Representative Kane has been named a member of the Joint
Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, filling a vacancy on
the committee responsible for reviewing all legislation pertaining to
behavioral health, drug detoxification and mental health issues. In addition, the Shrewsbury legislator has
been appointed to a special commission that will investigate ways to increase
access and interoperability of healthcare data collected by the Massachusetts
Department of Public Health (DPH) through the state trauma registry.
“Representative Kane has long been active at the local and
state level on a wide range of substance abuse and public health issues, and I
believe she will be a natural fit and an invaluable resource to both the joint
committee and the special commission,” said Representative Jones in announcing
the appointments.
In her first official act as a member of the Joint Committee
on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, Representative Kane took part in
a January 16th public hearing on Governor Baker’s proposed CARE Act,
which seeks to address the state’s opioid and heroin epidemic by increasing
access to treatment and recovery services, while strengthening education and
prevention efforts. The bill builds on
the state’s 2016 opioid law, which Representative Kane supported.
As a member of the special healthcare commission,
Representative Kane will work alongside Dr. Monica Bharel, the Commissioner of
Public Health, to study the patterns and impact of healthcare inequality across
the state and to develop the support programs and resources necessary to address
these unmet needs. The 9-member
commission, which is comprised of legislators and healthcare professionals, is
due to report its findings and recommendations to the House and Senate by
December 31, 2018.
“I am honored to be appointed by the Minority Leader to
these two new committees and look forward to working with my colleagues and
fellow commission members to address some of the critical public health
challenges facing the Commonwealth,” stated Representative Kane.
Representative Kane currently serves as the Ranking Minority
Member on both the Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy and the Joint Committee
on Public Health. She is also a member
of the Joint Committee on Transportation. Representative Kane is also a member
of the Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health and the
Massachusetts Food Policy Council.
In addition, Representative Kane serves on Worcester County
District Attorney Joe Early’s Opioid Task Force, and as a State Director of the
national Women in Government Foundation, where she recently served as a member
of the Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force. She also serves locally on the Shrewsbury
Coalition for Addiction Prevention and Education (SCAPE).
Representative Kane has been a member of the House of
Representatives since 2015. She represents
the 11th Worcester District, which consists of the town of
Shrewsbury and Precincts 4 and 5 in Westborough.
