House
Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) has announced his
appointment of State Representative Mathew Muratore (R-Plymouth) to serve as
his designee on the Non-Emergency Human Services Transportation Task Force.
Created as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 state budget, the 18-member task force is charged with finding ways to improve quality outcomes for consumers utilizing the state’s brokerage system for transportation to doctor’s appointments and other services, particularly for vulnerable populations living in rural and urban areas. The task force will develop recommendations for improving collaboration, service and productivity, while also achieving operational and cost efficiencies throughout the system.
Massachusetts currently uses two Regional Transit Authorities that serve as brokers for the entire state and subcontract with local qualified transportation providers to offer transportation services to clients of agencies that fall under the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). The Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) services clients in Western Mass., Central Mass., Metro Boston and Northeastern Mass., while the Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) services Southeastern Mass., Cape Cod and the Islands.
“Matt has an extensive background in human services that has earned him recognition from advocacy organizations such as the Arc of Greater Plymouth and MassAccess,” said Representative Jones. “His knowledge and expertise will be an asset to the task force as it works to improve services for clients utilizing the Commonwealth’s transportation brokerage system.”
Representative Muratore is one of four legislators serving on the task force, which is being chaired by Undersecretary for Human Services Elizabeth Denniston and also includes a representative from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; three regional transit authority administrators; and two gubernatorial appointees, including a human services transportation planning expert. Other members of the task force represent the Association of Developmental Disability Providers; the statewide Independent Living Council; the Boston Center for Independent Living, Inc.; Arc Massachusetts, Inc.; the Disability Law Center, Inc.; and the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council.
The task force held its first meeting on November 3, and is expected to submit a report with its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2022. It is also authorized to make a draft report available to the public for comment before filing its final version.
Representative Muratore is currently in his fourth term representing the First Plymouth District. A member of the House Ways and Means Committee, he also currently serves as the Assistant Ranking Minority Member of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing; the Ranking Minority Member of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government; and the Ranking Minority Member of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
