May 1, 2020 By Lily Barrett

Things worth doing now – The Barrett Report, May 2020

Senator Mike Barrett

5 days ago

Disability advocates gathered yesterday at the MetFern cemetery in Waltham to celebrate passage of legislation establishing a first-in-the-nation state commission to investigate the history of Massachusetts' old-style institutions for the mentally ill and the intellectually disabled. A majority of commissioners will be appointed by the next governor but consist of people with disabilities. Other commissioners are to be named directly by advocacy groups. One assignment is to restore personal names and individual histories to thousands of people buried in institutional graves and identified by number only. Along with honoring privacy and acknowledging the wishes of family members, it's time we learned about these hidden Massachusetts lives, to the same degree and in the same way that we're able to learn about the lives of everyone else. ... See MoreSee Less

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Senator Mike Barrett

6 days ago

The suburbs need more affordable housing, close to the other things that form a community -- stores, coffee shops, transportation, parks, and, most of all, regular people going about their lives. Concord Park Senior Living and its addition are spectacular examples. I joined Volunteers of America Massachusetts, a nonprofit that is committed to accessible senior living, to celebrate its expansion and renovation. The project added a new three-story wing, 17 assisted living apartments, and two apartments for residents needing memory support. The development is energy-efficient, which makes it all the better. ... See MoreSee Less

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Senator Mike Barrett

Mike Barrett

State Senator | Democrat | 3rd Middlesex District MA