AG Campbell to discuss opioid crisis impact on rural western Mass.
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – The opioid crisis continues to impact western Massachusetts with the attorney general expected to address the ongoing impact it's having on local cities and towns.
Attorney General Andrea Campbell will be in the region Tuesday to learn about how it's disproportionately impacting rural areas as the fight against addiction and the opioid crisis continues in the commonwealth.
According to the CDC, rates of drug overdose deaths in rural areas are rising and have surpassed rates in urban areas. Behavioral Health Network (BHN) is one of the organizations that plans to speak with the attorney general. When asked what challenges rural areas face when it comes to dealing with this crisis, Tony Boswell, Senior VP of BHN, told 22News, 'I think the biggest challenge is access. There are very few clinics out in remote areas—and transportation is also an issue.'
In efforts to close this gap, BHN uses mobile methadone clinics to identify and reach the areas they deem as a 'methadone desert.' On the state level, Massachusetts state senator John Velis, the chair of the mental health substance use and recovery committee, is urging communities to utilize a statewide opioid settlement fund; To fight opioid addiction, especially in rural communities.
'There's been a bit of a slower rollout,' says Velis. 'To me, that's incredibly problematic. We still find ourselves in the throes of an addiction crisis. Supply right now is more contaminated—I would argue–then its ever been in the history of this country.'
A substance use disorder bill was signed into state law at the end of 2024 to reduce drug-related deaths and support residents they need to recover from addiction.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and needs help, call the 24/7 National Drug Helpline at 1-844-289-0879.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Biden's COVID czar hammers RFK Jr. over vaccine panel overhaul
Former White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha, who served under President Biden, criticized the decision by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to fire all 17 experts on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccine panel. Kennedy announced the decision in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal Monday, saying, 'A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science.' But in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Jha pushed back against Kennedy's reasoning. 'Look what he said in his op-ed was a series of nonsense about a group of individuals, experts…who shape what vaccines, if any, are going to be available to the American people,' Jha said in the interview. 'So obviously this is very concerning,' he continued. 'We'll have to see who he appoints next. But this is a step in the wrong direction.' Jha said he is concerned about what the move foretells about the secretary's agenda on vaccines. Jha pointed to what he characterized as a lackluster response from the secretary to 'the worst measles outbreak of the last 25 years.' He also expressed concern about Kennedy raising questions about vaccines causing autism, which Jha dismissed and said was 'settled science.' 'Then you put this in the middle of all of that,' Jha said, referring to the vaccine panel sweep, 'and what you have is a pretty clear picture that what Secretary Kennedy is trying to do is make sure that vaccines are not readily available to Americans, not just for kids, for the elderly.' 'He could go pretty far with this move, and I really am worried about where we're headed,' Jha continued. He said he's particularly concerned about the effect Kennedy's move will have on kids and whether they will continue having access to certain vaccines in the future. 'Kids rely on vaccines. I'm worried about whether the next generation of kids are going to have access to polio vaccines and measles vaccines. That's where we're heading. That's what we have to push back against.' Kennedy said in his op-ed that he was removing every member of the panel to give the Trump administration an opportunity to appoint its own members. Kennedy has long accused ACIP members of having conflicts of interest, sparking concern among vaccine advocates that he would seek to install members who are far more skeptical of approving new vaccines. But Jha pushed back against criticism that the panel was all Biden-appointed experts, saying, 'When the Biden administration came in, almost all of the appointees had come from the first Trump administration.' 'That was fine because they were good people,' he said. 'They were experts. Right now, it's the same thing. The people he is firing are experts — like a nurse in Illinois who spent her entire career getting kids vaccinated, cancer doctors from Memorial Sloan Kettering — like these are really good people.' 'And generally, CDC has not worried about when were they appointed. The question is, are they good and are they conflict free.'
