Baker-Polito Administration Announces Transition to Improved Patient Care at Bridgewater State Hospital

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Transition to Improved Patient Care at Bridgewater State Hospital

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that state officials oversaw the transition to a cultural change and new levels of patient care at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) as outlined earlier this year. Early on Sunday, April 9^th, Correct Care Solutions of Tennessee began providing mental health, medical and patient safety services at the forensic psychiatric facility for males and BSH correction officers were re-assigned to prison facilities throughout the Commonwealth.

The transition brought about significant reforms, such as an increase in the number of clinical staff and the closing of the Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU) in favor of providing treatment in the housing units. Correction Officers will continue to provide perimeter security at the BSH facility and transportation services for hospital patients, but will not have day to day interaction with patients.   In addition, two specialty mental health units were opened at the Old Colony Correctional Center on the Bridgewater Complex to provide continued intensive mental health services to the state criminally sentenced population who were once treated at the Bridgewater State Hospital.  As part of Governor Baker’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget proposal, the administration has prioritized $37 million for the clinical services contract at Bridgewater State Hospital to ensure all patients receive appropriate clinical care.

“This administration is committed to real change and to improving the treatment of individuals with serious mental illness at Bridgewater State Hospital,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This significant transition means that patients at the hospital facility will receive the care from staff with behavioral health expertise while correction officers will continue to provide perimeter security.” 

“The handover of patient care as laid out in our contract with Correct Care Solutions is an important milestone in the history of Bridgewater State Hospital and we are proud to be partners in this successful transition whose intent is to bring about a culture change that results in a new level of care,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Dan Bennett. “This would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Massachusetts Corrections Officer Federated Union (MCOFU), the Bridgewater State Hospital Administration, and continuing support from the Governor’s Office.” 

“The administration prioritized funding the new clinical contract at Bridgewater State Hospital to better address the clinical health needs of patients,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore.

“Inpatient management services are now provided by clinically trained, trauma informed, non-uniformed direct care staff as part of DOC’s contract with Correct Care Solutions,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. “This smooth transition of care is a welcome change at Bridgewater and the Department of Mental Health will continue to  consult with DOC on all aspects of mental health care and treatment for patients.”

Correct Care Solutions (CCS) was selected based on its extensive experience in treating individuals with serious behavioral health needs and for its specific knowledge of the Bridgewater State Hospital facility. The company is recognized as a national leader in the reduction of the use of seclusion and restraint and has significantly reduced rates of seclusion and restraint at other psychiatric hospitals where it oversees patient care. The contract was awarded to CCS earlier this year.

TREASURER GOLDBERG LAUNCHES NEW “BRINGING DIVERSITY ON BOARD” INITIATIVE

TREASURER GOLDBERG LAUNCHES NEW “BRINGING DIVERSITY ON

BOARD” INITIATIVE 

Announces Plans to Publish Resource for Companies to Advance Board Diversity

BOSTON – State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg announced the launch of a new initiative today that her office will use to engage directly with board members, corporate leaders, researchers and advocates, focused on exploring challenging barriers to, and successful strategies for, diversifying corporate boards. 

As part of the initiative, “Bringing Diversity on Board,” in May, Goldberg’s office will organize roundtable, working-group discussions focused on various industries – information technology; finance; and health care, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.  Following the roundtables, the Treasurer’s Office will publish a report designed to help companies implement effective strategies for advancing board diversity. 

“In a 21^st century global marketplace, maximizing financial success requires improving boardroom diversity,” said Treasurer Goldberg.  “We look forward to studying proven strategies around the country and engaging with a wide range of corporate leaders and experts to help them drive tangible progress on this critical business issue.” 

Goldberg highlighted that the roundtables will enable an array of stakeholders to engage in robust discussions about not only how to enhance board diversity, but also how diverse governance boards help companies maximize profits, expand business opportunities and best serve the interests of shareholders.  The roundtables will explore industry-specific challenges – from health care, to finance, to technology – related to advancing board diversity. 

Goldberg, who chairs the board of the state’s $62 billion pension fund, has made shareholder engagement and corporate governance key priorities since taking office in 2015.  Under new custom proxy voting guidelines proposed by Goldberg and approved this year, which impact how the pension fund votes as a shareholder in the roughly 9,000 companies it owns stock in, the Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Board now votes against or withholds from all board nominees if less than 30 percent of the company’s board is diverse in terms of gender and race. 

