Rep. Stanley's Monthly Show on the Waltham Municipal Access Channel

Rep. Stanley hosts a cable access show, The Stanley Report, on the Waltham's Municipal Access Channel (MAC).  During the fifth episode, Rep. Stanley speaks with Michael Widmer, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation (MTF) about the history and role of MTF as well as state revenue and tax policies.

In Episode 4, Rep. Stanley sits down with DCR Commissioner Ed Lambert to discuss the Connor's pool project as well as the many duties and responsibilities the agency performs across the Commonwealth.  In episode 3, Rep. Stanley speaks with Attorney General Martha Coakley to discuss the foreclosure crisis and her office's HomeCorps initiative.  In episode 2, Rep. Stanley and State Auditor Suzanne Bump discuss the role of the Auditor's office as well as the McKinney-Vento reimbursement included in the FY 13 Budget.  In Episode 1, Rep. Stanley met with State Treasurer Steve Grossman to discuss unclaimed property, the Small Business Banks Partnership Program and other issues affecting Waltham and the Commonwealth.

The purpose of MAC is to provide the citizens of Waltham the medium to be connected with local government through the coverage of public meetings, as well as programs that highlight the government operations.  Click here to learn more about MAC. 

Secretary Galvin Looking for Election Day Feedback

Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin is looking for Election Day comments, suggestions and questions focused on actual activity around the 2012 election and existing laws. Did you experience first-hand any issues with voter intimidation? Were there difficulties with obtaining absentee ballots? Did anyone experience issues with provisional ballots? Did people experience issues with poll checking? Were you required to sit in a position where you could not hear the precinct workers?  Please click here to provide feedback about the election process.

MA Responds to Hurricane Sandy

Massachusetts is helping to enable gasoline shipments to New York and New Jersey as those states and their residents recover from Hurricane Sandy. The announcement comes at the request of New York officials, and will facilitate the distribution of gas supply throughout the region.

New York Harbor serves as a primary fuel distribution center for the East Coast, including New England. Hurricane Sandy damaged the petroleum terminals there and disrupted the regional fuel distribution network. Ships that have not been able to offload in New York Harbor can now do so in Massachusetts waters by transferring their content onto smaller barges in order to get fuel to Boston-area terminals. The fuel will then be transported by trucks between Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey.

Under the leadership of Governor Patrick, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) continues to coordinate and respond to mutual aid requests from those states most impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Governor Patrick has deployed a growing number of Massachusetts personnel and material assets to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

Governor Patrick Signs Bill To Improve the Long-Term Care for Seniors

Governor Patrick joined advocates and legislators for a ceremonial bill signing of Senate Bill 2359, "An Act Establishing Standards for Long-Term Care Insurance," which ensures the availability of long-term care insurance policies, protects long-term care applicants from unfair or deceptive sales or enrollment practices, and promotes flexibility and customization according to an individual's long-term care needs. The legislation also establishes standards for long-term care insurance and facilitates better public understanding and comparison of long-term care insurance policies. Governor Patrick signed the legislation on October 25, 2012.

The legislation provides safeguards through certain provisions that are prohibited in long-term care insurance policies. For example, a policy may not be cancelled on the basis of age or deterioration of mental or physical health; a long-term care policy may not contain a provision containing a new preexisting condition limitation period when existing coverage is converted to a new one within the same insurance company; the policy may not provide coverage for skilled nursing care only; or provide significantly more coverage for skilled care than coverage for lower levels of care.

Additionally, the legislation gives people of all age's encouragement and peace of mind that they are buying a safe product and one that will provide an option for people to be cared for in their home.  The bill also makes long-term care insurance policies more understandable and more portable across state lines by meeting federal standards for long-term care insurance coverage.

New Health Care Cost Containment Website

Governor Patrick launched the next phase of health care reform, signing legislation that builds on the Commonwealth's nation-leading access to care through landmark measures that will lower costs and make quality, affordable care a reality for all Massachusetts residents. The mission of the Center of Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) is to improve health care quality and contain health care costs by critically examining the Massachusetts health care system and providing objective information, developing and recommending policies, and implementing strategies that benefit the people of MA. Click here to visit CHIA's website which outlines information on the law, notice of upcoming events and a single portal for connecting with other health care related state agencies, authorities and commissions.

$1.5 Million in Federal Funding to End Homelessness among Veterans

The Obama Administration awarded $1.5 million to provide street level outreach, peer support services and case management to chronically homeless veterans in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services (DVS) will use this funding to apply the 'Statewide Housing Advocacy for Reintegration and Prevention' (SHARP) model to the Housing & Urban Development - VA Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) program.

