1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WVS Boston's news radio. 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 2: Welcome back everyone, Thank you very much Dan Watkins. 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 3: As we move into our first talk hour here on Nightside, 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,319 Speaker 3: we're going to open up a subject that we have 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 3: talked about frequently. It is a subject that the city, 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 3: a problem the city has not been able to solve. 7 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 3: And Massachusetts State Senator Nick Collins has a couple of 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 3: ideas for those of you who are not familiar with 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 3: the area in Boston called Mass and Cast. It's Massachusetts 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 3: Avenue and Melina Cass Boulevard, and it is basically an 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 3: open drug market where people who are dealing with some 12 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 3: very serious addictions inject drugs, use drugs. There's an open 13 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 3: air drug use, violence, et cetera. And Nick Collins, a 14 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 3: state senator whose district actually compasses Mass and Cass, has 15 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 3: some ideas. We have talked with people from the Boston 16 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 3: South End, which is contiguous to Mass and Casts, about 17 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 3: how they have found people literally in their homes break 18 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 3: having broken into their homes overnight. One woman at a 19 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 3: public meeting a few weeks ago talked about someone from 20 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 3: Mass and Cass literally defecating on her living room floor 21 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 3: when she got up in the morning, that person was 22 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 3: taking care of business. I mean, it's insane that this 23 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 3: has gone on as long as it's gone on, and 24 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 3: with us now is stay. Senator Nick Collins wrote a 25 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 3: piece in the Boston Herald entitled Treatment First, Best Strategy 26 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 3: for Mass and Cass. 27 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 2: Senator Collins, welcome back to Nightside. 28 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 4: How were you tonight, Dae mcdan, thank you very much 29 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 4: for having me on. It's a pleasure to be with you. 30 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: Well, right back at you. 31 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 3: So you have filed a bill in the Senate called 32 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 3: an Act relative to Life Saving Treatment. I want to 33 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 3: talk about that, but I also want to talk about 34 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 3: this idea that we talked about a few weeks ago, 35 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 3: that you're suggesting the city should buy a now decommissioned 36 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 3: cruise liner and use that in effect as a treating 37 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 3: hospital in Boston Harbor for these folks from Mass and 38 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 3: cast As everybody knows, there was a bridge that went 39 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 3: over to Quinsy that no longer exists, and a lot 40 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 3: of people are saying that we should build a bridge. 41 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 3: Let's start off with the legislation. There are three elements 42 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 3: of the legislation as I read it. Why don't you 43 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 3: lay those out for us and see what people think 44 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 3: about the legislative proposals that you're recommending. 45 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 4: Well, thank you Dan for having me on and the 46 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 4: covering this topic. It's very important and as we contend 47 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 4: to see, no end in sight interventions required. So we 48 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 4: have a situation where the Long Island facilities are still 49 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 4: out of reach given a legal dispute over the bridge, 50 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 4: in the conditions of the facilities, so as a far 51 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 4: off option, and this proposal at Shadow Hospital that has 52 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 4: been unable to come to fruition, which is likely to 53 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 4: go back up to bid, tells us we don't have 54 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 4: an immediate solution on land or on an island, and 55 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 4: so we pivoted off of that, and in combination with 56 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 4: MIT's Naval Construction and Marine Engineering program in the United 57 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 4: States Navy, who did a research project on converting a 58 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 4: cruise vessel to affordable housing, we pivoted using the history 59 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 4: of Boston when in the turn of the century we 60 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 4: had a city growing rapidly with all the facilities to 61 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 4: accommodate the medical needs of people regardless of their income, 62 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 4: and they had the floating hospital that was created by 63 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 4: medical residents at Harvard University and philanthropists to provide that 64 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 4: access to people who you know, tuberculosis was running rampant 65 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 4: in the city and young young people, young young children 66 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 4: were dying in the streets. And so the people at 67 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 4: massocasts are the children of our state. And in this 68 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 4: whole motion, you know in the city and said, oh, 69 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 4: they're not from Boston, They're from the commonwel from Massachusetts. 