Public Health activists lobby to improve heath departments across the state

BOSTON – Public health advocates prepared to speak with legislators on Thursday about the SAPHE 2.0 Bill, a revised version of a bill that made it to then-Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk in 2022 and was vetoed.

One group wants to ensure that doesn’t happen again. 

The bill would have set a minimum standard for all public health departments in the state, provide grant funding for programs and share resources between cities and towns. 

The Massachusetts Public Health Association encouraged advocates to share their stories with legislators about what they see working with people every day. 

Legislators like Senator Robyn Kennedy (D-Worcester) have been in “advocate shoes” before when she worked for the YWCA, and wants to help.  She says it’s the people on the ground who come up with the solutions to problems. 

“As a legislator now, one of my main priorities is to make sure that we don’t lose sight of those innovations, that we don’t lose sight of centering those who are most impacted by any situation that we’re looking for solutions to,” said Kennedy. 

For advocates like Gary Rosen from the Worcester Board of Health, it’s important to get face to face with those who can make the tangible changes he is fighting for. He is advocating for a bill to create overdose prevention centers. 

“We want to show the legislature that we think this is the right thing to do. We know it’s the right thing to do. We can’t stand by and watch people die from overdose deaths. So we took the first step,” said Rosen. “We hope that encourages the legislature to see that Worcester is ready for a pilot program.”

Worcester City Manager Eric Battista’s office told Spectrum News 1 in March no action would be taken on  an overdose protection center until further guidance was provided by the state. 

“The administration is working on a report for City Council in response to Councilor Haxhiaj’s order relative to the data on OverdoseProtection Centers (OPC) and expects it to be transmitted in the near future. No action will be taken on the potential operation of an OPC in the City of Worcester until further guidance is provided by the State of Massachusetts. At such time, further conversations will be had among City officials, City Council, health providers, stakeholders, and the community at large.”

Opponents voice concern sites like this encourage drug use, and funds should be spent on abstinence-based treatments, not facilities that encourage drug use.