The SHARP model, which is administered by DVS, offers peer support, mental health services, psychiatric evaluation and linkages to emergency shelter to veterans recently placed in supportive housing at a veteran-centric facility. The team also identifies and enrolls new homeless veterans in the HUD-VASH program. This new funding was specifically designated to hire 9 new peer support specialists, 12 new case managers, and be accompanied by 320 new HUD-VASH vouchers.

State Wants New Approach for Children's Services

Gov. Patrick recently signed a bill to revamp the way the Commonwealth helps troubled and truant children, the start of a three-year process to pull children who need help out of the court system.  In July, the legislature passed a bill to shift responsibility from the juvenile courts and the probation department to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

The Children in Need of Services (CHINS) program is being overhauled and renamed.  The new program, known as Families and Children Engaged in Services (FACES), calls for family resource centers to provide coordinated services including behavioral health, medical services, mentoring, family and parent support, along with after-school opportunities.

Billions in Capital Investments for Massachusetts Communities Announced

Governor Patrick unveiled his Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-2017 Capital Investment Plan, which continues the Patrick-Murray Administration's efforts to support long-term economic growth and stimulate job creation by calling for significant investments in higher education, transportation, economic development, housing and other infrastructure and assets.

The Capital Investment Plan seeks to reverse decades of underinvestment, create jobs and improve the Commonwealth's economic future by supporting public assets - classrooms and academic buildings, roads and bridges, and public housing. The plan also invests in the Commonwealth's innovation industries to create thousands of jobs and set the stage for future economic growth.

The FY13-17 Capital Investment Plan continues to make investments in the Commonwealth public housing portfolio. In addition to the Commonwealth's yearly $170 million investment in housing, the plan will provide a $10 million expansion for housing funding.

Veteran Job Fairs & Career Events in November

In honor of "Hire a Veteran Month," the state's One-Stop Career Centers is hosting several events to give veterans direct access to potential employers. Employment activities are taking place throughout the Commonwealth with many partners participating to support our veterans. Please click here for more information.  

More than 200,000 MA families to receive help paying their heating bills this winter

Massachusetts will receive $141 million in federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This is an increase of $8.2 million over the previous year's funding level. The funding will be allocated to 22 local administering agencies that will distribute benefits to over 200,000 Massachusetts households in need.

The fuel assistance funds provide eligible households with help in paying a portion of their winter heating bills. Eligibility for the program is based on household size and the gross annual income of every household member, 18 years of age or older. The maximum income eligibility for LIHEAP is 60 percent of estimated state median income. Benefit levels vary depending on household income. Nationwide LIHEAP assists more than 4.6 million low-income Americans in paying their heating bills.

Massachusetts will receive 90 percent of its allocated funding today and based on previous years the Administration anticipates the final 10 percent released by HHS in January. In September, Governor Patrick led a bipartisan letter with 13 other Governors urging Congress to fully fund the LIHEAP program, in any funding agreement for FY 2013, at last year's funding levels.

Administration Announces $38 Million for MassWorks

The Patrick Administration announced $38 million for 26 new MassWorks Infrastructure Program grants to support economic development and housing creation throughout the Commonwealth. Through these grants, the Administration will partner with cities and towns to make targeted investments in infrastructure such as roadways, streetscapes, water, and sewer to facilitate and support new and sustained housing and economic growth. The MassWorks Program infrastructure investments are targeted to projects that require the infrastructure upgrades or expansion in order for new growth to take place.

The MassWorks Program is administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED), and is a consolidation of six capital budget programs that were combined by the Patrick-Murray Administration in 2011 and codified by law as a single MassWorks Program in the Jobs Bill signed by the Governor in August 2012. This consolidation gives communities a single point of entry, a clear set of requirements for the state's public infrastructure grants, and creates efficiencies and a streamlined decision-making process that increases access for municipalities and enhances local, regional, state as well as public-private partnerships around economic development and housing.

Share transportation reform ideas with MassDOT

Attend an upcoming meeting and share your long-term ideas, thoughts and proposals for improving and paying for the state's transportation network.   Public information meetings have been scheduled across the state; please click here for more information. 

Get emergency information on your smartphone

Android and iPhone users: Download a free app to receive local emergency and disaster information from the Mass. Emergency Management Agency.  Ping4alerts! is a new mobile communications app for alerting the public in emergencies and disasters. Through geofencing technology, ping4alerts! enables the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to send highly targeted, instant multimedia alerts to iPhone and Android devices to notify citizens about situations and events happening near them. The ping4alerts! FREE mobile app is one way that MEMA sends emergency information and messages.  Click here to learn more.