70 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 4: And this is the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue in Melnia 71 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 4: Caste Boulevard. So trying to say they're on os is 72 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 4: outrageous and I don't accept that. I also think that 73 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 4: we have the ability here in Boston, with the medical 74 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 4: capital of the world, to be strategic and sophisticated and 75 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 4: define both short term and long term solutions. And so 76 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 4: this proposal came forward with the help of MIT and 77 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 4: through the Depowerment Mental Health, and showed us that we 78 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 4: have the ability to acquire at a modest cost a 79 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 4: fracture of the cost of rehabilitating Long Island, which is 80 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 4: a billion dollars all day long, to provide access to services, 81 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 4: to facilities, to housing the people in need that are 82 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 4: combination of victims and perpetuating crimes and unsustainable situation, whether 83 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 4: it's in the South End, South Boston, Dorchester Luxury. The 84 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 4: legislative proposal of two Poles one is to provide access 85 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 4: to those facilities, and we have that study online and 86 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 4: it can be funded a fraction of the costs or 87 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 4: any other proposal that's been made so far. 88 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think the number that I had seen you 89 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 3: quoted was somehow you could buy one of these decommissioned 90 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 3: cruise liners for something like twenty five million dollars. 91 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 2: Was that the number that that. 92 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 4: So the acquisition would actually be smaller than that, but 93 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 4: the conversion and the annual cost would be a fraction 94 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 4: of what it would require to be building a bridge, 95 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 4: building out Long Island or building the facility. So the 96 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 4: important thing to know is in the aftermath of the pandemic, 97 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 4: when nobody wanted to be on a cruise vessel, they 98 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 4: had a strategy of two bolt you know, complete retrofitting 99 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 4: of existing vessels which at a certain point became not 100 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 4: cost effective, and building new vessels. And so there's a 101 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 4: huge secondary market where we could acquire one and a 102 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 4: fraction of the cost it would have been in the past, 103 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 4: converted us in six weeks. This is me talking, This 104 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 4: is folks at MIT engineers and naval engineers that put 105 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 4: forth this study of fort Pot their names on it, 106 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 4: admitted to the legislature and the calm other Massachusetts and 107 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 4: says this is what we can accomplish in six weeks 108 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 4: to satisfy your needs. Then they meet the standards of 109 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 4: the Department Mental Health, the standards of the Department of 110 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 4: Public Health, and their combination of ut patient and inpatient treatment. 111 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 4: So the other part of the legislative proposal that you 112 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 4: discussed is an act knows the lifestanding treatment. It's just 113 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 4: three things, because we have a system in Massachusetts that 114 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 4: allows people to perpetually continue to overdose and be put 115 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 4: back on our streets. It's just two things. Either victimize 116 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 4: themselves or someone else with lands them in jail or 117 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 4: lands them in the emergency room. The twenty five hundred 118 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 4: people a year in Boston overdose on average, is there 119 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 4: a couple of peaks that have shown higher numbers on average, 120 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:06,119 Speaker 4: which is basically you know your round up, fifty people 121 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 4: a week are over those things and brought to an 122 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 4: emergency room. 123 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 3: That's that's twenty five hundred people a year that we 124 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 3: know of. 125 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 4: No, no, no, no, and that's suppose these are government statistics. 126 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 4: Now there are plenty of people out there because the 127 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 4: response so far from the city and state is pawing 128 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 4: off citizens. Please arm yourselves with knock cam. Right, Well, 129 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 4: we just put out needles and pump out everything possible, 130 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 4: crack pipes. We're publicly spending money on crackpipes. I can't believe. 131 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 4: It's like the Hunger Games at this stage. So that 132 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 4: has to stop that. People with Downtown said this has 133 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 4: to stop. In the South, Vana says this has to 134 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 4: stop everybody, which common sense says it has to stop. 135 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 4: Tax dolls on things like that. I don't even know 136 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 4: how you procure that. We understand how Johnson and Johnson 137 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 4: and cooperations like that produce needles for hospitals. And if 138 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 4: someone's you know, you know, ask me for an allotment, 139 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 4: you give the Department of Public Health or you know, 140 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 4: public Health Commission. Okay, you know, we would like to 141 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 4: be accommodated with a certain number of these to mitigate disease. 142 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,319 Speaker 4: Who procure us the correct types? That's not in the menu. 143 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 4: So that's some story for conversation the other day. But 144 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 4: you know, makes your question of what the heck's going on? 145 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 4: What we can do? There's three things. On an adventure 146 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 4: send the government on overdoses, we rescue people and what 147 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 4: happens they go to the hospital. Up until recently they 148 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 4: were sold by the physicians. Here listen, here's some options 149 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 4: for you. Do some homework, make the best decision in 150 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 4: your life today and got speed. Now we have you know. 151 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 3: You're an addic. Do we expect you to make good decisions? 152 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 2: Right? 