appoint Representative Madaro to the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “As House Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, Representative Madaro truly understands the catastrophic impact the opioid epidemic has had in our communities. I’m confident he will be a huge asset to the Advisory Council as they work to direct millions of dollars in settlement funds to meaningful programs.”
“It’s an honor to have been appointed by Speaker Mariano to serve on the Advisory Council, and I’m incredibly grateful to the Speaker and my colleagues for their continued commitment to prioritizing behavioral health, including substance use services and supports, in both funding and legislation. I’m also grateful to Governor Healey for leading the national effort to get these settlement funds, and for the work that has been done by the Council already. I’m looking forward to listening and learning as I get up to speed, and to contributing to the important work of the Council.”