Dr. Stuart Altman Appointed to Chair the Health Policy Commission Board

Governor Patrick appointed Dr. Stuart Altman to chair the Board of the Health Policy Commission (HPC). The new agency is charged with monitoring the reform of Massachusetts health care delivery and payment systems in order to reduce costs and improve quality. Dr. Altman, a Professor of National Health Policy at Brandeis University, is an economist with nearly five decades of experience working on health policy issues across the public and private sectors.

The HPC is established by the historic health care cost containment legislation that the Governor signed on August 6 as the successor agency to the Health Care Quality and Cost Council.  The HPC is governed by an 11-person board, as appointed by the Governor, the Attorney General and the State Auditor, with input from an advisory council.

Áron Boros to help lead implementation of first-in-the-nation health care cost containment law

Governor Patrick, Attorney General Coakley and Auditor Bump selected Áron Boros to serve as the first Executive Director of the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA), furthering the Commonwealth's efforts to lower health care costs and make quality, affordable care a reality for all Massachusetts residents. Currently the Commissioner of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy (HCFP), Boros has helped shape the development of the Commonwealth's landmark cost containment law.

Dr. Pendred Noyce Appointed To Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Governor Patrick appointed Dr. Pendred "Penny" Noyce to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Dr. Noyce, a former practicing doctor of internal medicine, currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at the Rennie Center for Education and Policy Research where she advocates on behalf of public education in Massachusetts, working to ensure that every child in the Commonwealth has access to high-quality public education. She is a also the co-founder and current trustee of the Noyce Foundation, a national foundation dedicated to public school improvement, with a focus on mathematics and science. In 2011, Dr. Noyce founded Tumblehome Learning, a company dedicated to helping immerse children in science and engineering through science-based fiction and accompanying activities and products. She has authored several educational children's books as well a non-fiction piece on educational assessments and their relationship to student achievement.

$780,000 in Funding to Promote and Advance Stem Education, Jobs and Workforce Development

Lieutenant Governor Murray announced $780,000 in funding to promote and advance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, jobs and workforce development as he welcomed over 1,000 educators, business leaders, and government officials to the 9th Annual STEM Summit at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Building on his rollout of the AMP it up! campaign launched last month, Lieutenant Governor Murray today announced MassDevelopment will provide up to $10,000 in matching grants to eligible organizations that will create innovative programs focused on educating students and the adults in their lives about advanced manufacturing careers, which require many STEM-related skills. Starting today, MassDevelopment is accepting applications for these matching grants. After the grants are awarded, MassDevelopment will work with the recipients on community-based programs and activities to dispel common misconceptions about manufacturing and bolster the prospective employee base for these quality jobs. AMP it up! complements the state's continued effort led by the Governor's STEM Advisory Council to promote STEM education, jobs, and workforce development across the Commonwealth.  

Additionally, Lieutenant Governor Murray announced $130,000 through the state's STEM Pipeline Fund to build on past programs and develop new messaging and communication to reach more students, parents, educators, and businesses on the value and importance of STEM education, jobs, and workforce development. For example, last year the WOW Initiative was launched as a statewide public awareness campaign designed to engage, educate and "wow" Massachusetts students into realizing the opportunities in STEM. STEM professionals with Massachusetts roots have visited schools to speak to students and are featured in videos which have been distributed to schools across the state aimed at encouraging students to pursue careers in STEM. 

Massachusetts is recognized as a national leader in STEM education, and the state has invested heavily in programs and initiatives to develop a highly skilled workforce, foster economic development, and ultimately position the Commonwealth as a leader in the 21st century innovation-based global economy. Hosted by the Governor's STEM Advisory Council, the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and the UMass Donahue Institute, the summit includes 27 break-out sessions with panels, workshops, seminars and discussions that address issues such as curriculum planning, academic engagement, college readiness, career pathways, underrepresented populations, and analysis of the state's STEM progress. As the longest running STEM Summit in the country, the Massachusetts Annual STEM Summit has grown over the years from a gathering of 250 in 2004 to over 1,000 attendees today.

To read the STEM Plan or learn more about the Patrick-Murray Administration's STEM Initiatives and the Governor's STEM Advisory Council, visit www.mass.gov/governor/stem.

Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Caucus's Legislative Accomplishments

Since the founding of the RTA Caucus, significant legislative priorities have been established and accomplished to allow the RTAs to operate efficiently and responsively. In 2012, the RTA Caucus was successful in providing the first funding increase for the RTAs since FY2009.  The Caucus advocated for a $3.5 million increase to the RTA's appropriation in the FY13 budget. 