153 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 4: The best decision of your life on the worst day 154 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 4: of your life. I mean it's the same. So now 155 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 4: we have repriverity coach and navigators in the room that 156 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 4: helped people make these decisions voluntarily. Well, this legislation says 157 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 4: three things. Before we have discharged to the streets, and 158 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 4: the line's share of this is burdened by DNC, Tusts 159 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 4: Medical Center and MGH bull. You are saying we're going 160 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 4: to discharge through the street. You need an evaluation by 161 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 4: a social worker who under a chapter once fronty three, 162 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 4: Section thirty five, as an authority to involuntary commit somebody 163 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 4: who has demonstrated an ability to be dangerous themselves of 164 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 4: the public based off this substance use or misuse, abuse 165 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 4: or whatever the phrases that people are comfortable with, and 166 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 4: that's important that that check happens. Some of the license 167 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 4: that is required to make an evaluation saying, oh, where's 168 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 4: this person going next? As they're going right back out 169 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 4: from whence they came, So we continue this cycle? Well, 170 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 4: should we call a TV timeout and put them on 171 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 4: the right path? 172 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 3: Let's required, Senator, let me do this because I got 173 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 3: a commercial break. I don't want to interrupt you, but 174 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 3: I have to. Uh, we're covering a lot of ground, 175 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 3: which is great. I hope this will also generate people 176 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 3: who may have questions or want to support your ideas here. 177 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 3: I mean, this is the first set of ideas that 178 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 3: any of the political leaders seem to have come up with. 179 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 3: You've obviously spent a lot of time on it, and 180 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 3: I want people to understand it and if they want 181 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 3: to join the conversation and ask questions or commend you 182 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 3: for an effort here that I think actually might produce 183 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 3: some results. Nothing has happened so far, that's for sure. 184 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 3: Six one seven, two, five, four ten thirty or six 185 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 3: one seven, nine three one ten thirty. We'll be back 186 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 3: with Massachusetts States Senator Nick Collins mass and casts in 187 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 3: his district. He has some substanative proposals here which would 188 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 3: change the rules of engagement, and I think they would 189 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 3: change in a positive direction. And the idea of buying 190 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 3: a cruise ship you could actually house people overnight who 191 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 3: are in treatment programs, and it's it's going to save 192 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 3: lives and maybe put people. You always hear these stories 193 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 3: about people who have gotten off the needle and they 194 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 3: have gone on to do great things. This is what 195 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 3: this is all about. We'll be back with Nick Collins 196 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 3: and also some of your phone calls. I hope six one, seven, two, five, four, 197 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,559 Speaker 3: ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty. 198 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 3: This is Nightside. My name is Dan Ray, rob Brooks. 199 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 3: Await your calls coming back on Nightside. 200 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: It's Nightside with Dan Ray on w Boston's news radio. 201 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:57,119 Speaker 3: With US is Massachusetts State Senator Nick Collins, who represents 202 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 3: a substantial part of Boston, all the way from parts 203 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 3: of Beacon Hill out through the South End of course 204 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,079 Speaker 3: over in South Boston his home base. He has developed 205 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 3: a piece of legislation here that I hope the legislature 206 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 3: will look at seriously. What he's talking about is basically 207 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 3: allowing individuals who are facing involuntary commitment to attend court 208 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 3: hearings remotely. I think that's a good idea, meaning they 209 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 3: do not have to physically drag themselves into a court, 210 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 3: but they still have to be there remotely. As you 211 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 3: wrote a neuonical, this removes a major logistical and emotional 212 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 3: barrier during moments of serious medical or psychiatric crisis. And 213 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 3: the second part is what you were just talking about, 214 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 3: that anyone who survives an overdose is minty to a hospital, 215 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 3: must be evaluated by a licensed social worker before discharge. 216 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 3: What's the third element of your legislation dealing with court 217 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 3: ordered treatment and discharge? 218 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 4: You know that that's really important and thank you for 219 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 4: Dan for highlighting this, and it is an important element 220 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 4: because both the physicians of social workers, who are the 221 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 4: people who outside of family ninety five percent of people 222 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 4: who make a petition or family, we need the other 223 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 4: people to step in public safety, public health social workers 224 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 4: who have been uncomfortable other than public safety up to 225 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 4: this point. And I think removing the court situation, and 226 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 4: this happened throughout the pandemic small claims court civil cases 227 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 4: were dealt with LOSI remotely whether it was in a 228 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 4: library in a district, or it was the Zoom or 229 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 4: one of those programs like teams, and so that removed 230 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 4: a significant element of concern because if people gonna get 231 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 4: brought up there in shackles and it's a civil case, 232 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 4: you know that there's some apprehension from certain people to 233 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 4: remove that element. Yeah, remove that element. So it's a 234 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 4: to D hospital treatment facility. On the back end is 235 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 4: the weakness right now in the law. If a judge 236 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 4: makes a ninety day commitment based off of a petition, 237 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 4: the superintendent of the facility has the ability to make 238 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 4: a judgment call and say that this person is equipped 239 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 4: because they made the discretionary determination to be discharged as freak. 