Bloomberg 捐款3780萬元資助波士頓市、MGH和EMK學校合作 加倍招收醫療護理學生

MAYOR MICHELLE WU, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM, AND BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP TO TRANSFORM AND EXPAND THE EDWARD M. KENNEDY ACADEMY INTO CUTTING-EDGE TRAINING GROUND FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS Bloomberg Philanthropies’ $37.8 million grant marks the largest philanthropic investment in BPS history, enabling EMK Academy to double in size, add new health career pathways, college courses and work-based learning, and offer graduates access to good-paying careers at Mass General Brigham

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu BOSTON - Wednesday, January 17, 2024 - Building on the City of Boston’s commitment to early college and career-connected learning for every student, Mayor Michelle Wu today joined Superintendent Mary Skipper, Edward M. Kennedy Academy of Health Careers (EMK) School Leader Dr. Caren Walker Gregory, Mass General Brigham (MGB) President and CEO Dr. Anne Klibanski, and leaders from Bloomberg Philanthropies at Massachusetts General Hospital to announce a new partnership between the Boston Public Schools and Mass General Brigham that will expand and transform the EMK, the City’s health career-focused public high school, into a national model of career-connected learning.  The partnership is supported by a $37.8 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the largest philanthropic investment in the history of the Boston Public Schools. The collaboration with Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest private employer, will allow EMK to double in size to 800 students, add new health career pathways in surgery, medical imaging, and biotech/medical lab science to complement existing pathways in nursing and emergency services, and offer work-based learning, summer and after-school placements, and career counseling to every student. Graduates will have the opportunity to pursue higher education or graduate straight into a well-paying career within the Mass General Brigham system.  “As the birthplace of public education, Boston must give our young people the world—in the classroom, in community, and in every corner of our city. Today we take a huge step forward in our vision for every high school student to be college and career ready. With this transformational support, we are bringing the full resources of Mass General Brigham’s nation-leading teaching hospitals into a deep partnership with the Boston Public Schools,” said  Mayor Michelle Wu . “Leveraging the incredible resources of Boston – our universities, our businesses, our cultural institutions, and our academic medical centers – to support college and career-connected learning in our high schools will help our students achieve their highest aspirations. We are grateful to Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Howard Wolfson, and the entire team at Bloomberg Philanthropies for their extraordinary support of the Boston Public Schools, and Dr. Anne Klibanski and the entire Mass General Brigham team for their remarkable partnership now and in the years ahead. This opportunity for our students is only possible because of the vision and leadership of Superintendent Mary Skipper, Dr. Caren Walker Gregory and their teams of committed educators. This is a game-changer for Boston.” In her State of the City Address on January 9, Mayor Wu announced several early college and career pathway expansions across the Boston Public Schools, including at the EMK, designed to ensure that all BPS high school students are ready for college and career.  “This exciting partnership allows us to build on the success of the EMK partnership with Mass General Brigham to provide our students with meaningful learning experiences that set them up for a bright future with career opportunities in Boston’s world class medical facilities and beyond,” said Mary Skipper, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. “This is a prime example of the innovative work we are doing across our BPS campuses to provide each child in Boston with a rigorous academic education inside our classrooms and opportunities to learn and develop outside of class that provide a springboard for their future success. We want every student in Boston to find their passion and provide them with an educational experience that allows them to explore it, and crucial funding from partnerships like this help make that possible.” As the healthcare sector grapples with post-pandemic vacancy increases and recruiting challenges, the EMK partnership with Mass General Brigham will address workforce needs by building the pipeline of students prepared to enter high-paying health careers. MGB worked closely with BPS to develop expanded career pathways that align with the greatest areas of need and opportunity in the regional healthcare workforce. These pathways through high school will empower EMK graduates to either pursue higher education immediately or enter the healthcare workforce with a high-demand, well-paying job that fits their career interests. “As healthcare providers continue to face persistent labor challenges, it is crucial that we develop innovative partnerships to respond to the challenges of today and invest in the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. Moreover, our work to dismantle generational health inequities depends on our ability to recruit, retain and support a diverse, culturally competent and highly skilled