麻州州長繼續鼓勵注射新冠疫苗 6/1 (Video)

 Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito will join Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders to highlight a new mobile vaccination program at select Market Basket locations.

$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.

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.

波士頓代市長及公職參選人站台 誓言反仇恨、支持亞裔 (圖片)

 

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

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today recognized Memorial Day with a virtual tribute honoring our fallen military heroes and their families. The video released today highlights Governor Charlie Baker’s remarks at the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund’s Flag Garden on Boston Common, and a recent visit by Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito to the Massachusetts State Veterans’ Cemetery in Agawam.

 

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.

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.

MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES 2021 SUMMER SAFETY PLAN

MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES 2021 SUMMER SAFETY PLAN Cross-departmental collaborative approach seeks to address the continuum of care of violence prevention     BOSTON - Friday, May 28, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey, the Office of Health and Human Services and Public Safety, and the Boston Police Department yesterday announced the City of Boston’s 2021 Summer Safety Plan. The plan is guided by the public health lens of prevention, intervention, response and recovery initiatives. To prevent violence, the City will direct activities, programs and policies on constructive engagement. For intervention, Boston will employ strategies for behavioral change or improve specific outcomes for specific communities. The City will respond to violence by mitigating community impact and meeting the immediate needs of victims and families. The recovery from violence will ensure ongoing and long-term support for individuals, neighborhoods, and communities as a whole.   The strategies in the Summer Safety Plan represent the work that City departments are currently participating in, while also highlighting the existing gaps in services and funding within Boston’s current reality in the neighborhoods. The City of Boston, in partnership with community-based organizations, is working to address the social determinants of violence, while being intentional about creating pathways to opportunities for all Boston residents.  “As our city recovers from the pandemic, we will strive to make this summer a season of safety and healing. Working together, across departments, we will apply a racial justice lens as we address violence and promote peace using a public health framework of prevention, intervention, response, and recovery,” said Mayor Janey. “I’d like to thank our City departments, community partners, and Boston residents for supporting our comprehensive 2021 Summer Safety Plan to address and prevent violence.” The Violence Prevention Plan is guided by five goals:  1. Scale up prosocial activities, mentoring programs, and employment opportunities to engage more youth Summer creates the need for greater engagement in prevention programming outside of the classroom.  2. Strengthen intervention efforts and suppression of crime in hotspots across the city. Intelligence-driven deployment, targeted engagement with gang-involved young people, and intervention-based services, are particularly important during the summer months. 3. Ensure neighborhoods are supported and connected to resources to help them respond and recover from incidents of violence.  The summer presents a greater need to proactively connect community members to trauma services and other community health initiatives.  4. Expand intentional outreach and engagement for specific populations. Summer requires a focus on youth and young adults engaged in the criminal justice system, proven-risk young people, and underserved groups like girls and those 25-35. 5. Promote positive activities and community engagement in public spaces. Summer gives us the opportunity to bring communities together in parks, playgrounds, and other open spaces to build neighborhood cohesion. To accomplish this, the cross-departmental group will focus on alignment and coordination to connect efforts across City-funded work and community-invested programming, seeking to bring activities to young people. This includes identifying gaps and working to create the needed additional supports and resources. The coordination ensures ongoing, consistent effort to connect the City’s strategy with needs and resources. The entire strategy is conducted through a justice lens, with an intentional focus on the needs of those most impacted by violence in the community and the social inequities and systemic racism that creates such an environment.  In addition to the collaborative efforts led by city departments, Boston is also partnering with community-based organizations by providing grants through the Youth Development Fund. Building on the previously-announced $885,000 awarded to organizations, an additional $100,000 in grants will be available to nonprofits to bolster summer programming and efforts targeting violence prevention.