240 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 4: So we talked about you know, and a lot of 241 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 4: folks who push back on in voluntarie amitment cites this 242 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 4: Harvard study that says, all, if you're you're involvetary commitment, 243 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 4: you're more likely to suffer a relapse. It's not about 244 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 4: involuntary commitment, it's about your time and treatment. If you're 245 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 4: discharged early, you're more likely to be relapsing. So what 246 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 4: this piece, the third piece requires is that the judge 247 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 4: who made the determined they need a ninety eight commitment. 248 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 4: After a pinition makes a recommendation for the Department of 249 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 4: Mental Health and the order is given, you removed this 250 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 4: unilateral determination by a essentially to be a government or 251 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 4: non government bureaucraft not required to be a medical position 252 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 4: to suggest that you're okay because your vital suggests that, 253 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 4: because the targe writing system, because you're detoxed, and there's 254 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 4: someone waiting on the other side of that facility probably 255 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 4: looking at get in with only two weeks of guarantee 256 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 4: coverage in the healthcare industry, So this third part says, 257 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 4: if you're going to give someone an early discharge before 258 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 4: the ninety eight commitment, you need to sign off from 259 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 4: the judge right now, that's not required. I don't know 260 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 4: any other part about law that allows somebody else, a civilian, 261 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 4: to overrule a judge's order. Well, I think right now exist. Yeah, 262 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 4: discharges people get back out to the street long before 263 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 4: they're equipped to take on their lives and without support, 264 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 4: and more often than not, people relapse, and that's what 265 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 4: we see people going back into the cycle. 266 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 3: I think no matter what we talk about here, we 267 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 3: talk about giving cracked pipes to people. We talk about 268 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:35,159 Speaker 3: giving needles to them, we're essentially enabling them to engage 269 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 3: in destructive and potentially fatal behavior. And I think that 270 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 3: philosophically that hasn't worked. And the folks who want to 271 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 3: perceive that they're big hearted and they're trying to help people, 272 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 3: they're hurting people. 273 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 2: And I think it is time. 274 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 3: For the legislature to turn around and say, look, this 275 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 3: is a problem. It affects other parts of communities. It 276 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,959 Speaker 3: affects the hospital district down by Boston, the medical center. 277 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 3: It affects kids who are trying to go to school, 278 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 3: It affects women who are trying to walk in a 279 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 3: neighborhood community. 280 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 2: This is pretty serious. 281 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 3: It wouldn't be tolerated in Wellesley and West and Nick, 282 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 3: you know that, and I know that, But somehow it 283 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 3: is tolerated in Boston. And the people who are feeling 284 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,400 Speaker 3: the greatest impact not only are constituents in your district 285 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 3: at near mass and cast, whether it's South End or 286 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 3: South Boston. And I think this proposal is a brilliant proposal. 287 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 3: And I also think the idea of the cruise ship 288 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 3: is going to save money and be much more effective. 289 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 3: And I have no idea if there are enough political 290 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 3: leaders up on Beacon Hill or in the City of 291 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 3: Boston who will take these proposals seriously and act upon them. 292 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 3: I got to take a break for news. You've explained this. 293 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 3: I'm hoping to hear from people with questions and comments. 294 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 3: My view is we need to have some tough love. 295 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,360 Speaker 3: I have some questions myself about why we can't get 296 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 3: a wing of Shadow Hospital operational, why the Massachusetts State 297 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 3: Hospital in Matta pancon be uh utilized, And there may 298 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 3: be good answers, and I may be back up not 299 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 3: up to date on all of that, but I'm sure 300 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,159 Speaker 3: you are. We'll talk about that, and we'll take calls 301 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 3: six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, 302 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 3: one ten thirty Donna from Northborough, you will be first 303 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 3: up on the other side, and did not want to 304 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 3: short change you. This is serious. This affects all of us, 305 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 3: and it's time that we as a society say enough 306 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 3: is enough. The