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星期三, 6月 02, 2021
波士頓華埠土地信託會學習之旅 6/3
關於Dennis White Kim Janey: 仔細思考後，我會做決定
Statement from Mayor Kim Janey on the Hearing for Dennis White
I held the hearing for
Dennis White this morning, providing an opportunity for him to present any
additional information. I will make a decision after careful
deliberation.
(Boston Orange)波士頓代市長Kim Janey今(2)早發出聲明，表示停職中的波士頓警察局局長Dennis White是否該解雇，「仔細思考後，我會做決定」。
Dennis White在今年2月1日匆促上任波士頓警察局局長僅約2天，就因1990年代的家暴案，由當時即將離任的波士頓市市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)處以停職調查。
獨立調查機構的報告出爐後，波士頓市代理市長Kim Janey有意召開聽證會，以作為是否解雇Dennis White的參考。Dennis White立即入秉法院，申請禁制令，但法院及其後的上訴法庭，都駁回了Dennis White的要求。波士頓市長Kim Janey今早10點半，發出二行字的聲明，簡單表示，今早她舉行了一場聽證會，給Dennis White機會陳述額外資訊。她將在仔細思考後，做出決定。但並未給出時間
麻州州長繼續鼓勵注射新冠疫苗 6/1 (Video)
$800k Awarded for Two Residential Facilities for Adolescent Mental Health/Substance Use Treatment
$800k Awarded for Two Residential Facilities for Adolescent Mental Health/Substance Use Treatment
New facilities will double the number of beds
available for youth
BOSTON (June 2, 2021) – The Executive Office of Health
and Human Services (EOHHS) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) today
announced $800,000 for two new residential treatment facilities for adolescents
with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
The grant recipients, the
Center for Human Development in Chicopee and Lowell House in Reading, will
provide critical residential treatment services for young people in Eastern and
Western Massachusetts, with a combined capacity of 39 treatment beds.
“These awards are part of our
ongoing investment in life-saving addiction treatment programs, especially for
young people struggling with mental health concerns and substance use,” said
Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. “The supports and
services offered by inpatient treatment programs can often be the most
effective option for many teens dealing with addiction and their families.”
“DPH is committed to
ensuring that adolescents receive developmentally appropriate mental health and
addiction treatment,” said Public Health
Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “These treatment facilities will
provide evidence-based care, intervention,
and peer supports that in some cases cannot be solely provided in the teen’s
home environment.”
The programs are designed to
reflect the developmental needs, attitudes and interests of their adolescent
populations and will provide mental health services, help address primary
health concerns, support learning skills needed to maintain recovery and
transition toward more independence, and identify resources for effective
aftercare planning.
The Center for Human
Development will have a 15-bed capacity serving males ages 13 to 17, and Lowell
House will have 24 beds for a gender inclusive (co-ed) population ages 13 to
17, doubling the number of youth treatment beds in the state. Both facilities
will provide supervision 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a residential
setting licensed by DPH’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services.
The grant award will continue
until 2030, with $400,000 distributed to each program annually. The program is
funded through a combination of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration’s (SAMHSA) Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) block
grant and state funding.
“This award will ensure that youths have access to the integrated mental health and substance use disorder treatment they need,” said Deirdre Calvert, Director of DPH’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. “DPH is dedicated to supporting young people in their recovery from substance use and ensuring their access to behavioral healthcare.”
AG SECURES $260,000 FROM SOUTH SHORE ANESTHESIA PROVIDER TO SETTLE ALLEGED UNFAIR “SURPRISE BILLING” PRACTICES
AG SECURES
$260,000 FROM SOUTH SHORE ANESTHESIA PROVIDER TO SETTLE ALLEGED UNFAIR
“SURPRISE BILLING” PRACTICES
Medical Group
Agrees to Stop Billing or Collecting on “Surprise Bills”
BOSTON – South Shore Anesthesia Associates (SSAA), a Weymouth-based
provider of anesthesia and pain management care, will pay $260,000 to settle
allegations of “surprise billing” practices, Attorney General Maura Healey
announced today.
In an assurance of
discontinuance
filed on Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court, SSAA settled the AG’s allegations
that it violated the Massachusetts consumer protection law by failing to
adequately disclose to certain patients that SSAA was out of network with those
patients’ health plans and then seeking to collect unfairly high charges from
the patients.
“Massachusetts
residents have a right to transparency when
it comes to their health care and should not be subjected to surprise
billing practices when seeking medical care,” said AG Healey.
“Health care providers should take the appropriate steps
to provide consumers with adequate information to allow them to make
informed health care decisions and avoid unexpected charges.”
