As part of MOAR's mission we seek to educate the public about policy issues important to people in recovery. Find highlights and current factsheets here.
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FY2019 Budget Priorities
Criminal Justice Reform
CARE Act
The Massachusetts Coalition for Addiction Services (MCAS) is a group of advocacy organizations that have come together to speak with one voice to strengthen support for funding for addiction prevention, treatment and recovery support services and increased access to services for people with substance use disorders. For the fiscal year 2019 budget our top priority is funding for new Recovery Centers. We will also continue to seek money needed to sustain the successful Access to Recovery Program. Join MOAR with your new recovery messaging skills to help!
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MOAR is part of a coalition working for criminal justice reform in the commonwealth. We support the ending mandatory minimums for drug offenses, lower probation fees, refrom CORI Laws and provide better diversion, treatment, education, and re-entry programs. These changes will help address the issue of mass incarceration of people with substance use disorders in our state. After tireless work by MOAR members and coalition partners, on April 13th, 2018 Governor Baker recently signed our states first Comprehensive Criminal Justice Reform Bill in decades. We look forward these changes enacted so that more people can get treatment and overcome barriers to long-term recovery!
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H4470 An Act for Prevention, Appropriate Care, and Treatment of Addiction (CARE Act). In 2015 Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker created The Massachusetts Opioid Working Group consisting of 18 members, who came up with 65 actionable items to curb this deadly epidemic which had taken away over 6600 lives since 2004. Based on the recommendations of the working group, the Massachusetts Legislature enacted a landmark legislation called the STEP Act. This legislation aimed to fight the opioid epidemic by better regulating prescription drugs, expanding access to lifesaving Naloxone, and building the state’s addiction treatment infrastructure. In November 2017, Gov. Baker introduced CARE Act (known as opioid 2.0 bill) which would further expand on these provisions of the STEP Act to fight the addiction epidemic.
Restructuring MassHealth
Marijuana Regulation
21st Century Cures Act
Massachusetts now has federal government approval for a MassHealth 1115 Waiver, which is the official title of a program which allows the state to break away from national Medicaid standards with a new design to improve MassHealth coverage. This process began in July of 2017. A significant focus will be placed on improving integration and delivery of care for members with behavioral health needs. This new design includes coverage for addiction and recovery services such as Recovery Coaching through Behavioral Health Community Partners beginning in July of 2018.
Massachusetts Legislature has created the Cannabis Control Commission to protect public health and safety and preserve local controls during the implementation of legal,commercialized, recreational marijuana in the Commonwealth in 2018. Input from citizens is crucial to ensure that legalization does not result in the negative consequences seen in other states.
Learn about public meetings and regulation
Signed by President Obama on 12/13/16
MOAR is excited to announce the implementation of new federal legislation that will make $1 billion in grant opportunities available to states to address the opioid epidemic. MA may receive 11 million dollars a year for the next two years beginning in April of 2017
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Learn How this Money May Be Used