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Trump administration vs. mRNA vaccines
The Big Story President Trump once heralded the speedy development of an mRNA vaccine, but his new administration is casting doubts and fostering speculation over their use. © AP The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in late May canceled $766 million awarded to Moderna through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to develop a potential mRNA vaccine for bird flu. This came soon after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced COVID-19 mRNA vaccines would no longer be recommended for children and pregnant women, though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) kept the shot on its schedule of childhood vaccinations. The vaccines marked a breakthrough in medical technology, drastically reducing the timeline for development of targeted vaccines and even showing promise in cancer research. Trump called mRNA the 'gold standard' when he rolled out the first COVID-19 vaccines. In remarks in December 2020, the same month the first COVID-19 vaccines were deployed, Trump praised Operation Warp Speed's ability to develop a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine at a 'breakneck speed,' adding, 'the gold standard vaccine has been done in less than nine months.' According to Joseph Varon, president and chief medical officer of the Independent Medical Alliance, the concerns for mRNA vaccine skeptics are the expedited timeline and the conditions in which the COVID-19 vaccine was approved. 'The biggest concern is that this rushed treatment still remains in use, even under an Emergency Use Authorization in some cases. It needs to be sent back through proper studies and vetting,' Varon told The Hill. In a move that could prevent future mRNA vaccines from receiving approval, Kennedy on Tuesday announced he was removing every member of the independent panel advising the CDC on vaccines. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, he wrote, 'A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science.' Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Senators grill NIH director in budget hearing: 4 takeaways National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya faced questions from senators during an Appropriations subcommittee hearing Tuesday, as the federal government agency has taken hits to its staffing levels and grant-making ability since under President Trump. Senators focused on the Trump administration's requested 2026 budget, which calls for cutting NIH's funding by $18 billion from 2025 levels. … States sue 23andMe over genetic data sales More than two dozen states, along with the District of Columbia, are suing biotechnology company 23andMe over plans to auction off personal genetic information without their customers' knowledge or consent. 'The Pitt' actor Noah Wyle to make push for health care workers at Capitol Noah Wyle is heading to the pit of political power, with a visit to Capitol Hill to push for funding for programs aimed at improving mental health services for health care workers. 'The Pitt' and former 'ER' star will touch down in Washington on Thursday to lead a panel discussion at the Cannon House Office Building focused on the 'daily mental health, financial, and bureaucratic challenges for … In Other News Branch out with a different read: Collins calls Kennedy's firing of vaccine experts 'excessive' Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on Monday called Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s firing of all 17 experts on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccine panel 'excessive,' but she cautioned she needs to learn more about the decision. Kennedy announced the decision in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, catching many GOP lawmakers by surprise. 'I did not know that that had happened,' … Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: What Others are Reading Most read stories on The Hill right now: Judge declines to block Trump's Corporation for Public Broadcasting firings but allows board members to stay Correction: A previous version of this article gave incorrect names of the fired CPB board members. They are Laura Ross, Diane Kaplan and Thomas Rothman. … Read more Newsom asks judge for emergency intervention in Trump troop deployment in LA California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) asked a federal judge to immediately intervene on Tuesday to limit President Trump's deployment of the National … Read more You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
Axios
2 hours ago
- Axios
Former, current CDC employees call on RFK Jr. to resign
Current and former employees of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are calling on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign, warning that job cuts and proposed funding reductions will hurt the agency's ability to protect the public from future health outbreaks. Why it matters: The Atlanta-based CDC has long been the unbiased hub Americans turn to for facts about health topics, including sexually transmitted infections, maternal and infant health and respiratory infections. Driving the news: Carrying a large American flag, dozens of current employees at the facility walked out in protest of the cuts and joined people rallying in support of the department. Tuesday's protest attracted more than 100 people who packed the sidewalk along Clifton Road across from the CDC's headquarters. What they're saying: Sarah Boim, a member of Fired But Fighting, a grassroots group of former CDC employees who were terminated this year, told Axios the organization holds rallies each Tuesday in support of people who still work at the agency. "It's really hard to put into words how horrible this experience has been, not just for us, but it's going to really affect everybody in America," she said. Eric Mintz, another former CDC employee, told Axios proposed cuts to the CDC, National Institutes for Health, Food and Drug Administration and Medicaid will take away resources needed to protect people from illnesses. "It's not waste, it's not abuse, it's not fraud," Mintz said. "It's hard-working people with expertise trying to protect the American citizens." Catch up quick: The Health and Human Services Department in March announced about 2,400 positions would be eliminated from the CDC. HHS has said reducing its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees will cut costs from the agency's nearly $2 trillion budget. On Monday, RFK. Jr. removed all 17 members from the expert panel that makes vaccine policy recommendations to the CDC. He said in a statement the agency is "prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda." Questions are still being raised on who runs the CDC, as there is no public health official or designated point person leading the agency. State of play: Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget also recommends cutting $3.59 billion from the CDC. The budget, which was approved by the U.S. House, is still lingering in the U.S. Senate. Threat level: Anna Yousaf, an infectious diseases doctor at the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, called Kennedy a "domestic health threat" who has dismantled programs ranging from lead poisoning prevention to maternal and infant health monitoring.
