RIZE Massachusetts Receives $2 Million in 2023 State Budget

July 28, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Alex Villanueva, Ball Consulting Group, LLC
Phone: 617-243-9950; Email: alex@ballcg.com

RIZE Massachusetts Receives $2 Million in 2023 State Budget

Appropriation Builds on Previous Investments and Will Bolster Addiction Treatment Workforce and Increase Equitable Access to Care and Harm Reduction Programs

BOSTON
July 28, 2022

RIZE Massachusetts, an independent nonprofit foundation working to end the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts, received a $2 million appropriation to support its efforts to combat the overdose crisis in the state’s fiscal 2023 budget signed into law today by Gov. Charlie Baker.

The funds will support RIZE’s strategic initiatives and grantmaking endeavors, including efforts to increase the understanding and utilization of harm reduction practices designed to save lives.  These programs seek to address the increase of opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.  In June, the state Department of Public Health reported overdose deaths in Massachusetts reached an all-time high in 2021, claiming 2,234 lives.

“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on communities in Massachusetts, and across the country.  The Legislature understands that in order to combat this epidemic, we must ensure that organizations like RIZE Massachusetts continue to have the funding and resources necessary to address the increase in opioid-related overdose deaths,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank the folks at RIZE Massachusetts for the ever-important work that they continue to do.  The Legislature is proud to fund these lifesaving efforts.”

Among RIZE’s ongoing projects include a research program on pharmacists’ role in substance use disorder treatment; a hands-on harm reduction focused internship for graduate-level social work students; and grants for organizations trying to improve access and equity in addiction treatment.  These initiatives were developed using learnings and insights from the foundation’s first five years and are guided by those with lived experience and who are unafraid of new ideas.  RIZE recently marked its fifth anniversary with an Impact Report that highlights the progress made by the organization since its founding, including stories of people living with substance use disorder, outcomes from grant investments, and the impact of partners and supporters.

“Our five-year fight to end the overdose epidemic in Massachusetts has brought about significant change as we have worked to reduce overdose deaths by supporting evidence-based practices proven to save lives,” said Julie Burns, President and CEO of RIZE.  “We are grateful to the Massachusetts Legislature and the Baker-Polito Administration as this funding will allow us to concentrate on areas in need of investment now: building an addiction treatment workforce that can meet the ever-changing epidemic, increasing access to care for the most marginalized, and expanding harm reduction services to keep people alive until they’re ready for treatment.”

“The pandemic has exacerbated how difficult the barriers for those seeking treatment for substance use disorder can be,” said State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means.  “These critical funds secured through the budget process will be essential to helping remove these barriers for those in need of better treatment options.  I want to applaud RIZE for their tireless work in this area and for their commitment to equity as we work toward recovery and better treatment outcomes for everyone.”

The budget amendment was introduced by State Rep. Jon Santiago (D-Boston) and championed by several members of the Legislature who recognize the severity of the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts and the need for a public-private partnership to find effective solutions.

“This $2 million investment for RIZE will go a long way in addressing an opioid epidemic that has worsened during a global pandemic,” said Rep. Santiago.  “As overdoses hit record numbers and impact every corner of the Commonwealth, this funding will help save lives.  Thank you to Speaker Mariano and Chair Michlewitz for their leadership and unwavering commitment to working toward zero stigma and zero deaths.” 

About RIZE Massachusetts

RIZE Massachusetts is the only public-private partnership solely dedicated to funding and creating solutions to end the overdose crisis.  Guided by those with lived experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, designing programming, and supporting community partners who are using novel approaches to preventing overdose.  Since 2017, RIZE has granted over $10 million to community organizations in Massachusetts.  Learn more at www.rizema.org.

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Position Summary

Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership (Mosaic), funded by the MA Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services and powered by RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE), is a partnership like no other. It is a unique, public-private collaboration designed to support initiatives that are addressing the opioid overdose crisis in communities that have been historically underserved and have experienced a high rate of opioid-related overdose deaths.

The funding for Mosaic comes from the Massachusetts Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF), which resulted from the historic legal effort to demand justice from several private companies for the harms caused by the opioid epidemic. This is one of the first public-private partnerships of this magnitude using settlement funds for community-led initiatives.

In partnership with BSAS and municipalities receiving opioid abatement funds, RIZE manages the Municipal Training and Technical Assistance (Muni TTA) Program. This program aligns with Mosaic’s mission to ensure that opioid abatement funds are invested and remain in the communities most deeply impacted by the crisis while also fueling transformative change through grassroots, community-led efforts.

The Muni TTA project manager provides project management, data, and operational support, ensuring the Muni TTA Program runs smoothly, is well documented, and is grounded in data. This role translates program strategy into concrete workplans, tracking systems, and reporting products, and provides day-to-day task direction to the program coordinator on project deliverables.