coddling of people, any one of us 307 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:37,400 Speaker 3: could be there bire for the grace of God goes 308 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 3: all of us. But the coddling of people who find 309 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 3: themselves trapped in this quick sceand of addiction. We have 310 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 3: to stop. We have to help them, and the best 311 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 3: way to help them is give them some serious treatment options, uh, 312 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 3: and make them understand that there is life after addiction 313 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 3: and it's a hell of a lot better than sitting 314 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 3: on their butts at mass and cass every day of 315 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 3: the week, pumping poison into the advans. My name's Dan Ray. 316 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,639 Speaker 3: This is nights Side. Feel free to join the conversation, 317 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 3: whether you agree or disagree. Coming back with Massachusetts State 318 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 3: Senator Nick Collins right after this. 319 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBZ Boston's news Radio 320 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: Nick Collins. 321 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 3: I think we've explained that we got some good phone calls. 322 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 3: Let's get right to it. Okay, yes, sir, all right, 323 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 3: let's go. You don't have to call me sir, pe 324 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 3: just call me Dan. 325 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,160 Speaker 2: That's all I gotta call you. Senator though. 326 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 3: Let me go first off to Donna in Northborough. Donna, 327 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 3: thanks for getting us going tonight. Say hi to Massachusetts 328 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 3: State Senator Nick Collins. 329 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 5: Hi, Dan, Hi, Senator Collins, thanks for taking on this 330 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 5: issue both of you. It's really really important. I was 331 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 5: having to deal with that when I was bringing my 332 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 5: dad in for cancer treatments at Boston Medical and it 333 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 5: was very scary the area. So one of the first 334 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 5: questions I have for you, Senator Collins, is everything that 335 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 5: you're talking about right now is this viewable or is 336 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 5: it sort of in the works? Is the legislature is 337 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,640 Speaker 5: it written up so that I could look at it? 338 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 4: Yeah? So the study. Yeah, so that's a great question. 339 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 4: So the facts on the costs and logistics about the 340 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 4: cruise vessel are you publicly available on the website and 341 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 4: Dan can share that with you on his website the link, 342 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:38,959 Speaker 4: and if you want to reach out to my office tomorrow, 343 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 4: we can do that as well. And the impetus to 344 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,160 Speaker 4: this is this, so in I think it's twenty seventeen, 345 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 4: you may recall the explosion of the gas infrastructure of 346 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 4: Merrimack Valley required us to essentially import workers to the 347 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 4: state too rapidly you build that infrastructure and there's only 348 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 4: so much hotel space. So the company, and it was 349 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:08,920 Speaker 4: Columbia Gas, ended up leasing a cruise vessel that was 350 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 4: doctor in the South Boston waterfront in morning and night 351 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:17,959 Speaker 4: three shifts put people on bosses to marri my Valley 352 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,919 Speaker 4: came into Boston, you know, on the on the on 353 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 4: the three shifts to be housed there because there was 354 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 4: no other place to put them. Nobody knew about it 355 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 4: until they left, and so the impact is key here too. 356 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 3: By the way, Nick, that's the first time that I've 357 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 3: ever heard about this. This is this is a great 358 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 3: precedent for your idea. And by the way, I'm going 359 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 3: to suggest to Donna that she contact your office because 360 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 3: she will be able to get the information directly. I 361 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 3: didn't mean to interrupt you, but I had never heard 362 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 3: that story. I remember a friend of mine lost his 363 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,360 Speaker 3: house in that explosion, so I remember vividly. 364 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 6: You know. 365 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 4: And it was significantly a thousand. We had a thousand 366 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 4: people we had to put up on a cruise ship 367 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 4: essentially to uh on three shifts get up there in 368 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 4: the Merrimack Valley, and there was not enough hotel thems. 369 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 4: So the number try office is six one seven seven 370 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 4: two two one one five zero in costs tomorrow, or 371 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 4: can email me Nick dot Collins at m A Santa 372 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 4: dot gov. We'll get you in the link to the study. 373 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 4: It's viable again, not my don't take my word for it. 374 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 4: Take mit. In the United States Navy's word for it. 375 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 4: This project was not funded by the masters legislature or 376 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 4: the state. It was carried by the United States Navy 377 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 4: blessed by the Secretary of the Navy, so they felt 378 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 4: strongly about it. But the impact is key here because 379 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:45,200 Speaker 4: we discussed these types of facilities, where do they go 380 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 4: the NIMBYism that is likely to come and and and 381 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 4: most of justifiable. And there's a there's a fight inquisites 382 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 4: for the same reason. There's a fighting Jamaica plane for 383 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 4: the same reason. Unshadow, while we're sorting that all out, 384 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,360 Speaker 4: we'll take let's here. 385 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,359 Speaker 5: Yeah, there's nobody get on the ocean that's going to 386 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 5: be a nimmy about it. 387 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:08,479 Speaker 6: Right. 