2011 Updates

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December 2011

November 2011

Posted 11/08/11

Posted 11/01/11

Hello All
FYI These are the new policies propose by Mass Health. It would seem that they do a pretty good job of stopping the Programs from approving Drug Testing. We will have this on the agenda for our next RHC meeting as to what, how, or whether, we will respond or comment.
Thanks
 
Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

October 2011

September 2011

August 2011

July 2011

Posted 07/05/11

Subject: Action Alert Budget

Hello All,
We need to make some calls to keep the momentum going.

As you know, the Legislature passed the FY 2012 budget last week and it is now on the Governor’s desk for his signature.  He has line-item veto authority, and ten days to approve the budget in whole, approve it in part by vetoing individual line items or portions of line items, or reject it completely.  The Legislature may override any gubernatorial veto by a two-thirds majority in each house, and all overrides must originate in the House of Representatives.

Action Requested

Please call your Senator and Representative and thank him/her for supporting funding for BSAS in the FY 2012 budget.  If you are unsure who your legislators are or need contact information, click here.

In addition, call Governor Patrick’s office (617-725-4000).  One of his staff members will answer the phone. Give your name, title and the organization where you work or where you live, and tell them you’re asking the Governor to support:

· Funding for the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, and

· Outside Section 132 which transfers oversight authority for MassHealth addiction treatment benefits from the Department of Mental Health to the Department of Public Health. 

Thank you for your ongoing support!

Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

June 2011

May 2011

Posted 05/24/11

The Massachusetts Senate will begin debating its FY 2012 budget this week.  Please call your state Senator and thank him/her for supporting funding for the DPH/Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.    If you are unsure who your Senator is or need contact information, click here.

·         This ISA funding was recently eliminated by DHCD

·         Its loss will have a serious impact on family addiction treatment programs

·         One year of continued support will allow for the redesign of services to better accommodate the loss of funding while continuing to provide needed services to homeless families with substance use disorders

Posted 05/19/11

Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 9:24:43 AM
Subject: Some Positive News on the Budget

Hello  Everyone

We have some good news!

The Budget came out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee yesterday. In their wisdom they have reinstated all of the line items which were taken out by the House Ways and Means committee. However they still cut $500,000 from the main line item. This is in the grand scheme of things a minimal amount cut from the budget it does not affect the maintenance of effort and we will not lose federal funds. Also this means that we will require no amendments to be put into the Senate and of course will support the Senate version of the budget in conference committee. We will be asking for your support with your legislators, both Representatives and Senators, when the conference committee begins to let them know we want them to support the Senate version of the budget.
Thank you all for all of your calls, letters, e-mails, and requests for support to your legislators. We will keep you informed as things progress.  Please do not forget to write, call, or send email to your Senators and Representatives  for their support.

Thanks

Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

Posted 05/9/11

April 2011

Posted 04/27/11

Hello All

Well we have good news and bad news. The good news is that the house in its wisdom has restored funding to the .BSAS line item 4512 – 0201 funding the step down programs restoring $2.4 million in funding to this line item.

Now for the bad news.  Unfortunately the House did not adopt amendments offered to restore funding to two other BSAS line items., those for secure treatment facilities and those for intervention and care management and young adult pilot programs.
We will of course continue to lobby both the House and the Senate to restore the funding for all the line items. We will be monitoring how this affects the Maintenance of Effort and the contribution from the federal SAMHSA grant.

But for now congratulations on what amounts to a victory in the house. Thank all of you for all your efforts. We will be in touch.

Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

Posted 04/06/11

Hello everyone,

The agenda for the Recovery Homes Collaborative Meeting on Tuesday (4/12/2011) at 1:00p.m.

is attached. 

You can reach me at 617-773-7023.

RLM/edd

Posted 04/05/11

Subject: Call Your Legislator Day

Hello All,
The Mass Coalition of Addiction Services has decided to designate tomorrow, Wednesday 4/7/11, as a "call your legislator day". As all of you are aware the budget is due out of the House of Representatives very shortly. In order to keep our legislators informed and to remind them of our needs, we have decided to designate tomorrow is a day to contact all legislators by phone. Please call your local legislator's office and ask them to please support the Gov.'s budget particularly the line items level funding substance abuse treatment.We have worked hard to ensure that funding remains stable. We cannot let up now. Please make the call.

