CHP launches growth to strengthen dental care obtain for MassHealth sufferers
Terrific BARRINGTON — Neighborhood Overall health Courses (CHP) is launching a $6 million, multi-yr expansion of its dental treatment expert services, in get to provide additional area people who depend on MassHealth (Medicaid) protection to pay out for their oral health and fitness treatment.
Just around 25,000 Berkshire County citizens (about 20 p.c of the population) are coated by MassHealth. But dental care for these sufferers is frequently a challenge due to the fact only a handful of area dental techniques accept MassHealth. CHP’s procedures in North Adams, Pittsfield, and Fantastic Barrington care for about 4,000 of these individuals, but find to double that selection in the coming many years.
This year CHP will develop the practices in North Adams and Pittsfield. In early 2023, CHP will open a new dental observe on Depot Avenue in Adams. More out, the Excellent Barrington Family Dental Middle will also grow.
CHP’s dental enlargement is feasible partly because, on January 1, the condition amplified MassHealth reimbursements by 65 %, with specific “add-on” fees. These improved payments are specifically for dental care delivered by local community wellness centers like CHP.
Dr. John Brazill, CHP director of dental drugs, claimed oral wellbeing is a issue in overall wellness. “Lack of regimen dental treatment can guide to decline of teeth, bad nutrition, poor self-esteem, and issues with work and social interaction,” he explained. “And dental problems can trigger crippling ache, which can guide to opioid abuse.”
CHP has received an initial grant of $523,756 from the federal Wellness Expert services Useful resource Administration for the new practice in Adams. CHP will dedicate some of its have funds and added community and private grants will be tapped over the system of this multi-yr undertaking.
CHP is also launching the #CHPSmile Job to help raise group and group contributions.
—A.K.
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Foundations donate $70K for Foods Depot Greylock adds $10K for CHP Spouse and children Solutions
Great BARRINGTON — Two family members foundations are supporting design of a new “food depot” at Neighborhood Wellness Programs’ (CHP) Wonderful Barrington campus, which will better accommodate CHP Spouse and children Services’ food and nutrition programs.
In addition, a latest $10,000 grant from Greylock Federal Credit score Union is boosting CHP’s total Family Providers attempts, which have developed dramatically throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its to start with gift to CHP, the Gilson Family members Foundation has contributed $55,000 to the venture. The foundation is led by Peter Spina and his sister Michelle Schmidt, natives of Lenox. Longstanding CHP supporters Robin and Elizabeth “Buzz” McGraw of Sheffield have also donated $15,000 as a result of their family foundation, the Donald C. McGraw Foundation, to total funding for construction.
Michelle Derr, CHP senior vice president of family services, reported the new stand-alone meals storage facility will have a lot-required space for refrigeration and food items distribution. “We could never ever have predicted how COVID-19 would effects families’ require for food items aid,” claimed Derr. “And this new meals depot will free up our pretty hectic Family members Products and services making for individuals who stop by us for other companies.”
She extra that Greylock’s ongoing and faithful assistance to CHP, which include this most new $10,000 donation, continues to increase expert services to households in the community.
CHP will construct the new foodstuff depot constructing at the Stockbridge Highway facility this 12 months.
—A.K.
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Berkshires acquire $252K to support behavioral well being workforce schooling
PITTSFIELD — MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board obtained $252,000 in funding for workforce training and guidance in the behavioral well being sector in Berkshire County.
The Berkshire Behavioral Wellness Partnership was a short while ago fashioned as section of the Berkshire Health care Hub to address the persistent difficulty with choosing and retaining competent staff members in the behavioral wellness sector. The Partnership is committed to setting up and expanding a comprehensive strategy to address recruitment and retention troubles. Its intention is to support clinical teaching set up a pipeline occupational instruction to encourage and engage new and entry-stage staff and create a good community and assistance technique for behavioral wellness companies through networking and specialist enhancement opportunities.
