‘I’d be dead’: Bills would end Sheriff Nick Cocchi’s prison-based treatment for non-criminals battling addiction

Cindy Friedman

On Thursday, the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery heard more than four hours of testimony on bills that would end the practice of sending men who are civilly committed for addiction, because they pose a danger to themselves or others, to a prison-based treatment facility if a bed is unavailable at a facility run by the state’s health care agencies. Massachusetts is currently the only state that uses prisons for civil commitments.

“Individuals struggling with substance use disorder or alcohol addiction are not criminals,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington, who sponsored the bill, S.1145/H.1700, with Rep. Ruth Balser, D-Newton. “They are suffering from a disease. They must be treated. They should not be punished.”

Read more

Lexington students join global movement, demand action on climate change

Cindy Friedman

Yang, along with LHS senior Michelle Tom and 10 other students, organized and promoted the Lexington Climate Strike, which took place on Friday, Sept. 20.

At 10 a.m., hundreds of students walked out of class and gathered on the LHS football field, holding signs with messages like “Our Future is Not for Profit,” and ‘Denial is Over!’ The students were also joined by older members of the Lexington community. State Representative Michelle Ciccolo and State Senators Mike Barrett and Cindy Friedman were also in attendance.

Read more

Sheriffs launch treatment pilot to aid opiate-afflicted in prisons

Cindy Friedman

Members of the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association has launched what it calls a landmark initiative providing expanded medication-assisted treatment options to those with opioid-use disorder at correctional facilities in seven counties.

“While we need to continue our efforts to end the criminalization of substance use disorder and mental illness, we must do everything we can to meet the needs of those who are currently incarcerated,” said Sen. Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), who helped champion the 2018 comprehensive opioid treatment bill that established the pilot.  “The creation of this program is an important and ground-breaking step toward addressing substance use disorder within corrections so that people can get the medication they need and have the opportunity to recover. I want to thank my Senate colleagues, the Governor, the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association, and all of the stakeholders involved for their collaboration and commitment to making this program a reality.”

Read more

Hundreds turn out for screening of documentary on former hockey player Kevin Stevens

Cindy Friedman

ARLINGTON — A standing room only crowd packed the Regent Theatre in Arlington for a panel on substance abuse and the premiere screening of the short documentary “Shattered” about the life of former professional hockey player Kevin Stevens.

The panelists included Stevens, two-time Stanley Cup champion and recovering addict, state Senator Cindy Friedman of Arlington, Dr. Michael Hamrock, addiction specialist from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, and Becky Savage, a self-professed hockey mom and educator, who lost her two hockey sons to OxyContin overdose at a graduation party from South Bend, Indiana.

Read more

From methadone to money, sheriffs face challenges as they begin offering medication to treat addiction in jail

Cindy Friedman

In a major shift in how jails are treating prisoners with drug addiction, seven county jails began a pilot program Sept. 1 in which they will offer inmates all three FDA-approved forms of medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction. Since Sunday, the seven jails have provided medication to around 100 inmates.

Sen. Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington, who helped craft the pilot program as last year’s chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, said nearly 75% of those incarcerated in county jails have a substance use problem. Friedman said jailing people for addiction has not worked; the system must offer treatment. Providing medication-assisted treatment in jail, she said, “provides people with a pathway to recovery and helps reduce recidivism throughout the system.’’

Read more

BCAT TV News in Depth: the ROE Act and Abortion Rights in Massachusetts

Cindy Friedman

BNEWS Director Rich Hosford speaks to guests on both sides of the abortion issue about the ROE Act making its way through the Massachusetts Legislature that would re-affirm the rights laid out in Roe V. Wade and expand access to abortion by eliminating the need for parental consent for minors and allowing abortions after 24 weeks in certain circumstances.

Column: Unequal Pay for Equal Work

Cindy Friedman

For the past several years, a frequent topic of discussion by employers in our state has centered around the workforce crisis. From hospitality to health care, nearly all sectors are facing a shortage of workers, particularly for entry-level positions. Sadly, what’s become a crisis for many private businesses has become a catastrophe for the community-based human services sector, which is experiencing vacancies at alarmingly high rates.

There is, however, a glimmer of hope. Two bills, House 138, sponsored by state Rep. Kay Khan, and Senate 1077, sponsored by state Sen. Cindy Friedman, are being discussed on Beacon Hill. Senate 1077 addresses fair pay for comparable work.

Read more

Op-Ed: Safe injection sites are another tool on the path to recovery

Cindy Friedman

When we were first introduced to the idea of safe injection facilities, we were not immediately on board. In fact, we felt uneasy about it, but vowed to keep an open mind.

After serving on the state’s harm-reduction commission, listening to testimony, studying the effectiveness of safe injection facilities in other countries, visiting clinics in the Boston area, and learning from experts, our perspective changed. The idea of such sites is uncomfortable to many, but it’s not about our comfort level. It’s about keeping people alive long enough to get them into treatment.

Read more

Giving back to the district in the FY20 state budget

Cindy Friedman

As vice chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, I recently had the pleasure of serving on the six-member conference committee to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) state budget. The committee reached consensus last week on a compromise spending plan for the new fiscal year that began on July 1, and it was approved by both legislative chambers on July 22. Having passed the House and Senate, the legislation now moves to the Governor’s desk for his review. He has 10 days to review the budget and issue any vetoes.

This $43.1 billion budget makes substantial investments in education, physical and behavioral health care, housing, and local aid, and it includes several key investments to support programs and services for our district and the Commonwealth.

Read more