LYNN — The city will receive $200,000 as part of a supplemental budget that will help provide financial support for critical needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state legislature has passed a $1.1 billion supplemental budget for Fiscal 2020 that maximizes federal financial support while providing critical resources for vulnerable populations. The budget includes funding support for personal protective equipment, emergency child care for essential workers, health care supports for behavioral health services, small business assistance grants, housing and homelessness supports, food security, and direct support for workers impacted by the ongoing public health crisis.
The bill was passed July 24.
Lynn’s Department of Public Health will receive $200,000 to fund nursing personnel and interpretation services to assist with continued efforts of the contact tracing program and coordination with the reopening of Lynn’s schools.
In addition to recognizing the health and safety needs of residents, it establishes Juneteenth as an official state holiday. Juneteenth is a celebration of the day in 1865 when the remaining enslaved African Americans in the United States were informed of their freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation.
The budget provides $20 million for the expanded Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program which helps families on the brink of homelessness. Furthermore, $28 million will be provided for local housing authorities and family and individual shelter services, as well as $5.8 million for permanent supportive housing which is key to helping Americans face the most complex challenges with stability, autonomy, and dignity, while preventing them from ending up on the street.
“Now more than ever we need to make sure the critical resources are available for municipalities and organizations that provide safe and secure housing, affordable childcare, and accessible healthcare,” said Sen. Brendan Crighton. “Given the impact the pandemic has had on Lynn, this delegation worked hard to secure $200,000 for the city’s public health department in order to hire nurses and interpreters necessary to get out vital information concerning school reopening and contact tracing.”
Rep. Daniel Cahill of Lynn gave credit to House Speaker Robert A. Deleo.
“I would like to thank Speaker Robert DeLeo and his leadership team for prioritizing critical investments at a time when available funding is severely lacking,” Cahill said.
The budget includes $82 million for childcare needs, including emergency child care for essential workers, $15 million for essential behavioral health services, including services for children, $10 million for small business assistance grants, focused on minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses in underserved areas, and $10 million to provide wage supports to workers affected by COVID-19.
“Passing this supplemental budget was an important step in providing necessary relief to our communities at a time when many working families are struggling economically due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Peter Capano of Lynn. “These funds will protect vulnerable members of our population, uplift our healthcare workers, and support those that are at risk of homelessness.”
In response to growing food insecurity challenges during this pandemic, the supplemental budget provides $9 million for the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program to support our overstretched food bank system during this time of incredible need.
“This supplemental budget very much reflects immediate budgetary needs to help the residents of Massachusetts emerge from the double shock of a global pandemic and the resulting economic downturn,” said Rep. Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead. “I was also especially pleased to cast my vote in favor of establishing Juneteenth as a state holiday, an effort led by my colleagues in the legislature’s Black & Latino Caucus.
“My colleagues and I are currently working on several additional reforms to address centuries of racism in America,” she said. “COVID-19 has taken too many lives away from us, and as we look ahead at budgeting for next year, we also face the challenge of significant losses of revenue for communities across the state. I’m proud to do my part in the legislature to get critical funding to local governments in Massachusetts to do more to protect the most vulnerable among us from budget cuts.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every person in many ways. This money will help to support many businesses as well as residents in our communities,” said Rep. Donald Wong of Saugus.
There will be a $500 bonus for members of the Massachusetts National Guard who were mobilized to combat COVID-19, increased funding to assist with coronavirus mitigation efforts at summer camps and youth programs, and the creation of an Early Education and Child Care Public-Private Trust Fund to help inform and support child care needs across the state.