Performing with associates at The Brien Heart, ServiceNet, Group Health and fitness Programs, Berkshire Overall health Units, and Berkshire Local community Faculty (BCC), MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board will oversee a series of applications all over the calendar year. Resources will go toward furnishing supports to people acquiring licensure at The Brien Centre, supporting supervisors who are presently overstretched with their daily obligations, increasing an entry-level occupational training created by BCC to really encourage pipeline and placement efforts, and building capacity to have interaction more companions and advertise options in behavioral well being in the Berkshires.
This grant is component of the state’s determination to improving the behavioral wellness supply procedure in Massachusetts whilst utilizing the Roadmap for Behavioral Well being Reform. This job is funded by a Behavioral Wellbeing Partnership Enlargement Grant via the MassHealth Shipping and delivery Process Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Statewide Financial commitment Software and RIZE Massachusetts Basis, Inc., and is administered by the Commonwealth Corporation.
—A.K.
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Berkshire Developed elects new officers, associates to board of trustees
Good BARRINGTON — At its annual meeting, the Berkshire Grown Board of Trustees accepted three new board users and elected officers. Incoming officers are Amy Rudnick, president Peter Platt, vice president, Tom Curtin, treasurer, Lee Venolia, clerk and Jake Levin, member-at-large. The corporation bade a fond farewell to two longtime Board associates: Martin Stosiek of Markristo Farm in Hillsdale, New York, and Hester Velmans of Sheffield.
Joining the board in 2022 are a few Berkshire people:
Katherine (Kat) Hand is co-proprietor and normal supervisor of Berkshire Cider Undertaking, a craft tricky cidery located at Greylock Works in North Adams. Berkshire Cider Job (BCP) is focused to regional sourcing, supporting Berkshire County agriculture, and celebrating the arts, culture, and purely natural magnificence that can make the Berkshires specific. Launched in 2019, BCP is functioning to increase domestically by choosing its very first comprehensive-time personnel and growing sourcing associations with area orchards and institutions. Their tasting place will re-open in the spring.
Former to her lifestyle in cider earning, Hand held multiple roles in the social influence and sustainability sector. She commenced as a grants administrator at a compact family members basis, then labored in enhancement at the City Parks Basis. Most lately, she labored as a corporate sustainability specialist, crafting sustainability system, reporting, and communications for corporations these types of as PepsiCo, Estee Lauder, and HP Inc.
Jim Schultz is the direct farmer at Crimson Shirt Farm, a diversified, natural and organic, no-until farm in Lanesborough. He analyzed small-scale, regenerative agriculture at the Sterling Institute, the New Alchemy Institute, and Evergreen State Higher education, and apprenticed on quite a few compact farms in New England. He place farming on hold to raise two young children with his spouse Annie, while instructing, coaching and administrating in the community public faculties for 26 years.
Schultz now farms complete-time, boosting vegetables, pastured pigs, heritage chickens for meat and eggs, and heritage turkeys. He continues to be passionate about training and hosts 4 apprentices and the Roots Growing program each and every year, as perfectly as providing workshops to fellow farmers and the community. Jim is a member of the Northeast Weather Adaptation Fellowship, a collective of farmers, scientists, and technical support vendors.
Katy Sparks is the chef and operator of Katy Sparks Culinary Consulting, a complete-services culinary and hospitality consulting company with a focus on healthier, nutrient-dense, and domestically-sourced recipe development and sustainable kitchen layout. She is an award-successful chef and the creator of “Sparks in the Kitchen,” published by Knopf. She invested above 20 years in the New York City foodstuff earth, climbing the culinary ladder to achieve the stage of Government Chef. She a short while ago settled in the southern Berkshires, in which she finds daily inspiration from regional foodstuff makers and growers. Her customers have ranged from meals company begin-ups to sustainably sourced restaurants and nationally recognized retail foods shops. Sparks is often featured in the foodstuff press and maintains robust ties to the national foods media.
—A.K.