Join us for the 2023 MHSA Member Retreat on Wednesday, October 25, at the Hogan Campus Center, College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester. The MHSA Member Retreat is an opportunity for MHSA member agencies from across Massachusetts to discuss trends, challenges, and innovative solutions as together we lay the groundwork for MHSA’s advocacy in the upcoming year.
The Member Retreat will be from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration, continental breakfast, and networking take place from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and the program begins at 10:00 a.m.
Featured Speaker: Rep. James Arciero, Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing
MHSA is looking forward to welcoming Rep. James Arciero (2nd Middlesex District), Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, as our featured speaker for this year’s retreat.
State Representative James “Jim” Arciero proudly serves the 2nd Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the towns of Chelmsford (Precincts 5,7,8), Littleton and Westford. Since 2009, Jim has served in this role and has been in step with the evolving communities in the district. He has supported the largest increase in education funding in the state for K-12 and vocational schools. Jim has fought to protect reproductive healthcare and expand access to mental health services, and he has supported green policies to ensure environmental health and justice for future generations.
Jim’s leadership role in the Massachusetts House of Representatives has grown over the past 14 years. He was named the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing in 2021. During this time, he navigated a housing crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic and led the largest investment in housing in the Commonwealth during that time. He will continue leading the committee as they address housing issues across the state including increased housing production, stability, affordability, rental assistance, and combating homelessness. Prior to being the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, he previously served as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Export Development.
Additional Joint Committees on which he served include Ways and Means; Veterans and Federal Affairs; Labor and Workforce Development; Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture; Revenue; and Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure.
Jim earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Suffolk University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. He is a proud graduate of Westford Academy and recipient of the Eagle Scout Award, the highest award in scouting.
He has been a lifelong resident of Westford, Massachusetts where he currently lives with his wife, Bridget, and daughter, Angelina.
What is the MHSA Member Retreat?
The MHSA Member Retreat is an opportunity for MHSA member agencies from across Massachusetts to discuss trends, challenges, and innovative solutions as together we lay the groundwork for MHSA’s advocacy in the upcoming year.
2023 MHSA Member Retreat – Preliminary Agenda:
- 9:30 – 10 a.m. – Registration, Continental Breakfast, and Networking
- 10 a.m. – Welcome and Featured Speaker: Rep. James Arciero, Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing
- 10:45 a.m. – Remarks from Joyce Tavon, MHSA CEO
- 11 a.m. – Morning Breakout Sessions:
- Leadership Strategy Session: MHSA’s Advocacy Agenda
- Managing Permanent Supportive Housing: Filling Vacancies Quickly and Forming a Community of Practice for PSH Providers
- Lessons Learned from Creating Partnerships to Develop Supportive Housing
- 12:30 p.m. – Lunch & Networking
- 1:30 p.m. – Afternoon Breakout Sessions:
- Siting & Municipal Strategies for Supportive Housing
- Advancing Sponsor-based Leasing to Quickly Expand Supportive Housing Opportunities
- Innovative Models for Housing Search & Placement in a Challenging Market
- Shelter Capacity and Unsheltered Homelessness: Developing an Advocacy Strategy
- 3 p.m. – Priorities & Next Steps
Please contact Caitlin Golden, MHSA’s Director of Public Policy, at cgolden@mhsa.net with any questions.
Additional Information
Registration is $45 per person, and sponsorship opportunities are also available. Cost should not be a barrier to participation - if the registration fee poses a difficulty for your organization, please contact Caitlin Golden.
Contact CaitlinPlease reach out to Caitlin with any dietary restrictions or special accommodations needed.