Thanks

Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

March 2011

Posted 03/11/11

Subject: Legislative Breakfast Report

Thanks to all for supporting our efforts to educate our Legislators as to what we do and how they can support us. The Recovery Homes Collaborative annual Legislative Breakfast was very well attended by legislators or their representatives. It seems that each year we get more and more attendees. Our supporters in the House and Senate all voiced their support for Recovery Homes and our mission. The new Chairman of the Senate side of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Committee,Senator John Keenan, spoke of the important work we do and how it deserves the support of all the Legislature. As well, Representative Liz Malia, the House Co-chair of the Committee, seconded his remarks. In addition Senator Steve Tolman, Senator Jen Flanagan, Representative O'Day and others, including the Director of BSAS Michael Botticelli, all expressed their thanks to the members of the Collaborative but reminded us that they can't do it alone and need our continuing support to fund our programs at the levels they are at. We assured them that we will continue the fight to provide the services our clients/residents need to Recover from this devastating disease. The message still needs to be sent and re-sent. Call, e-mail, write, and/or visit your Representatives and Senators asking them to support the governor's budget level funding the Substance Abuse line items. If we don't ask for this money someone else most assuredly will.

Thanks again.

Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

February 2011

January 2011

Posted 01/26/11

Hello All
We met this AM with Michael Botticelli. He informed us that the Governors budget "House 1" that was being issued today level funds all the Substance Abuse Line items at last years level. This is good news since as you are all probably aware their will be cuts of 1.5 Billion dollars to other areas of the budget. The fact that SA remains unaffected (in fact their are some small increases) is a testimony to the fact that the message of the importance of treatment continues to get out. Now we all have to insure that the budget remains unharmed as it goes to the Legislature. This makes the importance of the Legislative breakfast and getting our Reps there that much more vital. We still don't know who the Committee Chair on the House side is so we cannot schedule a date yet. As soon as we have a date we will let you know so you can contact your Reps. 

Thanks

Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

Hello everyone

The agenda is attached for the meeting with Michael Botticelli on:

Wednesday, 1/26/2011 at 9:30am  

1st floor Lobby 2 Conference Room at:  

Bureau of Substance Abuse Services 

250 Washington St.

Boston Mass. 02108

Posted 01/13/11

Hello All

Thought this might be of interest to you. Was sent to me by Connie

DPH/BSAS Residential Staff Ratios

At a recent ABH Board meeting, several providers said that BSAS Licensing staff were requiring their residential recovery programs to staff up to a 1:7 counselor to client ratio.  The basis for this BSAS licensing request was a Standards and Guidelines for Halfway House Programs, as issued in 1983 by the now defunct Division of Alcoholism.

After ABH raised this issue with BSAS, BSAS informed us that this requirement has been suspended until such time as BSAS could conduct a staffing and ratio review as part of the residential rate review process and the planned re-procurement of residential services, slated for a July 1, 2012 start date.   

Until that time, however, BSAS has made clear that all residential programs use CMR 164.048 and CMR 164.424(A) (see attached Regulations) to determine if appropriate staffing exists in your BSAS-funded residential programs.   

Although CMR 164.424(A) only requires that there be one FTE direct care staff on each shift, seven days per week, 24 hours per day, please be advised that BSAS does NOT consider this to be sufficient staffing to meet the regulatory requirements related to treatment or to ensure the health and safety of residents.  Any program that uses this as their sole staffing pattern will be found to be out of compliance and will be required to add additional staff as determined by BSAS to meet all licensing and contractual obligations.

I hope this information is helpful.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

 Posted 01/06/11

Hello All

Attached please find an updated version of the letter to  the Reps/Senator notifying them that one of their constituents from  their district has been admitted to your House. This is on Recovery Homes Collaborative letterhead and will accomplish two things. First it will let those who have no House in their district know that we still serve their constituents. Secondly it will make them aware of the Recovery Homes Collaborative so when we ask for their support and invite them to our Luncheon and legislative breakfast they will know who we are, what we do, and that we serve their interests. Any questions please let us know.

Thanks


Bob Monahan PhD, LADAC I
Executive Director
South Shore Recovery Home
President
Recovery Homes Collaborative

Hello everyone,

The agenda for Recovery Home Collabrative meeting on Tuesday, 1/11/2011 at 1:00p.m. is attached.

You can reach me at 617-773-7023.

RLM/edd