workforce,” said Anne Klibanski, MD, President and CEO, Mass General Brigham. “We are deeply grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for their transformational support that will allow us to dramatically increase the impact of our proven partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, and for our continued collaboration with Mayor Wu, the City of Boston, and Boston Public Schools. We are excited about the tremendous impact this expansion will have on our current and future workforce and the surrounding community.” This partnership is part of a $250 million initiative announced today by Bloomberg Philanthropies to build partnerships between healthcare and education systems and create new health career high schools in 10 communities across the country including: Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Dallas, TX; Durham, NC; Houston, TX; Nashville, TN; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Demopolis, AL; and Northeast, TN (six locations). The schools will collectively serve nearly 6,000 students at full capacity. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment will support school start-up costs including personnel needs and classroom and lab renovations. Additionally, this investment will support healthcare-specific work-based learning costs such as developing specialized curricula, lab materials and equipment, and stipends for work-based learning. Successful programs launched from this initiative have potential to scale across the nation and serve as sustainable, long-term models for how to address gaps in education and workforce development. “For too long, our education system has failed to prepare students for good jobs in high-growth industries,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP and 108th mayor of New York City. “By combining classroom learning with hands-on experience, these specialized health-care high schools will prepare students for careers with opportunities for growth and advancement. America needs more health care workers, and we need a stronger, larger middle-class -- and this is a way to help accomplish both goals." Founded in 1995 by a group of community health care providers and higher education leaders committed to a more diverse and reflective health care workforce at every level, EMK is a college preparatory and vocational high school for Boston students exploring careers in health and science. With Bloomberg Philanthropies’ financial support, BPS plans to double the enrollment at EMK to 800 students in grades 9-12 over the next five years. Consistent with the District’s plan for high schools, EMK also intends to add a 7th and 8th grade in the later years of the expansion. In partnership with Mass General Brigham, each pathway will be designed to help students build critical thinking and specialized skills within their chosen area through a combination of traditional classroom-based learning, specialized health-oriented curriculum, and graduated work-based learning. “EMK students are the future of the healthcare workforce in Boston, and through strengthening our partnership with Mass General Brigham, we meet the needs of their workforce and the dreams of our students,” said Dr. Caren Walker Gregory, school leader of the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers. “I am so proud that Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested in the urgency of healthcare by supporting the vision and mission of EMK and the Boston Public Schools.”  “On behalf of the Boston School Committee, I applaud Mayor Wu, Superintendent Skipper, Dr. Walker Gregory, the committed educators at the Edward M. Kennedy Academy and the teams at Mass General Brigham and Bloomberg Philanthropies who are bringing this super exciting collaboration to life,” said Jeri Robinson, Chairperson of the Boston School Committee. “We are committed to advancing a vision for high schools that prepare all our students for college and career. This is a major step forward.” In the early high school grades, work-based learning will consist of visits to hospitals, job shadowing, and participation in simulation labs. Hands-on learning will allow students to apply concepts from the classroom as they transition to deeper and more extensive work-based learning experiences, culminating in paid internships in grades 11 and 12. Students in all pathways begin their twice-weekly clinical practice in grade 11, first in specialized school-based skills lab facilities for their pathway, and then through placement at partner healthcare facilities. These more intensive work-based learning placements continue in grade 12. Many students will also participate in paid after-school and summer internship experiences focused on health careers beginning in the summer after grade 9.  Every EMK student will have the opportunity to earn 18 or more college credits at no cost to them, through dual enrollment or early college partnerships with two- and four-year higher education partners whose course offerings align with EMK’s healthcare pathways.  “By embedding college coursework and work-based learning into the high school experience of every EMK student, we know they’ll each be ready to pursue a healthcare career or take the next step in their higher education,” said Dr. Ted Lombardi, Secondary Superintendent for College, Career, and Life Readiness. “This is a model that we hope to replicate across our high schools to deliver on the full promise of a Boston public education.”

