MMA appoints 10 to Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council

The MMA has made 10 appointments to serve on the Advisory Council for the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund, created by Chapter 309 of the Acts 0f 2020.

The 21-member council is charged with advising the secretary of Health and Human Services on the distribution of funds that the Commonwealth receives from claims arising from the manufacture, marketing, distribution or dispensing of opioids.

The funds are to be expended to mitigate the impacts of the opioid epidemic in the Commonwealth, including, but not limited to, expanding access to opioid use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery options.

The MMA made the following appointments to the council:
• Mary Beth Ogulewicz, Senior Services Director, Amherst
• Jennifer Tracey, Director, Office of Recovery Services, Boston
• Koren Cappiello, Director of Social Services, Brockton
• Suzie Hauptmann, Director of Human Services, Falmouth
• Jason “Jay” Ball, police officer, Framingham
• Jennifer Almonte, public health nurse, Lynn
• Damon Chaplin, Director of Public Health, New Bedford
• Gina Armstrong, Director of Public Health, Pittsfield
• Lindsay Hackett, Deputy Chief Administrative and Financial Officer, Springfield
• Dr. Matilde Castiel, Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Worcester

The secretary of Health and Human Services serves as the non-voting chair of the advisory council, which includes one person appointed by the Senate president, one appointed by the speaker of the House, one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one appointed by the minority leader of the House, three appointed by the governor, and three appointed by the attorney general.

The council’s first meeting is scheduled to be held sometime this spring, with an annual report due by Oct. 1 on the activity, revenue and expenditures to and from the fund in the prior fiscal year.