This settlement is the result of
an investigation initiated by the AG’s Office after receiving consumer
complaints from individuals who sought health care at South Shore Hospital, an
in-network provider for them. After receiving a bill, the patients found out
for the first time that SSAA, the anesthesia provider at South Shore Hospital,
was out of network and that they were being charged significantly more than
they would have been charged for an in-network anesthesia provider.
SSAA, which ceased providing clinical
services in June 2020 and is in the process of closing its practice, will pay a
total of $260,000, including a $185,000 civil penalty, to the state under the
terms of the settlement.
Additionally, SSAA has agreed to:
- stop billing for and
collecting on any remaining balances for patient accounts involving out of
network services or uninsured patients, and forgive the debts incurred by
such patients;
- inform any outside collection agencies it
has used that debts incurred by these patients have been satisfied; and
- take all necessary steps to have these
patients’ accounts removed from any applicable credit report and credit
reporting agency.
The investigation and settlement are part
of the AG’s ongoing examination of how increased transparency can help
consumers avoid unexpected charges. As part of this effort, in September 2018,
the AG’s Office settled with
Partners HealthCare System Inc., requiring it to provide patients
important information concerning billing practices at hospital outpatient
locations and urgent care centers.
If consumers have questions
or concerns about their health insurance claims or medical bills, they can
contact the AG’s Health Care Helpline at (888) 830-6277 or file a complaint
here.
This matter was handled by Assistant
Attorney General Lisa Gaulin, Paralegal Troy Brown, and Mediator Pat Hamilton,
with assistance from Division Chief Eric Gold, all of the AG’s Health Care
Division.
星期二, 6月 01, 2021
Michelle Wu on Lack of Childcare Accommodations and Insufficient Return Plan for City Workers
Michelle Wu on Lack of Childcare Accommodations and Insufficient Return Plan for City Workers
Boston, MA— The following statement can be attributed to Boston City Councilor At-Large and Candidate for Mayor Michelle Wu:
“It’s absolutely unacceptable for City Hall, of all workplaces, to demand a return to business as usual while turning a blind eye to the childcare crisis accelerated by the pandemic. Our policies and working conditions at City Hall--including for our childcare workforce right in the building--must meet this moment and set the tone for the equitable recovery we must deliver across all sectors.
“Creating a ‘task force’ to discuss employees’ concerns after the
fact misses the opportunity for the proactive, transformative leadership Boston
needs throughout our recovery--and it misses the mark for so many working
families who have been working their hardest to serve this city through
challenging times.”
Michelle Wu, Councilor Liz Breadon, Community Advocates Call on the State to accelerate West Station, embrace at-grade vision for the Allston Multimodal Project
Michelle Wu, Councilor Liz
Breadon, Community Advocates Call on the State to accelerate West Station,
embrace at-grade vision for the Allston Multimodal Project
L-R: Michelle Wu, Councilor Liz Breadon,
Allston Civic President Anthony D'Isidoro and former State Transportation
Secretary Fred Salvucci
Boston, MA - Michelle Wu joined Councilor Liz Breadon and
Allston community members in strong support of the at-grade vision for the
Allston Multimodal Project, accelerating the construction of West Station and
opening of two-track service, the introduction of new North-South bus routes,
and the establishment of new pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure to create a
safer urban environment for residents of Allston and the surrounding
communities. The project has the backing of a broad, diverse coalition of
environmental advocates, transit and mobility organizations and
businesses.
Speakers urged Governor Baker and Acting Secretary Tesler to
embrace a bold vision for the Allston multimodal project and avoid the
design mistakes of the 20th century that put cars over transit riders,
pedestrians and cyclists.
The Allston Viaduct is close to the end of its lifespan and needs
to be replaced, providing an opportunity to make improvements to the
area.
“The Allston multimodal project is a generational opportunity to
repair the highway harms of the past and connect our communities. With federal
funding in this moment of recovery, we need hands-on leadership in Boston to
steer our infrastructure projects and fight for investments that will lay the
foundation for mobility and resilience for generations to come,” said Michelle
Wu.
“The realignment of I-90 offers a once in a lifetime opportunity
to reconnect the Allston neighborhood to the Charles River and to build 21st
century transportation infrastructure that helps reduce carbon emissions,” said
Councilor Liz Breadon.
“We have a once-in-a generation opportunity to rectify a serious
oversight. With federal funding, we can create an alternative that allows us to
become a regional transit hub and help eliminate the traffic congestion that is
only getting worse,” said Anthony D’Isidoro, President of Allston Civic.