Healey-Driscoll Administration Appoints Ken Brown and Sarah Joseph to Lead Efforts to Connect New Arrivals with Employment

Healey-Driscoll Administration Appoints Ken Brown and Sarah Joseph to Lead Efforts to Connect New Arrivals with Employment    

Administration prioritizing connecting work authorized individuals with jobs in health care and human services, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing  

 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the appointment of Ken Brown as Assistant Secretary for Employer Engagement and Employment Outcomes and Sarah Joseph as Director of Community Engagement for the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD).  

 

“Across industries, we have employers who urgently need talent to fill open positions, and we have people arriving in Massachusetts who want to work. Our administration has worked hard to get people work authorizations as quickly as possible, and now we are connecting them with jobs that need to be filled,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We are bringing in Ken Brown and Sarah Joseph to drive this work and get this done.”   

 

“Ken and Sarah will hit the ground running as we continue our work to reduce the strain placed on communities and our Emergency Assistance program and provide the support that newly arrived families and individuals need in Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This will take a collective effort, and we look forward to bolstering our efforts to partner with employers and community organizations to unlock these critical employment opportunities we need to urgently achieve.”  

 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has worked with the MassHire Regional Workforce Boards and Careers Centers to assess skills and work readiness for individuals in shelter who have their work authorization. Recently, the Healey-Driscoll Administration also partnered with the Biden Administration to hold two, week-long clinics to help migrants in Massachusetts with obtaining work authorizations. The clinics were successful, and now nearly 3,000 people have work authorizations in Massachusetts.  

 

Brown will oversee hiring and job placement for migrants with work authorization. Joseph will oversee local and regional partnerships with stakeholders dedicated to employment outcomes for migrants, refugees, and vulnerable populations, including addressing work supports like language barriers and skill development and providing resources for employers statewide. 

 

“EOLWD is pleased to welcome Ken and Sarah to deliver employment outcomes and strengthen hiring practices, especially for new arrivals,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “This work will get more people employed with livable wages, which will help both employers and relieve pressure on our existing shelter system.” 

 

About Ken Brown 

Ken Brown is a proven leader with experience in both the private sector and state government, managing strategic partnerships, key relationships, and results. In recent years, Brown served as Senior Vice-President of SICPA North America, and Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction. Brown also served under the Patrick-Murray Administration as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and in the Governor’s Office including as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Special Projects to Governor Deval Patrick.  

 

Ken Brown is a graduate of American University in Washington D.C. and holds a Juris Doctor from Boston College School of Law. 

 

About Sarah Joseph 

Sarah Joseph is a trained social worker with experience managing human services and resources for immigrants, individuals with disabilities, individuals experiencing mental health trauma, among other populations. Joseph recently worked as an Immigration Court Helpdesk Paralegal, where she provided assistance and legal information to unrepresented respondents in removal proceedings at the Boston Immigration Court, informed respondents appearing before the court on court practices, procedures, and general information about options related to relief and protection from removal, conducts information sessions and legal orientations, and acted as Friend of Court to assist unrepresented respondents and the Court in the administration of Master Calendar Hearings and Individual hearings. Joseph is fluent in English and Haitian Creole. 

 

Joseph graduated from Fairfield University and holds a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College. 

麻州長 Healey 將撥款資助門戶城市享有高品質學前教育

Governor Healey Announces Universal, High-Quality Pre-K Access for Gateway Cities 

 

“Gateway to Pre-K" agenda will also increase child care financial assistance to thousands of families and sustain historic C3 funding for providers 

 

Governor signs Executive Order directing whole-of-government approach to child care and pledging partnership with business community on solutions 

 

MALDEN – Governor Maura Healey today laid out her administration’s agenda to make early education and child care more affordable and accessible for all families across Massachusetts. The Governor will highlight these programs in her State of the Commonwealth address tomorrow and propose the funding in her Fiscal Year 2025 budget next week. 