388 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 4: Yes, for the climate Axipisota, it is climate resistance. 389 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 3: Uh n, hold on for one second. I want to 390 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 3: the office number that you gave and I want people 391 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 3: to reach out for information is six one seven seven 392 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 3: two two one one five zero correct, that's right, Okay, 393 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 3: and give us your email address. And I want Rob 394 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:37,360 Speaker 3: to write this down as well. It's Nick dot com at. 395 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 4: M A, Senate mass Uh you know the the all 396 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 4: one word ye A Senate do you ob okay? 397 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 3: G O V so Nick dot Collins at M A 398 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 3: Senate dot g o v Donna. I think it's a 399 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 3: great idea and I uh, I hope that the legis 400 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 3: to will start to think outside the box. You because 401 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 3: these poor people who were left to the streets to 402 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 3: their own device, they're incapable of helping themselves at this point, 403 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 3: and to giving them, patting them crack pipes and needles 404 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,439 Speaker 3: does nothing but enable them. It's like giving a drunk, 405 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 3: you know, a six pack and saying, you know, go 406 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,000 Speaker 3: knock yourself out. 407 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 4: Yeah. 408 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 5: And Senator Colin, what are your biggest obstacles do you think? 409 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 4: Well, our biggest offs those are politics, and that's been 410 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 4: the biggest challenge we have. Too much in the last 411 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 4: number of years has been politicizing. You know, there's a phrase, 412 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 4: you know, we can't put politics for public safety, and 413 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 4: that's true and I buy by that creed as well. 414 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 4: We can't book public health. We can't book politics for 415 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 4: public health, which has happened, which is why we're giving 416 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 4: out you know, well why others have authorized giving out 417 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:57,199 Speaker 4: I should say, crack pipes. So if we're were our 418 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 4: time in the data around how wen and what is 419 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 4: medically appropriate and you know, there's this political discussion about 420 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 4: uh involuntary commitment, and they try to, you know, misdirect 421 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 4: the discussion about what that means. Oh, if you're giving 422 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 4: an involvetary commitment, your more luckily to overdose. So if 423 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 4: you are given involvetary commitment or not involvetary commitment and 424 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 4: you don't serve the amount of time that you need 425 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 4: to in treatment or sobriety, your more luckily to relapsed. Yeah, 426 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 4: that's true, it's what the involuntary voluntary. Interestingly enough, they 427 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 4: do not mention a Duke study. Duke Medical School came 428 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 4: up with a sudden that said, if you participate in 429 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 4: involuntary outpatient treatment, not you're gonna be in a facility 430 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 4: for ninety days and you can't leave. But if you 431 00:26:54,359 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 4: day by day come and go to required treatment, you 432 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 4: are more alliwedly to sustain your recovery. That's logic, sure, 433 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 4: but it's also backed up by a medical study. They 434 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 4: don't discuss to do study, not because it's something an 435 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,439 Speaker 4: amazing addiction line, but because certain people don't think it 436 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 4: aligns with their politics. That's wrong. 437 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, how much does liability come into play on this? 438 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 4: Well, that's a great question, and I have waged war 439 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 4: on the notion of we need to have faith injection 440 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:38,919 Speaker 4: sites because being puffs up earlier. The more hopelessness that 441 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 4: exists from larvae and citizens about the status quo. There 442 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 4: are certain people who hope they'll wave the white slag 443 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 4: and say, I'll stay anything, any thought in the storm. 444 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:53,919 Speaker 4: Give me something, even if it's against my principles or 445 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,439 Speaker 4: values or even the laws of the Commonwealth. Give me 446 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 4: something that will redirect this. So that's why there's this, 447 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 4: you know, openness to safe conjuction sites. The disaster everywhere 448 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,359 Speaker 4: it's happened. Cannas said no thanks with them with this 449 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 4: Portugal the mess, so you know there's the failure everywhere 450 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 4: that's happened, which you know, the march of Fally should 451 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:20,200 Speaker 4: come into place at a certain point, but that's not challenge. 452 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 4: And so I think that what we need to do 453 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 4: in my up a species is this constant of housing first, 454 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 4: treatment last, treatment first. Over the last ten years, treatment 455 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 4: has been a dirty word. How do we know Section 456 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 4: thirty five positions have plummeted in the last seven years 457 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:45,560 Speaker 4: because there's been an effort by the public health industrial 458 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 4: complex to say, no, we can't force people to treatment. 459 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 4: We can't intervene effectively. We should just follow people until 460 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 4: they come to that conclusion themselves on meth that's impossible. 