Funds would be authorized for law enforcement agencies as well as the Department of Mental Health for public health and safety interventions. 

BOSTON—Last week, the Massachusetts Legislature approved a supplemental funding bill that included critical funding for the Department of Mental Health to hire and contract with qualified clinicians and social workers to respond to the mental health and addiction crisis in Boston. The funding also includes resources for state and local law enforcement to increase patrols and intelligence work to combat the impacts of human, drug, and gun trafficking. 

“I am grateful to my colleagues for their support of the funding for the 1st Suffolk District. Ensuring our mental health and law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to respond to the public health and safety crisis is critical,” said Senator Collins, who represents the South End, South Boston, Dorchester, as well as parts of Roxbury and Back Bay.

“This supplemental budget provides crucial funding for our public health and public safety officials at the state and local level,” said Rep. Biele.  “I am grateful for the Legislature’s support in allocating these resources for our neighborhood and our community.”

Other notable items in the closeout supplemental budget include: $378 million to fund collective bargaining increases for state workers; $75 million for school districts impacted by special education tuition rate increases; $15 million for disaster relief for municipalities impacted by storms and natural disasters that occurred in 2023; and a supplemental $100 million pension payment to remove any further increased liability resulting from the 2015 early retirement incentive program. The largest spending item in the bill was related to health care costs provided through MassHealth.

The supplemental spending bill rounding out Fiscal Year 2023 was signed by Governor Healey into law after passing the House and Senate later in the day on Monday, December 4, 2023

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