That was an impressive tribute to Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo as he received a special award from the Association for Behavioral Healthcare (ABH) for his excellent work in increasing access to addiction and treatment services in Massachusetts. The Speaker was lauded by MGH Revere Executive Director Dr. Roger Pasinski and local health officials for leading the way in the passage of the landmark addiction treatment and recovery bill.
The Speaker recognized the opioid crisis facing not only our town, but communities across the Commonwealth, and he acted quickly and decisively to craft a bill that provides care for people seeking treatment and removes any obstacles that stood in the way of obtaining that treatment.
The Speaker received a standing ovation from the assemblage at the awards ceremony that included Town Council President Peter Gill, CASA Executive Director Pat Milano, and Police Chief Terence Delehanty.
Congratulations, Speaker DeLeo, on this much-deserved recognition. This is not the sort of legislation that grabs headlines or wins votes, but rather is the nitty-gritty work that government is all about. We know that the tens of thousand of families who have been touched directly by the scourge of drug addiction will be forever grateful that Speaker DeLeo stepped up to the plate on this issue. And as for the rest of us, we should be aware that drug treatment will make our society a better place for all of us.