While recognizing the impact of these reforms, Goldberg also noted that voting and enforcement alone cannot change corporate culture and institute the systemic changes needed to accelerate the pace of progress in boardrooms.  The roundtables and subsequent report from the Treasurer’s Office will aim to build upon existing work done by government, corporate, academic and non-profit leaders around the country. 

Individuals interested in learning more about the initiative should email board.diversity@tre.state.ma.us.

TREASURER GOLDBERG LAUNCHES NEW “BRINGING DIVERSITY ON BOARD” INITIATIVE

TREASURER GOLDBERG LAUNCHES NEW “BRINGING DIVERSITY ON

BOARD” INITIATIVE 

Announces Plans to Publish Resource for Companies to Advance Board Diversity

BOSTON – State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg announced the launch of a new initiative today that her office will use to engage directly with board members, corporate leaders, researchers and advocates, focused on exploring challenging barriers to, and successful strategies for, diversifying corporate boards. 

As part of the initiative, “Bringing Diversity on Board,” in May, Goldberg’s office will organize roundtable, working-group discussions focused on various industries – information technology; finance; and health care, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.  Following the roundtables, the Treasurer’s Office will publish a report designed to help companies implement effective strategies for advancing board diversity. 

“In a 21st century global marketplace, maximizing financial success requires improving boardroom diversity,” said Treasurer Goldberg.  “We look forward to studying proven strategies around the country and engaging with a wide range of corporate leaders and experts to help them drive tangible progress on this critical business issue.” 

Goldberg highlighted that the roundtables will enable an array of stakeholders to engage in robust discussions about not only how to enhance board diversity, but also how diverse governance boards help companies maximize profits, expand business opportunities and best serve the interests of shareholders.  The roundtables will explore industry-specific challenges – from health care, to finance, to technology – related to advancing board diversity. 

Goldberg, who chairs the board of the state’s $62 billion pension fund, has made shareholder engagement and corporate governance key priorities since taking office in 2015.  Under new custom proxy voting guidelines proposed by Goldberg and approved this year, which impact how the pension fund votes as a shareholder in the roughly 9,000 companies it owns stock in, the Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) Board now votes against or withholds from all board nominees if less than 30 percent of the company’s board is diverse in terms of gender and race. 

While recognizing the impact of these reforms, Goldberg also noted that voting and enforcement alone cannot change corporate culture and institute the systemic changes needed to accelerate the pace of progress in boardrooms.  The roundtables and subsequent report from the Treasurer’s Office will aim to build upon existing work done by government, corporate, academic and non-profit leaders around the country. 

Individuals interested in learning more about the initiative should email board.diversity@tre.state.ma.us.

漢字文化節逾200人參加

波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉致詞。

中華民國僑務委員會贊助，新英格蘭中文學校協會主辦的2017年「波士頓地區正體漢字文化節」系列活動，4月8日在波士頓僑教中心舉行。一整天的活動包括中華文化常識比賽、國語演講比賽及國語歌唱比賽，計大波士頓地區10餘所中文學校，200餘位學生參加，透過多元有趣的方式，提高學生學習正體中文的興趣。

波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉(右一)和新英格蘭中文學協會會長

陳燕貞(左一)頒發獎狀給比賽優勝學生後合影留念。

波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉應邀出席致詞，對於主辦單位新英格蘭中文學校協會會長陳燕貞長期致力推展正體漢字及我國文化，表達敬意及謝意，也肯定參賽學生的努力，他特別強調，所有的參賽者都已經是優勝者；歐宏偉也和陳燕貞一起頒發獎狀給獲得各組前三名的學生，並合影留念。(圖與文；波士頓僑教中心司君凱)

陳良基籲人才返台

【波士頓產學研科座談 陳良基籲人才回流】

中華民國科技部部長陳良基致詞。

中華民國科技部部長陳良基一行於4月5日至8日訪問波士頓，在駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪及副處長陳銘俊陪同下，參訪波城重要生技產業，並與相關領域專業人士交換意見，亦特別在4月8日下午參加由波士頓台灣人生物科技協會(BTBA)及新英格蘭玉山科技協會(MJNE)在麻省理工學院共同舉辦「波士頓地區產學研科技人士與科技部座談會」，近百位波士頓地區產學研科各界人士出席，僑教中心主任歐宏偉也應邀到場參加。