Baker-Polito Administration Re-Files Bill to Honor Veterans Lost to Service-Related Illness

 Baker-Polito Administration Re-Files Bill to Honor Veterans Lost to Service-Related Illness

Presented to Families, Medal Would Recognize PTSD and Other Service-Related Injuries and Illnesses

 

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration this week re-filed legislation to establish the Massachusetts Medal of Fidelity, which will be presented by the Massachusetts National Guard to the families of veterans who lost their lives to service-related illnesses and injuries.

 

“The Medal of Fidelity is an important opportunity to honor the brave men and women and their families who have served not just the Commonwealth, but the nation,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Service-related injuries and illnesses can persist long past service, and our administration is proud to offer legislation that, if passed, will demonstrate our gratitude for the sacrifices of our veterans and their loved ones.”

 

The bill, entitled “An Act Relative to Establishing the Massachusetts Medal of Fidelity,” will authorize the Commonwealth to award the Medal of Fidelity to the next-of-kin of Massachusetts service members who “died as the result of service-connected diseases, conditions or injuries that are related to either exposure to harmful toxins, herbicides, agents, and materials or service-related post-traumatic stress disorder.”

 

“As we celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, there is no more appropriate time to recommit our administration to our veterans and their service,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Service-related illness and injuries can have devastating impacts on veterans and their families, and these selfless sacrifices should not go unnoticed and unacknowledged.”

 

Complementing the Medal of Liberty, which is presented to the families of Massachusetts veterans who die of combat-related physical injuries, the Medal of Fidelity will recognize service-connected injuries related to exposure to harmful substances, such as Agent Orange, as well as death attributed to service-related mental illness.

 

“We remain committed to honoring the Massachusetts veterans whose military service was inextricably linked with sacrifice,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Tom Turco. “The Medal of Fidelity will memorialize the call to duty that they answered so bravely, recognize the loss that their loved ones still mourn, and properly reflect our understanding that the invisible injuries of war are very real for military families.” 

 

“Those who have selflessly served in the military can endure trauma long beyond their active duty and while some service related health issues, such as PTSD and traumatic brain injury, which affect individual veterans and their loved ones, may be less obvious, they are equally important,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. “The Commonwealth recognizes invisible wounds of war with this new honor.”

 

“The brave men and women who serve in the military suffer visible and invisible trauma. Massachusetts is a leader in providing benefits and services to veterans, and helping veterans access mental health and other services,” said Secretary of Veterans’ Services Cheryl Lussier Poppe. “We can never express enough gratitude for those who have served, but we can take every opportunity to honor and pay our respects to those who give so much to us, and their families.”

 

“This is the first medal of its kind given by the Commonwealth to recognize veterans who have lost their lives because of service-connected illness and injuries,” said Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, The Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard. “It represents the duty and commitment of service members, as well as their faithfulness to the nation. The medal also demonstrates the Commonwealth’s commitment to support them and their families before, during, and after military service.”

 

The bill will also authorize a commission to make Medal of Fidelity award recommendations to the Governor. The commission will be composed of The Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard and two field grade officers of the armed forces of the Commonwealth.

薩福克郡治安官舉辦首次現場波士頓市長候選人論壇 (now)

https://www.facebook.com/SCSDMA/videos/1778105655724793

Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Mayoral Forum

Boston Mayoral Candidates Forum 2021

Hosted by Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins & The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department

House of Corrections

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

黃一峰急需配對骨髓救命 親友集資1萬美元要謝捐贈者

                (Boston Orange)加州檢察官黃一峰的親友呼籲，”44歲以下年輕人，請上「亞裔捐贈計畫網站aadp.org」，登記捐贈骨髓，救人一命”。配對成功，獎勵一萬美金。

               加州聖他克拉拉縣資深華裔檢察官黃一峰（Charlie Huang）白血病復發，親友全力為他尋找匹配骨髓多時，迄今仍未覓得。由於黃一峰必須在6月底前找到匹配骨髓，他們在和時間賽跑，現集資1萬美元，希望鼓勵更多年輕人盡快登記捐贈，參與配對，以期挽救他的生命。