 

The “Gateway to Pre-K” agenda includes four key components: 

 

· Delivering universal, high-quality preschool access for four-year-olds in all Gateway Cities by the end of 2026. Every family of a 4-year-old in these 26 communities will have the opportunity – at a low or no cost -- to enroll their child in a high-quality preschool program that prepares them for kindergarten. 

· Increasing Child Fare Financial Assistance (CCFA) eligibility from 50 percent of the state median income (SMI) to 85 percent SMI to help an additional 4,000 low-and moderate-income families afford care.  

· Continuing Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants in FY25, providing stable funding for programs to improve quality, pay facility costs, and hire more staff, thereby creating more classrooms where families can enroll their children in affordable child care.  

· Signing an executive order to recognize the essential role child care plays in driving the state’s economy and competitiveness forward and directing the Healey-Driscoll administration to take a whole-of-government approach to ensuring affordable, high-quality child care. 

 

“Our ‘Gateway to Pre-K' agenda will fundamentally transform the early education system in Massachusetts. We’re lowering costs for families to enroll their children in child care and Pre-K and ensuring our hardworking providers have the support they need to deliver high-quality care,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Far too many parents are being held back from returning to the workforce because of the daunting cost of child care, and providers are facing the difficult decision between continuing in the profession they love or leaving for a higher-paid career. Our budget proposal will help to relieve those pressures by expanding high-quality Pre-K access, delivering more financial assistance to thousands more families, and sustaining our historic investments in C3 grants to providers.” 

 

“As Governor Healey and I travel around the state, we hear about the high cost of child care and the impact that is having on families and business. We have made many positive strides in year one, and we are taking even bigger and bolder action in the next few years so that regardless of zip code or economic background, our youngest learners can access the high-quality education they need to succeed in school and beyond, while also supporting our local economy and communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.  

 

“Governor Healey gets it: child care is the key to unlocking Massachusetts’ economic potential,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. "Federal pandemic relief funding proved that with public investment and a commitment to working families, we can expand access to care, cut costs for parents, and enable businesses to thrive. I am grateful to Governor Healey for taking on this urgent challenge and for being my partner in the fight for affordable, accessible care. As Massachusetts takes this step forward, I will continue pushing in Washington for the resources and solutions we need to ensure our early education and care system truly works for working families.” 

 
 

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) currently administers the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI), which establishes a district–wide preschool program across classes in public and community-based early education and care programs. As a result, every 4-year-old receives equitable access to high quality preschool, while ensuring families have multiple provider options to choose from. This levels the playing field for kindergarten readiness across the district, establishing coordinated curriculum and similar goals regardless of where a child is enrolled. CPPI funding also provides scholarships to participating families to enroll at no or low cost and enables full day/full year services through the mix of public and community classrooms. Further, CPPI promotes equitable access to special education to ensure full inclusion of children with disabilities through the least restrictive settings.  

 

CPPI is currently in 12 Gateway Cities (Brockton, Fall River, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, New Bedford, Salem, Springfield and Westfield). Through investments in the FY25 budget, the administration is proposing to expand CPPI into the 14 remaining Gateway Cities over the next two years. 

 

Governor Healey announced her Gateway to Pre-K agenda in Malden, an example of a Gateway City that has benefited from CPPI, providing access to high quality preschool through multiple partners: Malden Public Schools, Malden Early Education and Learning Program, Cheverus Catholic School, Little Love Bugs Daycare, My Best Friends Child Care, and Malden YMCA. Through CPPI, Malden has standardized the use of a high-quality preschool curriculum that integrates evidence-based practices in early literacy, as well as coordinates and intentionally aligns policies, assessments, and professional development. Although the CPPI program is relatively new, Malden leaders have already noticed the significant impact. 

 

"CPPI has made a meaningful difference in our district - developing partnerships between school districts and local early education programs provides an equal playing field so that every preschooler in our community is on the same plan and has access to the same resources and materials. I am excited to see this program expand into more programs and communities, and I want to thank Governor Healey and the Administration for making this important announcement in our community,” said Malden Mayor Gary Christenson. 

