Report from Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation (MTF) explains why employers need to help combat the growing crisis and its devastating toll on people’s lives, businesses and the economy MTF to host a Forum on November 16 featuring Governor Baker, Attorney General Healey and an interview with Congressman Kennedy
Boston, MA–November 14, 2018–The opioid crisis has become an epidemic that is having significant negative impacts on Massachusetts businesses and the state’s economy, and will continue to do so unless decisive action is taken to reverse current ominous trends, according to a report issued today by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, an independent,non-partisan public policy research organization.
The study, made possible by a grant from RIZE Massachusetts, a nonprofit created to end the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts,is the first attempt to quantify the strain of the opioid crisis on the Massachusetts economy and its cost to employers, health care providers, and state and municipal budgets.
“By exploring and explaining the economic and fiscal impacts of opioids on the state, we hope this report catalyzes greater urgency and engagement from all segments of our society in the battle against the scourge of this epidemic –particularly among Massachusetts employers,” said MTF President Eileen McAnneny. “All segments of our society must rally together to reverse the daunting trends and relieve the enormous human suffering and economic burden of this ever-expanding crisis.”
MTF will host a Forum on November 16 to discuss how to best tackle opioids in Massachusetts. Featured speakers include Governor Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, and other distinguished leaders from business, health care, and other human services. In addition,a videotaped interview with Congressman Joe Kennedy III will be aired during the event.
“The opioid and fentanyl epidemic is a tragic issue that sadly knows no geographic boundaries and impacts people from all walks of life in communities of all sizes,” said Governor Baker.“While some progress is being made through initiatives like the implementation of the MassPAT prescription monitoring program, increased availability of naloxone, and a greater focus on tools like recovery coaches, there is still a lot of work left to do and we look forward to incorporating important data and analysis from this Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation report into our daily work to stem the tide of this public health epidemic.”
“The opioid epidemic has reached just about every community in Massachusetts and across this country,” said Attorney General Healey. “We see it within our own families, and among friends and neighbors. This comprehensive report brings a unique look into the economic and fiscal impacts of this devastating crisis on our state, and shows that while our efforts are making a difference –we have much more work to do. I look forward to working with Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, RIZE, and the business community to continue finding ways to address this growing public health crisis.”
“We cannot adequately address our nation’s opioid epidemic until we truly understand its human, economic and societal costs,” said Congressman Kennedy. “With this report, we can begin to study how this crisis terrorizes our families and communities, and strains our health care system, our courts, our law enforcement and our businesses. Today, we will take a step forward in this fight,but we cannot rest until treatment is within reach for anyone who needs it.”
Among other alarming findings, the report reveals that the opioid epidemic is having an enormous impact on Massachusetts businesses by making an already tight labor market even more challenging,and calls upon business leaders to engage more directly and actively to seek solutions to this growing crisis.
The key findings of the report are:
The opioid epidemic is far from over and will probably get worse.
- The crisis has moved to its deadliest phase to date, characterized by a transition from heroin to fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances, including carfentanil and other fentanyl-related analogs which are 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 5,000 times more potent than heroin.
- The number of fentanyl-related deaths in the U.S. soared from 2,628 in 2012 to 29,406 in 2017, a ten-fold jump in just five years, and this trend shows no signs of abating.
Massachusetts is at the forefront of the epidemic.
- Massachusetts had the fourth highest rate of opioid-related deaths in the nation at 30.2 per 100,000 of population in 2016, which was2.3 times greater than the U.S.average.
- Opioid-related deaths nearly quadrupled in Massachusetts from 560 in 2010 to 2,154in 2016.
The impact of opioids on businesses is significant.
- Opioids have kept an estimated 32,700 people from participating in the labor force in Massachusetts over the past seven years, making it all the more challenging for employers to find people to fill open positions.
- Another estimated 143,000 employed individuals(4.2% of total employed in the state) report pain reliever misuse and experience on average 18 more days off from work than those who do not misuse prescription pain medications.
- Lost productivity from absenteeism and presenteeism (i.e., reduced job performance due to an illness, injury or anxiety)in the state is likely more than $2.5 billion annually.
The fiscal costs of the epidemic are enormous–and the trends are alarming.
While the full costs of the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts cannot be quantified because, as noted in the report, costs in several areas cannot be calculated, the report estimates:
- Lost productivity in Massachusetts from people unable to work, foregone income due to fatalities, absenteeism and presenteeism, and excess health care costs to be approximately $9.7 billion.
- Costs attributable to opioid programs and services across systems in Massachusetts (health care providers, the state and municipalities) to beat least $5.5 billion.
“This report by MTF, confirms what we knew to be true, the opioid epidemic is not only taking an enormous toll on families everywhere, it is also costing Massachusetts billions of dollars and severely limiting our economic growth,” said Dr. David Torchiana, President and CEO of Mass General Brigham and RIZE Board Chair. “The size of our response must meet the full scope of this crisis and we need to work together on community-wide solutions. Hopefully public, private and nonprofit sectors can continue to come together to change these trends, protect the future economy, and help those in the grips of this terrible disease.”
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.