科技部產學司司長邱求慧簡報台灣生醫產業創新推動方案

座談會由科技部產學司司長邱求慧為大家介紹台灣生醫產業創新推動方案，同時安排與會人士直接和陳良基部長座談交流；陳良基表示，要提升臺灣科技及生技產業，最重要的就是人才，未來將選派臺灣的專才到美國矽谷學習，進行經驗交流，同時也鼓勵海外的專業人才回到臺灣貢獻所長，新竹、臺中及臺南科學園區都有聯繫窗口，可提供諮詢服務。(圖與文:波士頓僑教中心提供)

與會人士近百人，提問踴躍

陳良基訪波士頓與MJNE、BTBA及台裔學子，學人交流

(Boston Orange)科技部部長陳良基訪美團抵美東一連參訪3日後，在最後一天的4月8日，特地透過新英格蘭玉山科技協會(MJNE)、波士頓台灣人生物科技協會(BTBA)安排，和大波士頓本地台裔資深科學家，科技專家及意見領袖交流。

            陳良基率領的訪美團4月5日晚抵達波士頓，接著參訪了「麻省理工學院與哈佛大學合作的布洛德研究院(Broad Institute (Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard) 」，MIT馬丁信託創業中心( Martin Trust Center for MIT)，輝瑞製藥（Pfizer, Inc.），專注於育成新能源產業的綠城實驗室(Greentown Labs)，MIT 醫學工程與科學研究所(Institute for Medical Engineering & Science,  IMES)，MIT媒體實驗室（MIT Media Lab），以及華裔科學家蔣業明（Yet-Ming Chiang）與W. Craig Carter博士以及Throop Wilder所共同創辦的24M Startup等機構、企業，還會晤了去年訪台，獲生技醫藥類唐獎，在基因編輯上備受矚目的張鋒教授，針對先進科技發展與創新運作模式交換意見，也拓展選送學員進入前瞻實驗室參與特定尖端技術專題研究的機會。

            4月7日晚，陳良基部長先和大波士頓地區院士，以及在哈佛大學、MIT任教的教授們座談。4月8日離美前，他又分別透過新英格蘭玉山科技協會，波士頓台灣人生物科技協會，和大波士頓地區台裔資深科學家、意見領袖，科技專家交流座談。

科技部產學司邱求慧司長在座談中簡報台灣的生醫產業創新推動方案，指出台灣已在新竹生醫園區成立「生醫產業創新推動方案執行中心」，由科技部次長擔任推動方案執行中心執行長。將透過跨部會平台，鏈結產學界、醫界及法人機構的資源與能量，發揮產業領航、專案管理及政府智庫角色。

陳良基表示，為強化我國學術研究與產業發展的結合，科技部除了在學術研究、培育人才、產學連結及科研建設等方面持續投資外，還希望能進一步以「打底基礎研究，創造科技價值」、「深耕創新創業，啟動摩爾定律思考」及「以科學人才奠基，連結未來世界」等三大施政主軸，用跳躍式創新思維，來持續強化基礎研究，用科技帶動經濟發展與產業創新

陳良基也藉座談會，向海外學人說明科技部的施政藍圖與強化創新，修訂「科學技術基本法」，放寬學研機構在新創公司兼任職務規定等做法，將配合國家的「十大產業創新」政策，在”亞洲･矽谷、智慧機械、綠能產業、生技醫藥、國防產業、新農業、循環經濟圈、數位經濟與服務業科技創新、文化創意產業科技創新、晶片設計與半導體前瞻科技"等方面，以「連結未來、連結全球、連結在地」為策略主軸，透過引導投入科技預算，驅動臺灣經濟邁向創新發展模式。

科技部表示，該部還在積極強化「海外青年人才歸國方案」，將營造吸引海外青年人才環境，延攬國際優秀人才，以為台灣引進國際新知，帶動新創產業發展。

陳良基率團訪MIT推動博士創新之星計畫

科技部長陳良基（中）、國研院科政中心主任莊裕澤（左）、IMES
運算生理實驗室主持人Roger Mark教授（右）

(Boston Orange) 科技部部長陳良基4月7日率團拜會麻省理工學院醫學工程與科學研究所（IMES），正式啟動科技部與麻省理工學院合作的「博士創新之星－前瞻科技人才海外培訓計畫（LEAP）」。

陳良基訪美團此行，在MIT之外，還和加州大學柏克萊分校、史丹福大學、麻州總醫院等院校、機構簽署了合作備忘錄。

科技部表示，國家實驗研究院科技政策研究與資訊中心將負責選送數名優秀國內博士後研究學者到麻省理工學院，和該校醫學工程與科學研究所（IMES）的博士後交流一年，參與醫療資訊分析領域的研究計畫。