 

“We all in Malden Public Schools love this program because we see it is going to have a big trajectory, big picture for students from prekindergarten to grade 12 to be ready for what every they want to do in life. It also allows our teachers and the community-based teachers to share in best practices and professional development, furthering their impact and sense of community,” said Malden Public Schools Superintendent Ligia Noriega-Murphy. 

 

Massachusetts’ child care financial assistance programs help families pay for early education and care programs by covering all or a percentage of the cost of care based on their income. Current initial eligibility is at or below 50 percent SMI, meaning families earning less than $49,467 annually for a family of two and $61,106 for a family of three. Federal rules allow states to go up to 85 percent SMI. By increasing eligibility to 85 percent SMI, more low-and moderate-income families, including staff working in education and care programs, get help paying for care. That means families earning less than annually $84,094 for a family of two and $103,880 for a family of three will now be eligible for help paying for care. 

 

C3 has been a game changer for child care programs and families, helping to not only keep over 7,000 programs open, but also supporting over 42,000 educators. C3 enables programs to better recruit and retain their staff, increase compensation, and invest in high-quality initiatives so that costs aren’t passed onto parents. The C3 program was initially supported primarily by federal dollars, but as those funds were set to expire, Governor Healey last year proposed continuing the funding with 100 percent state dollars for the first time. This proposal was supported by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Healey. The investment helped to stabilize the early education system and contributed to 7 percent increase in the number of child care programs, adding more than 10,600 child care slots across the state. Continuing C3 will enable programs to remain open and continue supporting system-wide growth through investments in workforce, quality, and affordability. 

 

“Within my first week in this administration, Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll let me know that they were looking for a solution for the challenges facing our child care system. Our bold new early education agenda goes further than providing a solution, it spells out our plan for fundamental transformation,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “We know that child care and preschool are critical for the success of our early learners, and provide an essential backbone to our economy by supporting working parents. Our ‘Gateway to Pre-K' approach is more of an educational prerogative—it’s an economic imperative.”  

 

“Early education is foundational to closing the opportunity gap in Massachusetts - bringing economic equity and mobility to families as well as educational opportunities to their children. Access to affordable child care is also an engine of the state’s economy, enabling families of all income levels to participate in our workforce,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “I am grateful to Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll for these bold actions and look forward to working in partnership with the Legislature and our diverse network of early education programs, educators, families, and business leaders to move these efforts forward to build an affordable, equitable, and high-quality early education system for all Massachusetts families.”  

 

Governor Healey also signed an Executive Order directing her administration to take a whole of government approach to child care, which impacts all aspects of life in Massachusetts. It will bring together teams from housing, child care, education, economic development, workforce development, health care and human services to work in partnership with the business community to develop new, and innovative strategies to expand access, build new facilities and reduce costs for families. State agencies will pay particular attention to the need for workforce training and apprenticeships, and will review employer tax credits or other incentives for offering or assisting with employee child care.  

 

“Child care solutions are a critical enabler for economic growth in Massachusetts,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “The Gateway to Pre-K initiative will empower members of our workforce and businesses across the state and make Massachusetts more competitive, affordable, and equitable.” 

 

“Accessible, affordable, and quality child care is a critical infrastructure for Massachusetts workers and families,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “As an economic imperative, I look forward to working collaboratively with government, business, and community partners to build a strong pipeline of early childhood educators, and strengthen child care as a valuable support for attracting and retaining workers representing businesses and industries statewide.” 

 

This multi-pronged new child care initiative builds on the significant progress that was made during the Healey-Driscoll administration’s first year in office, including the hallmark budget proposal to invest an historic $475 million in state dollars to continue C3 grants when federal funds were sunsetting and reforming the state’s child care financial assistance programs to make them simpler, easier, and to lower costs for families. These new transformative initiatives also build on the administration’s significant provider rate increases and changes approved just last week. 

 

Read today’s executive order. 