“When this project was first built, they could have built a little
further south and spared the community - but they didn’t. They took our
housing, community facilities and commuter rail stations, and left us with a
barrier dividing the neighborhood and cutting us off from the Charles River,
which should be a great asset. This is a great opportunity to build back a
better road and put back the transit that was once here, and I thank Councilor
Wu for her leadership,” said Fred Salvucci, Former State Transportation
Secretary and Special Lecturer and Research Associate at the Transit Group
within the MIT Department of Urban Studies.
"Boston's future depends on the kind of forward looking
thinking embodied in Michelle Wu's advocacy for the at-grade design of the
Allston Multimodal project, and for the significant sustainable mobility
benefits arising from a new West Station and redesigned access to the Charles
River. Michelle understands how opportunities like this will frame whether and
how Boston grows equitably and sustainably. I'm grateful for her leadership and
her persistence on these critical issues,” said Jim Aloisi, lifelong Boston
resident and former State Transportation Secretary.
“The Allston Multimodal project provides a generational
opportunity to create a city that prioritizes people over fossil fuel
infrastructure. Climate justice in Boston means ensuring safe access to green
spaces, prioritizing public transit and pedestrian walkways, and providing freedom
from the noise and pollutants of major highways. Councillor Wu’s support for
Allston community advocates’ vision, and for transit justice more broadly, is
yet another reason why Sunrise Boston is proud to have endorsed her bid for
mayor,” said Sunrise Boston.
星期一, 5月 31, 2021
麻州州長以視頻向為國捐軀軍人們及家屬致敬
Baker-Polito Administration Recognizes Memorial Day with Video Tribute
The video is available at www.mass.gov/MemorialDay.
Governor Baker’s Remarks:
“Now most of the recipients of that very special class [Medal of Honor recipients] don’t usually make it back.
“And there are plenty of examples of that represented by many of the flags that are behind us today.
“And as one of these people who’s had a chance to spend a big part of my professional career serving in public office at the local and state level, I am acutely aware that it’s the sacrifices and the generosity of spirit, and the courage, of those who serve – and their families – who make it possible for our democracy to continue to operate on behalf of the people that we all serve.
“The debt that’s paid by the flags here and the folks they represent can never be repaid.
“But the one thing I have heard time and time again from Gold Star Families in my conversations with them over the years, is ‘Through the tragedy, I hope you never forget, and you always take time to honor and remember, those who have made possible through their sacrifices, all that we hold dear here in Massachusetts and across the country.’”
In honor of Memorial Day, Governor Baker has ordered that the United States flag and the Commonwealth flag be lowered to half-staff at all state buildings from sunrise until noon and full staff from noon until sunset on Monday, May 31, 2021. The order applies to the main or administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, other state-owned or state-controlled buildings and all state military installations.
星期五, 5月 28, 2021
麻州州長:5/29起所有企業可正常營運 6/15起麻州結束緊急狀態
Governor Baker Issues Order Rescinding COVID-19 Restrictions on May 29 and Terminating State of Emergency Effective June 15
BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker joined Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders to sign an Executive Order terminating the Commonwealth’s State of Emergency effective June 15, 2021. The Order also rescinds most COVID-19 restrictions, including limitations placed on businesses, as of tomorrow, May 29 as Massachusetts nears the goal of vaccinating four million residents. This week, the Commonwealth passed the 3.5 million mark for fully vaccinated residents.
“Today marks an important milestone in our fight against COVID-19 here in the Commonwealth,” said Governor Baker. “Over the last 15 months, the residents of Massachusetts have shown an incredible amount of strength and resiliency, and we are pleased to take this step forward towards a return to normal.”
“With restrictions ending tomorrow and continued progress towards our vaccination goal, Massachusetts is on a path towards renewing our economy and returning to normal,” said Lt. Governor Polito. “We look forward to working with communities across the state to help them get their main streets and downtowns back up and running and for a sustained recovery ahead.”
Effective May 29, all industries will be permitted to open. With the exception of remaining face-covering requirements for masks in public and private transportation systems, hospitals and other facilities housing vulnerable populations, all industry restrictions will be lifted at that time, and capacity will increase to 100% for all industries. All gathering limits will also be rescinded.
To continue certain public health requirements, like requiring face coverings in certain settings, to remain effective past June 15, Governor Baker today issued a modified declaration of a public health emergency under the public health statute.
Under this order, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Health will be proposing to the Public Health Council the continuation of some public health orders in the coming weeks to maintain flexibilities and policies for vaccination, testing and other critical operations.
Earlier this week, Governor Baker filed legislation to extend certain emergency measures currently in place via executive orders that are set to expire on June 15 with the end of the State of Emergency. The bill would extend measures providing for a temporary suspension of certain open meeting law requirements, special permits for expanded outside dining at restaurants, and surprise billing protections for COVID-19 patients.