麻省理工學院與科技部合作的實驗室包括運算生理實驗室（Laboratory for Computational Physiology）、整合神經監測及重症醫學資訊實驗室（Integrative Neuromonitoring and Critical Care Informatics Group）、臨床機器學習實驗室（Clinical Machine Learning Group）等。

IMES成立於2012年，主要研究先進醫療器材與開發創新產品，提升美國醫療保健價值，並試圖為愈趨高漲的醫療成本解套，是美國少數在第一線解決臨床醫學所面臨各式挑戰的醫學研究機構。

「博士創新之星－前瞻科技人才海外培訓計畫」（LEAP）是陳良基部長上任後，為培育台灣博士畢業生成為具國際視野與實務經驗之高科技創新創業人才而推動的計畫。該計畫將每年選送50~100名具企圖心的博士級人才，到美國矽谷與波士頓地區的知名學研機構及企業學習，並且參與當地創新創業社群活動，藉此推動台灣產業創新。

            查詢LEAP計畫，可上官網：http://leap.stpi.narl.org.tw

台灣培養智慧醫療人才 和麻州總醫院(MGH)簽約

(Boston Orange) 科技部部長陳良基4月初率團訪美，6日抵達波士頓，見證台灣國家實驗研究院和麻州總醫院(MGH)簽署備忘錄，正式啟動「台灣－波士頓智慧醫療人才培育計畫（簡稱BTH計畫）」。

陳良基此行率團訪美，先到加州參訪史丹佛大學（Stanford）與加州大學柏克萊分校（UC Berkeley），分別簽訂了合作備忘錄，為培育國內創新產業人才打基礎。4月6日再趕到美東，和全美排名前三的麻州總醫院簽署合作備忘錄，並特意選在Ether Dome紀念廳，這醫學史上實施首例乙醚麻醉手術的手術室來舉行簽署儀式，增強雙方合作歷史意義。

「台灣－波士頓智慧醫療人才培育計畫（簡稱BTH計畫）」的備忘錄，由台灣國家實驗研究院科技政策研究與資訊中心主任莊裕澤與麻州總醫院電腦科學實驗室主任 Henry Chueh博士簽署，麻州總醫院院長 Peter Slavin和科技部部長陳良基列席見證。

            今(2017)年9月起，台灣國家實驗研究院將每年選送2~3名具醫療資訊、程式語言設計相關背景，或在智慧醫療領域有專長者，到麻州總醫院電腦科學實驗室接受為期一年的智慧醫療及商業化實務培訓。

            科技部指出，麻州總醫院是哈佛大學醫學院旗下第一個，也是規模最大的教學醫院，以結合尖端臨床藥物與創新科學為使命，每年預算約7.86億美元，其醫學研究計畫規模之大，堪稱全球之最。大波士頓地區則是世界知名學府，醫學中心的集中地，科技先進，創新創業風氣興盛。接受培訓的台灣學員將有機會參與麻州總醫院實驗室的智慧醫療研究計畫，到哈佛醫學院，麻省理工學院史隆管理學院研修生醫資訊，創業發展等課程，也可參與當地新創事業加速器的實際運作，參加各式商業創業競賽，駭客松(Hackathon)，與當地相關領域人士交流，返台後將有助於台灣智慧醫療創新技術的發展，推動相關創業機會。

科技部2017年起推動「博士創新之星－前瞻科技人才海外培訓計畫（LEAP）」。BTH計畫是其中的子計畫之一，旨在鏈結波士頓地區的生技產業聚落資源，培育國內數位醫療創新商業化人才，並藉受訓學員返台後發揮的影響力，來持續擴大數位醫療創業的早期投資及相關社群，加速台灣科技研發成果的產業化，進而推動新創團隊進軍國際市場，驅動台灣新經濟。

            LEAP計畫預定分「產業組」及「學研組」雙軌進行，每年選送50~100名博士級人才到矽谷等國際知名高科技聚落實習或從事研究合作，以為台灣培養具國際視野與戰略思考的創新創業重點人才，帶動台灣生技企業轉型，升級。

            陳良基表示，透過「博士創新之星計畫」，我國優秀博士級人才將有機會親自接觸全球最創新氛圍與最頂尖技術，與國際級企業及頂尖機構連接，進而吸引尖端技術研發團隊到台灣落地深耕，推動台灣成為前瞻技術的研發重鎮。

查詢LEAP計畫相關內容，可參考官方網站：http://leap.stpi.narl.org.tw。