               現年45歲的黃一峰是前南灣華僑文教服務中心主任黃公弼的兒子，在加州南灣地方檢察官辦公室工作了20年，2010年協助成立全國亞太裔檢察官協會，2019年罹患侵略性白血病，不到一年康復，現又復發。

民眾在亞裔捐贈計畫網站aadp.org或bethematch.org註冊加入後，約三到五天會收到檢測盒，寄出檢測盒後，需要兩到三週，資料才會進入全國數據庫。

由於骨髓捐贈年齡限制44歲以下年輕人，黃一峰的親友希望各界熱心人士協助廣告周知這一訊息，讓更多年輕人知道，他們有機會救人一命。

徐小培彈奏巴哈境界高 樂評家:堪為記錄

徐小培演奏。(中華表演藝術基金會提供)

             (Boston Orange) 中華表演藝術基金會5月14日晚在波士頓伊莎貝拉美術（Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum)舉辦徐小培鋼琴演奏會。樂評家稱許她彈奏巴哈境界之高，堪為記錄。

               這是中華表演基金會自2020年11月以來的第五場現場音樂會。雖然可以親自到場出席的聽眾人數，已由10人增加到64人，出席者仍嚴守保持安全社交距離，全體戴口罩的規定。

               剛取得波士頓大學音樂博士學位的鋼琴家徐小培，在伊莎貝拉美術館新穎美觀的四層樓高，可容300人的Calderwood大廳中，演奏多首由古至今的作品。

上半場她演奏的是李斯特根據巴哈所寫的幻想曲，賦格曲；根據舒伯特兩首歌曲所寫的鋼琴曲；鋼琴家駱奇偉根據Florence Price兩首歌曲改編的鋼琴曲；及Earl Wild根據Gershwin兩首歌曲寫的鋼琴曲。作曲家Florence Price 1906年畢業於紐英倫音樂學院，是美國非裔女作曲家中作品獲得全美五大樂團之一芝加哥交響樂團首演的第一位。

下半場她演奏了舒伯特的經典巨作第20號A大調D. 959奏鳴曲。

波士頓音樂雜誌（The Boston Musical Intelligencer）有50多年經驗，專評寫鍵盤音樂的資深樂評David Moran在場仔細傾聽，並以“燦爛明晰的徐小培”做文章標題的來稱讚。他 說: 『徐小培是一位強有力的鋼琴家。她在伊莎貝拉美術館的表現正如一位專業的雕刻家，用鏟子創造出不同風格的作品，每件作品都像是敬業的珠寶師，仔細精準做出的成品，的確可作為他人的榜樣。她所彈的李斯特依據巴哈的幻想曲及賦格曲所寫的兩首鋼琴曲，可謂已達極至，不可能有比她更有改進的表演了。幾十年來我聽過此曲演奏無數次，但沒有比今晚更好的律韻，更清新的音色，能把巴哈彈到如此境界，她已留下了一個永久性的標誌。』

               徐小培自小獲獎無數，從紐英倫音樂學院畢業後，陸續得到耶魯大學碩士，波士頓大學音樂博士學位。她曾應邀和波士頓交響樂流行樂團（The Boston Pops Orchestra)在波士頓交響廳 (Boston Symphony Hall)演出。鋼琴泰斗Martha Argerich 曾公開稱讚她是: 『敏感的鋼琴家，也是多彩的藝術家。』

徐小培除鋼琴外，在繪畫方面也表現傑出。她的作品有些獲Clara Haskil 比賽的評委收集並發表。

               本場音樂會的全場錄像已經放上YouTube: http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/contents/season/20210514/index.html

中華表演藝術基金會接下來在6月5日及6月12日還有兩場免費音樂會。預約已將客滿。歡迎愛樂者樂捐支助場租演出費和各種費用。免稅捐款可上:

http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/donation/index.htm。