The Caucus also successfully argued that any new public transit funding solutions should improve transit statewide, not just the Metro Boston area. As a result, the RTAs received $3.5 million in one-time funds through Chapter 132 of the Acts of 2012, An Act Relative to Financing and Reforming Public Transportation in the Commonwealth.  Through this act, the RTAs received $1.5 million from the surplus snow and ice budget and $2 million from the Motor Vehicle Inspection Trust Fund.  The one-time funding provided relief for immediate funding short falls while the addition to the annual base ensured improved service stability for RTA riders. The total FY13 funding increase of $7 million represents an overall 12% increase in state funding.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Accomplishments

The 2011-2012 legislation session saw many improvements to the provision of mental health and substance abuse care in Massachusetts.  The Legislature passed major legislation, including a law that will help prevent prescription drug abuse.  This session also saw increases to the budgetary expenditures for both the Department of Mental Health and the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.

The accomplishments include a law which will help the Commonwealth prevent deaths due to prescription drug abuse by strengthening the state's Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) and by improving education and prevention programs.  Accomplishments also included the passage of legislation to provide so-called "Good Samaritan" protections to individuals who seek medical assistance for an overdose. This language, included in both 'Melissa's Law' and the Committee's Prescription Drug Abuse law, provides limited immunity from drug possession charges for those who seek such medical assistance; it does not extend to drug trafficking cases.

One of the Committee's key priorities, the enforcement of state and federal mental health parity laws, was recently addressed in the new Health Care Cost Containment law. Despite having longstanding mental health parity laws written into the statute here in Massachusetts and provided through the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Act of 2008, achieving true parity in the coverage and application of behavioral health insurance benefits has remained an ongoing struggle. The Committee worked hard to ensure that provisions were included in the Health Care Cost Containment law to specifically give the Division of Insurance, along with the Attorney General, enforcement powers for both federal and state mental health parity laws.

Do you have unclaimed property in Massachusetts?

The Massachusetts State Treasury has identified hundreds of thousands of new individuals, charities and businesses over the last six months that are entitled to over $60 million in unclaimed property. As part of an effort to return this money, the Treasury will be publishing in newspapers a list of names identified over the past six months owed more than $100.

Unclaimed Property includes forgotten savings and checking accounts, un-cashed checks, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, dividends, and contents of unattended safe deposit boxes. Most accounts are considered unclaimed and turned over to the Treasury for safekeeping after three years with no activity. In addition to the $60 million that the Treasury identified over the last six months, the Commonwealth is holding over $2 billion in trust until rightful owners can be identified.

The newly released list will include 11 accounts over $100,000, 23 accounts between $50,000 and $100,000, 434 accounts between $10,000 and $50,000 and 10,795 accounts in excess of $1,000. Due to space constraints the list will not include the names of approximately 297,000 individuals identified in the last six months who are owed less than $100, but anyone can easily check to see if they are owed money at www.findmassmoney.com or by calling 888-344-MASS (6277). One in ten people in Massachusetts has unclaimed property in their name.

DPH Offers Health Promotion Clearinghouse Website

The website distributes publications and materials on important topics such as asthma, diabetes, nutrition & physical activity, sodium, stroke, substance abuse, tobacco cessation and prevention and more. These materials benefit a wide range of residents, including people interested in improving their health and making healthy choices, anyone in healthcare who provides information or education to patients and educators working with diverse populations.  Click here to learn more. 

Exciting New Veterans Resource!

The Patrick Administration launched www.MassVetsAdvisor.org, a cutting-edge web portal that offers enhanced access to services and support for veterans living in the Commonwealth. The new site will help veterans and their family members access more than 200 state and federal benefits in one location, including programs for education, counseling, employment, health care and other services. MassVetsAdvisor streamlines comprehensive data from state and federal resources and lists only the benefits and services each veteran is qualified for, including an "action plan" to apply for the benefits. Veterans will be able to print, email, save or forward the action plan to their Veterans Services Officer for additional one-on-one assistance.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program 

SAVE Partners with Veterans' Services to Support Veterans & Their Families

The fundamental principle of the Statewide Advocacy for Veterans' Empowerment (SAVE) program is to advocate for veterans who are not able to obtain the benefits they have earned due to institutional or personal barriers. The program's primary mission is prevention of suicide and mental health distress through the identification of issues facing veterans when they return from service and proactively providing them with access to benefits and services that may address these issues and result in positive transitions back to civilian life. SAVE acts as a liaison between veterans and their families and the various agencies within the federal and state governments.  To learn more, please click here.

Mass 2-1-1, in Partnership with United Way, Partners with Department of Veterans Services

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) is responsible for the conservation - including restoration, protection and management - of fish and wildlife resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.   The Division works to balance the needs of people and wildlife today so wildlife will be available for everyone's enjoyment today and for future generations.  To learn more about DFW events across the Commonwealth, such as wildlife-related workshops, talks, walks or demonstrations, please click here. 

Drivers Encouraged to "Donate Life"