麻州推數位平等 聘Ashley Bloom 為首任科技無障礙長

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Hiring of Ashley Bloom as State’s First Chief IT Accessibility Officer  

BOSTON – This week, the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security(EOTSS) announced the hiring of Ashley Bloom, Massachusetts’ first-ever Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer(CIAO). She is just the fourth statewide CIAO in the country。 In this role, she will chair the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board and will be responsible for ensuring that all of the state’s digital applications are fully functional and accessible for all Massachusetts residents. Bloom brings over 20 years of advancing digital equity in the private and public sectors. She joins the administration from Fidelity Investments where she built a successful accessibility program. 

 

The office of the Chief IT Accessibility Officer was created by Executive Order 614, signed by Governor Healey  last year on the 33^rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Executive Order 614 established the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board to advance the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s goal of providing a more equitable, inclusive, and accessible digital experience for everyone, including those who are blind, have low vision, deaf or hard of hearing, and other disabilities.   

“It was important for our administration to create the Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer and the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board to ensure that all of state government is accessible for all of our residents, including those with disabilities,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Ashley Bloom will be a fantastic addition to the EOTSS team and will build on the work they are already doing to make improvement to our digital services and bring state government directly to people where they are.” 

 

“We’re proud of the work that EOTSS is doing to make meaningful improvements to accessibility of government services, and we know that the addition Ashley Bloom will make those efforts even stronger,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “State government needs to work for everyone, including those with disabilities or difficulty reading or speaking English.” 

 

 “Technology and the digital user experience will be integral to the future of the services and information state government provides,” said EOTSS Secretary and Commonwealth Chief Information Officer Jason Snyder. “With that in mind, we must ensure that we use the workforce, processes and technology at our disposal to expand and facilitate government IT service access for all residents. Ashley brings leadership and experience, both professional and lived, to her work and I look forward to working with her on our shared goals.” 

 

On January 24, Bloom will convene the second meeting of the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board, and her first meeting as Chair. The Board will soon release a request for applications for the Board’s public seats. 

 

“As the first Chief IT Accessibility Officer for Massachusetts, I am honored to serve as a representative and an advocate for the disability community and to help create inclusive access to digital environments,” said Ashley Bloom.  “This role is especially meaningful for me since working toward accessibility for everyone has been a driving passion of mine as a person with a disability.” 

 

As the state’s lead technology and cybersecurity secretariat, EOTSS is charged with the responsibility of coordinating the Administration’s information technology activities and ensuring that all executive department agencies adhere to its published standards, policies, and procedures. This enterprise approach provides a single, comprehensive framework and ensures that the state is in alignment on all technology needs, including data privacy, cybersecurity risk management, and now digital accessibility and equity through the creation of the Digital Accessibility and Equity Program. 

 

In advancing the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s goal to provide an equitable and inclusive digital experience for all residents, EOTSS is engaged in a multi-year digital roadmap project that puts residents at the center of our digital future. EOTSS is committed to providing simple and secure digital experiences that can adapt to people's diverse and changing needs. 

At MLK Breakfast, Governor Healey Announces New Efforts to Expand State Contracts to Diverse Businesses

 At MLK Breakfast, Governor Healey Announces New Efforts to Expand State Contracts to Diverse Businesses  

 Governor Healey will also swear in the state’s first Diverse and Small Business Advisory Board for the Supplier Diversity Office 

 

BOSTON – At today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast, Governor Maura Healey, in partnership with the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), announced additional efforts to increase state contracts with diverse and small businesses by assessing and reopening contracts that can provide such opportunities. This effort also includes swearing in the state’s first Diverse and Small Business Advisory Board for the Supplier Diversity Office. 

"Our administration applies an equity lens to everything we do – and that includes the process to award state contracts. We’re proud to be taking this step to reopen contracts that can provide more opportunities for diverse and small businesses to compete,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re also increasing efforts to reach out directly to diverse entrepreneurs and connect them with the resources they need to succeed, as well as swearing in a group of leaders to offer advice to help guide our efforts to identify and remove barriers for diverse and small businesses.” 