461 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 4: So you know we have to fight that and we 462 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 4: are and so liability. Last session, the proposal was we 463 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 4: would like to have the ability to have safe injection sites, 464 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 4: and municipowers us tumbled. I asked the people of some 465 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 4: of the representatives who testify that the erring so in 466 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 4: portal that they make you sign a waivers as the 467 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:26,959 Speaker 4: person coming to the door. So you remove liability. So 468 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 4: now the musipality owns it and the state owns it. 469 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 4: What do you do about that? Oh, they change the 470 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 4: proposal of the session. They have every physician in every 471 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 4: person in ball the absolved of liability. Dan, you'll appreciate 472 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 4: this qualified immunity, so that that issue came about with 473 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 4: public safety a number of years ago about where the 474 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,360 Speaker 4: public safety officials that have qualified immunity. Now they want 475 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 4: qualified immunity to open up these safe injection sites. Now 476 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 4: we've you know, bought this proposal and I'm gonna continue 477 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 4: to do that, bege hell. But that's the that's the 478 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 4: rub you brought up liability. The position on the planners, 479 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 4: who wants to accept that liability the session when that 480 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 4: was when that was also that was part of the legislation. 481 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 4: Now the mathematical says, well, we're not opposed to it. 482 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 4: The post does not no longer on the our liability 483 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 4: in this proposal, which is wrong. No liability. And you're 484 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 4: basically saying, please come off the street. After you pursue 485 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 4: illegal drugs somehow, some way, usually through prostitution or or 486 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 4: another illegal act to bring in illegal drugs, probably brought 487 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,719 Speaker 4: you from south of the border or from some other 488 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 4: place to destroy our society, We're gonna say, yes, please, 489 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 4: if you get there, we're gonna let you in the 490 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 4: front door like a cafe and support you doing that 491 00:30:57,480 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 4: all day long. It's totally insane. 492 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 2: We're gonna fight that question of senator leadership. 493 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 3: Have they taken a position on this, because obviously it's 494 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 3: always important. We're we're the senate in the House leadership. 495 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 3: Rest Did I lose him there? 496 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 5: I'm jilli. 497 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know he's going to call back. Don I 498 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 3: gotta let you go because I'm way past my break. 499 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 3: I thank you for calling in. You have the information. 500 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 3: We get in touch with them tomorrow. Thank you so 501 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 3: much appreciate it. Well, we well, we uh restore contact 502 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 3: with Senator Collins. Well, take a very quick break that 503 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 3: Lola coming up on the other side. We'll be back 504 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 3: on night side with Senator Masters. That stay, Senator Nick Collins. 505 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: Right after this, you're on night side with Dan Ray 506 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: on Boston's News Radio. 507 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 2: Let's keep browling. 508 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 3: We have a Senator Nick Collins back in the line 509 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 3: with us. Nick, we lost it there for a moment. 510 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 3: A quick question. Has the Senate leadership in any indicated 511 00:31:58,520 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 3: to you as to whether or not they're going to 512 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 3: support this, because obviously they'll support is key to this. 513 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 4: Go well because of the proponent on the judge. This 514 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 4: bill was a sign of the Judiciary, which is a 515 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:14,959 Speaker 4: tough committee to get through. We did get unionimous support 516 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 4: from the Judiciary Committee, so it is on its way 517 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 4: and it isn't with the Senate Healthcare Finance Committee, which 518 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 4: I think is an important place to have this discussion 519 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 4: because I believe that part of the challenge has been 520 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 4: this fourteen day coverage and whether or not that's covered 521 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 4: by mass health like this seems to be everything else's 522 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 4: you know, it is important for the organizations and institutions 523 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 4: that are providing the service. So we do need to 524 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 4: check that box, so to speak. But you know, I 525 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 4: think the most important piece of this is what are 526 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 4: we gonna do? We do the same thing. We've actually, 527 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:57,480 Speaker 4: you know, been able to mitigate a lot of the 528 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 4: issues that have prevented a facility. 529 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 3: You're moving in the right You're moving in the right direction, 530 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 3: which is important. 531 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 6: Nick. 532 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 3: I got Lola in San Diego, so I want to 533 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,920 Speaker 3: get her in. She's been waiting a while. Lola, say 534 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 3: hello to Massachusettstate Senator Nick Collins. 535 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:12,400 Speaker 2: What's your camming? A question? 536 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 6: Hi, Sanator Collins. So what happens on the West coast 537 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 6: happens on the east coast in vice versa. Yesterday, I 538 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,120 Speaker 6: went to get my prescriptions at the drug store and 539 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,480 Speaker 6: a strip mall, and I saw this guy coming towards me. 540 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 6: He was about forty yards away, homeless, disabled, pushing a wheelchair. 