Spending taxpayer money to study converting an old cruise ship into a recovery treatment hospital smacks of a political stunt that probably will just be sunk by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
Victims of the opioid crisis should be in a state of the art treatment center on land – not on display on a decommissioned docked ship to be gawked at by tourists and residents.
Yes, the city is desperate to solve the Mass and Cass/Methadone Mile crisis, but this idea should be shelved by the state Legislature – like most of their bad ideas.
The state Senate approved legislation this week to have the Naval Construction and Marine engineering program at MIT study the “feasibility” of converting a cruise ship into a floating hospital for mental health, substance abuse and recovery services somewhere on the Boston waterfront.
“For years now, the situation at Mass & Cass and throughout our city and Commonwealth have worsened without suitable state intervention,” said state Sen. Nick Collins, who is spearheading the proposal. “Now is the time to pursue new, creative ideas to address a humanitarian crisis affecting thousands of people and families throughout the area. The Floating Hospital would provide our healthcare professionals with a state-of-the-art facility in which to provide care, all while addressing the pressing public health and safety needs of the city.”
Wu’s office put out a lukewarm statement saying she looks forward to the results of the study – but the reality is she is likely to sink the idea.
Collins should be commended for trying to think creatively to address the opioid crisis, but this idea misses the mark.
This is not a serious proposal to solve the Mass and Cass problem – it’s a potential boondoggle that could end up costing the state taxpayers millions of dollars. Think Indy Car race on water.
We should be showing compassion to people with addiction, not looking at novel ideas that will put them on display and isolate them from society.
Wu’s administration supposedly has serious concerns about the public safety risks of housing hundreds of patients with substance use disorder or mental health problems on a floating ship.
The original Boston Floating Hospital, built in the 1890’s to care for poor, sick children and their mothers, was destroyed by fire in 1927 and that was pretty much the end of that idea. Tufts built a new onshore hospital for children to take its place.
The state Senate added the Collins amendment to its fiscal 2024 budget in a single voice vote along with 52 other amendments. The study alone will cost $50,000 in state money.
But if approved, the state would be spending millions of dollars to a well-connected developer to renovate the old ship.
The House still has to approve the Collins amendment in its budget, and Gov. Maura Healey has to approve.
But the idea all hinges on Wu, who is concerned about the floating hospital meeting building and safety codes. Without her full endorsement, the idea won’t float.