 “These initiatives are focused on making sure that our diverse and small businesses have equal chances to compete for state contracts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Local businesses are the backbone of our state and, as an administration, we’re committed to supporting them in whatever ways we can. This includes opening the door for opportunities with the state and expanding our network of businesses.” 

The state’s purchasing agency, the Operational Services Division (OSD), and the Supplier Diversity Office have partnered to assess and reopen statewide contracts that can provide more opportunities for diverse and small businesses. Together, they have identified opportunities for businesses in information technology, energy and climate action, and in contracts for a range of industries. These newly identified contracts will reopen for new vendors later this year, and regular reviews will be conducted in the future in order to find more opportunities to include new diverse businesses. 
 

As existing contracts reopen, the SDO will reach out directly to diverse entrepreneurs to measure their interest and readiness in bidding on state contracts and to connect them with the available training and technical assistance resources they need, as well as connecting them with the relevant state agencies purchasing goods and services. 

 

Governor Healey also will swear in the first Supplier Diversity Office Diverse and Small Business Advisory Board. The Board is made up of 15 diverse business leaders from across the state and will guide the SDO in its mission and work to identify and remove barriers for diverse and small businesses. The Chair of this Board will be Nicole Obi, President, and CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA). 

 

“I’m thrilled to join the Supplier Diversity Office Small Business Advisory Board,” said Chair Nicole Obi. “It’s our goal to support the administration in their efforts to increase the diversity of the businesses contracted by the state and to advise the administration in the best ways to reach these businesses. Opening the door for opportunity is key to making Massachusetts a more equitable state for all.”  

 

Additional initiatives from the state focused on making more opportunities available to diverse and small businesses include: 

 

• The SDO is proposing updating the definition of “eligible person” in their certification regulations to include US citizens, permanent residents, and persons residing under the color of law. 

• The SDO is looking to expand the available pool of opportunities for diverse and small businesses to include supplier diversity language in grant opportunities that are posted by state agencies as well opening up additional opportunities for diverse businesses in state-funded municipal construction projects. 

 

This announcement follows the launch of a new partnership that will help veteran-owned businesses bid on contracts across the state, an expansion of the state spending benchmarks to LGBTQ+ and disability-owned businesses, and the launch of a new interactive online map that will help state agencies, cities, towns, prime bidders and contractors identify certified diverse business partners.  

These efforts are part of Governor Healey’s commitment that her administration is going to apply an equity lens to everything they do. Other initiatives include: 

• Updated the state’s clemency guidelines to become the first Governor is history to commit to using clemency to address historic and discriminatory wrongs in the criminal justice system. 

• Became the first Governor in recent history to recommend pardons in her first year in office. This year alone, 13 individuals have been pardoned at Governor Healey’s request. 

• Launched an administration-wide equity assessment. 

• Created the position of Director of Rural Affairs to serve as a dedicated advocate and ombudsman for rural communities, responsible for cultivating rural economic development to ensure that state government is attuned to the unique needs of rural communities. 

• Launched the Hate Crimes Awareness and Response Team (HART) within the Massachusetts State Police, which is dedicated to enhancing federal, state and local partnerships and liaising with community leaders to strengthen statewide response to hate crimes and hate-based incidents. 

• Proposed changing the name of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission to MassAbility to better represent the agency’s role in helping those with disabilities gain autonomy and independence. 

• Signed an Executive Order to increase language access across state government by requiring executive department agencies to develop Language Access Plans. 

• Established Governor’s Councils on Black Empowerment and Latino Empowerment. 

• Created the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board to strengthen and advance digital accessibility and equity within state government and created the position of Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer. 

 

The SDO’s mission is to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in state contracting for businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, service-disabled veterans, those with a disability, and LGBT individuals, as well as small Massachusetts businesses. The SDO certifies these businesses and manages several programs that help them enhance their marketability when bidding on public contracts. For more information about the SDO and its programs, visit mass.gov/sdo.