541 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 6: He collapses falls down right in front of the cookie 542 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 6: store that I went into, and I'm like, I can't 543 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 6: get out of here. He fell right in front of 544 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 6: the door. The guy says to me, oh, he's a regular. 545 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 4: He goes. 546 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 6: Let me call the police so they know him. And 547 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 6: my point is, now you have the EMTs. This guy 548 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 6: had gang Green. He told me the cookie guy that 549 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 6: owns the store he goes, don't get near him. He's 550 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 6: got Gangreen. And I'm like, what now you get the 551 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:10,839 Speaker 6: e MTV's the firemen coming risking their lives when this 552 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 6: guy could have been put on a beautiful ship and 553 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:20,279 Speaker 6: taken care of. So I know you're in Massachusetts, but 554 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,280 Speaker 6: this has to come all the way to the West 555 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 6: Coasta because wherever there's water you can put one of 556 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:30,479 Speaker 6: those cruise ships. And not only how's people that need 557 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 6: help with the drugs, but all the criminals are going 558 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:37,320 Speaker 6: to be coming out with the Epstein file investigations. Where 559 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 6: you're gonna put them? Where are they gone? 560 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 3: I don't want to open We talked about understand, well, 561 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 3: I think you're not going to put criminals on cruise ships. 562 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 3: I think you're going to put criminals. 563 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 6: They're going to become jail. They're going to become floating jails. 564 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 7: Absolutely well maybe, but I'll tell you you know, I 565 00:34:57,160 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 7: I want to use the cruise ships for what nick 566 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 7: Is told talk quick comment had to say. 567 00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 4: Try to still them. Maybe they need to open that place. 568 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:11,280 Speaker 4: But we'll say San Diego was part of the inspiration 569 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 4: with this idea. So San Diego was a major Navy footprint, 570 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 4: as you know. The City of San Diego petitioned the 571 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:22,400 Speaker 4: Navy to say, hey, give us some help with this 572 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:26,719 Speaker 4: homelessness issue. What do we do? So they sent their 573 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 4: recommend their requests through the Navy to the m I 574 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:34,440 Speaker 4: T No construction in the Marine Engineering Program, which is 575 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 4: what we built our requests off of. They already had 576 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 4: a study a few years before that said hey, what 577 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 4: does it cost to convert and and wants the feasibility 578 00:35:44,239 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 4: that it's converting a cruise ship for affordable housing and 579 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:50,720 Speaker 4: for homeless and housing for the city of San Diego. 580 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 4: So we actually piggybacked up of that came up with 581 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 4: our proposal that we sentioned in the state budget. But 582 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:01,640 Speaker 4: luckily with the grace and the and the buy in 583 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 4: from the United States Naval Secretary and m I T 584 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,719 Speaker 4: was done for free. So it wasn't a possible free 585 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:10,160 Speaker 4: I should say that it wasn't an Accosta com wolf 586 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:13,760 Speaker 4: and he absorbed it and and so. But the impetus 587 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 4: was it was a inspiration I should say, was out 588 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:19,600 Speaker 4: of the city of San Diego's request of the Navy, 589 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 4: who has a major foot print in San Diego about homelesses. 590 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:27,720 Speaker 4: So this is all doable. And here's here's the other interesting. 591 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,840 Speaker 3: Point, Nick, Nick, I got an interesting thing, which is 592 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 3: which I'm totally running out of time here. 593 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:34,400 Speaker 4: To do this, and that's why these are important. 594 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,720 Speaker 3: All right, Uh, Lola, thank you for the call once again, 595 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 3: Diego Boston connection. Thanks thanks Lola, Nick, thank you very much. 596 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 3: Keep us posted on this. We'll well, we will stay 597 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 3: right with you on this and try to push it 598 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 3: as much as we can, both the legislation and the 599 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:53,839 Speaker 3: proposal for the cruise ship. I think they had two 600 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 3: good ideas, and you're one of the few politicians up 601 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 3: there who was actually thinking outside the box and coming 602 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 3: up with proposals as opposed to just talking about the problems. 603 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 3: You're actually trying to solve the problems. 604 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:06,160 Speaker 2: And for that I. 605 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,920 Speaker 3: Appreciate and I know you can stituents appreciate it as well. 606 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 3: Thank you, my friend. We will talk to him, Okay, 607 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 3: appreciate it. 608 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:13,640 Speaker 4: Thanks so much. 609 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:14,960 Speaker 2: You're welcome. Thanks Nick. 610 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:17,520 Speaker 3: We'll get back when we talk about that guilty plea 611 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:22,280 Speaker 3: partial guilty plea. Today in the Brian Wallace case, Brian 612 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:26,560 Speaker 3: Walsh case, Pardon me, this is an amazing story. We'll 613 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 3: be talking with the Turney Phil Tracy right after the 614 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 3: ten o'clock News