RIZE seeks someone for this position who is passionate about ending the overdose crisis and unafraid of new ideas. Success will require a positive, can-do, learning mindset and a collaborative, team-oriented approach. We are looking for candidates who understand how complex and interconnected issues, such as funding, data systems, and municipal government structures, intersect with addressing the overdose crisis.

The project manager supports the implementation of the Muni TTA workplan and Salesforce data infrastructure, coordinates monthly and quarterly reporting, provides project management support to four regional community advisory boards (CABs), and manages the logistics and content pipeline for the program's webinar series and newsletter. This position reports to the chief program officer (CPO) and works closely with the senior program officer (SPO).

 

Key Responsibilities

1. Workplan & Data Management

  • Oversee the Muni TTA workplan and Asana project management structure across six program goals: Proactive Outreach; Communications and Engagement; Quality Assurance and Team Development; Evaluation and Reporting; Intermunicipal Collaboration and Partnerships; and Community Advisory Boards. Monitor and keep progress, and identify risks or adjustments needed to keep deliverables on track
  • Set and monitor Salesforce data quality standards, oversee the Mosaic Muni TTA dashboard in coordination with the program coordinator, and produce reports; identify data quality issues and recommend adjustments to tracked metrics as the program evolves.
  • Monitor case documentation and tracking; compile monthly quality-review summaries for senior management review.
  • Support municipal capacity assessments by synthesizing results, identifying gaps, and helping the SPO draft action plans that reflect program priorities and municipal needs.

2. Reporting & Leadership Support

  • Compile regular qualitative reports, drafting the consolidated narrative of outcomes, barriers, and strategic adjustments for the SPO to finalize.
  • Develop regular progress updates, data summaries, and briefing materials for senior leadership, translating program activity and outcomes into clear talking points for internal review and external stakeholder discussions.
  • Coordinate senior leadership meeting preparation by identifying needed inputs, shaping agendas around key decisions, and ensuring materials are ready for review and follow-up. Coordinate post meeting follow-up.
  • Participate in cross-sector coordination meetings as needed to support data, reporting, or project management needs.

3. Community Advisory Board & Event Support

  • Provide project management for CAB implementation tracking progress and outcome metrics.
  • Direct administrative support for CABs, including materials preparation and outreach coordination.
  • Coordinate logistics, timelines, materials, follow-up, and slide preparation for regional and statewide presentations, meetings, and events.

4. Communications & Content Pipeline

  • Project-manage Mosaic TTA webinars: in coordination with the program coordinator maintain the topic and speaker pipeline, coordinate scheduling and logistics, and track post-session evaluations.
  • Project-manage Muni TTA bulletin and newsletter production, coordinating content collection, drafting, and oversee program coordinator with distribution timelines, and tracking engagement analytics.
  • Direct the program coordinator's development of training materials and slide decks; review for quality and program alignment before routing to senior leadership for approval.

 

Qualifications

Required

  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and virtual meeting platforms
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

  • Experience in public health, behavioral health, or harm reduction
  • Familiarity with workforce development initiatives
  • Experience supporting coalitions or multi-partner collaborations
  • Experience working with communities disproportionately impacted by substance use and overdose

Core Competencies

  • Commitment to harm reduction philosophy and health equity
  • Cultural humility and trauma-informed approach
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative mindset
  • High level of discretion and professionalism
  • Bachelor's degree in public health, public administration, business, or a related field and a minimum of five years of relevant experience; or a master's degree and a minimum of two years of experience.
  • Demonstrated project management experience, ideally within a public health, government, or nonprofit setting.
  • Strong data and systems management skills; experience with Salesforce, or a comparable CRM/database strongly preferred.
  • Experience managing workplans, timelines, and reporting cycles.
  • Experience with supervision preferred.
  • Excellent written communication skills, including experience drafting reports and briefing materials for review by senior staff.
  • Proficiency with Salesforce, Asana, Microsoft Office 365, and virtual conferencing platforms; familiarity with Canva, WordPress, and Constant Contact a plus.
  • Knowledge of the Massachusetts opioid settlement funding landscape and municipal government structures preferred.

Skills, Abilities, Attributes

  • Strong organizational skills and sound judgment in a fast-paced, small-team, collegial environment.
  • Comfortable managing competing priorities and shifting timelines with minimal oversight.
  • Demonstrated track record of sustained high-quality, independent work in fast-paced environments.
  • Effective relationship-builder able to coordinate across internal teams and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential or sensitive information.
  • Motivated by a keen sense of mission and values with a willingness to embrace and actively support RIZE's agenda.

Work Environment

The Municipal TTA project manager is a full-time, hybrid role. RIZE is in downtown Boston; travel, primarily in-state, will be required for meetings and events as needed. This role may require evening and occasional weekend work.