Sen. Friedman Secures Funding For Arlington In Senate Budget

ARLINGTON, MA – Senator Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington) recently joined her Senate colleagues in voting on a $41.49 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2019, making substantial investments in key areas related to public education, local aid, transportation, health and human services, housing and assistance for low income families.

The Senate adopted a number of items offered by Friedman of specific interest to Arlington, including $160,000 to support direct mental health counseling and case management for Arlington youth and their families provided by the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC).

With additional financial assistance from the budget, the AYCC will continue to provide outpatient community-based mental health treatment to Arlington youth and families. Furthermore, additional capacity will be added to the AYCC, allowing more youth to be treated without being placed on a waitlist for an extended period of time.

Friedman also secured $40,000 to provide late afternoon and evening transportation for Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) students attending public schools in Arlington and Lexington. The METCO program seeks to expand educational opportunities and increase diversity in classrooms by allowing students in various cities and towns to attend public schools in other communities.

“There are many students in my district who benefit from the METCO program,” said Friedman. “Expanding access to late afternoon and evening transportation will ensure that METCO students have the opportunity to fully participate in after school athletics and extra-curricular programs at Arlington and Lexington high schools.”

On matters of statewide interest, the Senate adopted key provisions offered by Friedman that would:

· Invest $2 million for a total of $4 million to support outpatient and diversionary behavioral health services for MassHealth members;

· Devote $250,000 to support the statewide expansion of Return to School Bridge Programs to help address the needs of students returning to school following extended health or mental health-related absences;

· Establish a permanent Criminal Justice and Community Support Trust Fund to support jail diversion programs for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis;

· Ensure that Recovery High Schools, which serve young people in recovery from substance use disorder, are treated like other regional high schools – making them eligible for state transportation reimbursement;

· Reform the composition of the group insurance commission (GIC) to include more healthcare experts and ensure greater transparency and accountability with regards to the GIC’s decision-making;

· Require the Center of Health Information and Analysis to publish biennial reports about the adequacy of MassHealth’s Continuous Skilled Nursing Program workforce for Medically Complex Children and Adults requiring specialized care; and

· Ensure that cleaning and maintenance workers that contract with quasi-state agencies are paid prevailing wages.

Friedman also voted in favor of several amendments that were adopted by the Senate, including increased investments to improve elder behavioral healthcare, help cities and towns preserve open space and create affordable housing through the Community Preservation Act (CPA), improve access to educational opportunities for youth and adults through the Mass Mentoring Partnership, and provide low income families access to healthy foods through the Healthy Incentives Program.

The Senate also adopted an amendment to protect the civil rights of undocumented immigrants and prevent state, local and campus police resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement activities or to establish a registry based on a person’s protected status.

A Conference Committee will now work out the differences between the Senate budget and the version passed by the House of Representatives in April. Fiscal Year 2019 begins on July 1, 2018.

Press release submitted by Sen. Cindy Friedman's office; Patch File Photo