BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker has signed a $328 million spending bill.
The supplemental budget includes nearly $28 million for opioid treatment and prevention programs. It deposits $120 million into the state’s rainy day fund and sets aside $113 million to help pay down the state debt.
The budget signed Monday also includes $2.2 million for staffing needs at the Department of Children and Families and $1 million for training for adoptive and foster families.
DCF has come under scrutiny for its handling of the case of Bella Bond, the 2-year-old whose body was found on a Boston Harbor beach in June.
Baker said the extra spending on opioid treatment and prevention is critical given the state’s heroin and opioid overdose epidemic.
Massachusetts has confirmed 1,089 opioid overdose deaths in 2014.
“I am proud to sign an end of year supplemental budget that makes investments to combat opioid abuse and support the mission of DCF, while also depositing money into the Stabilization Fund to bolster our commitment to fiscal responsibility,” said Baker. “I thank the legislature for joining our administration in addressing the seriousness of the opioid epidemic as well as reforming DCF and look forward to continuing our work with lawmakers on securing additional tools to combat the addiction crisis.”
“As I travel to cities and towns across the Commonwealth, I see how the opioid epidemic affects us every day,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Today’s supplemental budget provides important funding for schools to implement opioid prevention programming and for the support of various other substance abuse services.”
“I want to thank our colleagues in the legislature for collaborating with us to achieve a final spending plan for Fiscal Year 2015,” said Secretary for Administration and Finance, Kristen Lepore. “The actions we took earlier this fiscal year are allowing us to deposit money into the stabilization fund and pay down debt early – two important strides to put the state back on sound fiscal footing.”
