MIRA 11/15 慶祝感恩節

 Dear Friend,

Join Us for MIRA’s Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon, Our Shared Table

Tuesday, November 15th, 2016

Massachusetts State House

11:30 am – 1:00 pm

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) invites you to share a Thanksgiving meal with immigrant and refugee communities, service providers, and legislators on November 15th, from 11:30 am to 1 pm at the Massachusetts State House.

Our Shared Table highlights the positive impact of immigrants in Massachusetts. We join together to celebrate our state and our country’s immigrant heritage, and to recognize the countless contributions of immigrants past and present to thesocial and economic well-being of our Commonwealth.

Our Shared Table is open and free for all, but we cannot guarantee seating in the event hall. To join us, register here or RSVP at 617 350 5480 (ext  218)

Please consider making a donation to Our Shared Table.  All proceeds raised over the cost of the event benefit MIRA’s immigrant & refugee integration and advocacy programs.

Thanksgiving at the State House

Tuesday, Nov. 15th, 2016

11:30 am – 1 pm

Great Hall, State House

24 Beacon St.

Boston, MA 02133

波士頓公校總動員 6500名中學生參加STEM課

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh, 右起)，波士頓公校總監張欽棠 (Thomas Chang)，波士頓學校委員會主席Michael O'Neill等人為 數理科學週( STEM Week)開幕致詞。(周菊子攝) 波士頓市長馬丁華殊與學生對話。(周菊子攝) 出席嘉賓合影。(周菊子攝) Boston Public Schools Pioneer STEM Immersion Program with Boston STEM Week

Boston Public Schools partner with i2 Learning, City of Boston, MIT and MathWorks to bring innovative hands-on STEM learning experiences to middle school classrooms

Boston, MA - October 3, 2016 - Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang joined Mayor Martin J. Walsh, School Committee Chairperson Michael O'Neill, and i2 Learning Founder Ethan Berman in kicking off STEM Week at the Perry K-8 School in South Boston.  "Our country's future engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs are sitting right here in our Boston Public Schools' classrooms," said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "Boston STEM Week showcases the best of our city's education, business and nonprofit communities. We know that our BPS students can succeed at anything they set their minds to, and this week is an opportunity to showcase STEM opportunities to middle school students." This week, October 3-7, more than 6,500 sixth, seventh and eighth grade students from 36 Boston middle schools will be transformed into scientists and engineers as they are introduced to the engineering design process and use hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum as part of the first-ever, week-long Boston STEM Week.  "It is important that we are consistently providing our students with access to STEM education," said School Committee Chairperson Michael O'Neill. "When our students are thinking critically and are maximizing their academic growth, our district is excelling. On behalf of the School Committee, I want to thank everyone who makes Boston STEM Week possible." Students and teachers will work together to explore space, build robots, and practice surgical techniques leveraging active learning in STEM to solve real-world problems that encourage hands-on experimentation, critical thinking and collaboration.  "Boston STEM Week is more than just a singular event; it is a catalyst for change," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang. "This program will have a long-term impact on the city, starting with teacher development and continuing through to further develop critical thinking skills and confidence over the course of the week. I am excited that Boston is a pioneer in this movement that will hopefully expand beyond our city walls." The five-day program will replace students' regular classes with an immersive curriculum developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), i2 Learning and other leading STEM organizations that includes investigations drawn from many subject areas. Students will be exposed to the engineering design process in hands-on STEM courses that develop students' 21st century skills such as interdisciplinary problem solving, perseverance and collaboration. Boston STEM Week curriculum also meets many of the Massachusetts Science, Technology & Engineering standards and Common Core Mathematics and English Language Arts standards. "MIT believes it is essential to spark students' curiosity, creativity and motivation early on," said Sanjay Sarma, vice president for open learning, MIT. "We are excited to bring a creative, challenging and fun approach to practicing these skills to Boston STEM Week students and teachers." Boston STEM Week challenges the traditional middle school structure and encourages students to use their heads, hands and the people around them to make connections and succeed in an environment similar to that of college or the workforce. Incorporating hands-on activities in STEM is considered best practice according to the National Science Teachers Association Board[1] and recent student scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress justify this[2]. An independent evaluation of i2 Learning programs during the 2015-16 school year revealed students who participated exhibited significant increases in engagement in STEM, along with a stronger desire to learn engineering[3]. These indicators are especially important during the middle school years, when interest and intention to pursue STEM tends to decline. "Programs like Boston STEM Week are vital to building the pipeline of technology professionals that are so desperately needed in the workforce," said Jack Little, CEO of MathWorks. "This demand is present in every sector of business in today's technology economy, and feeding that pipeline begins at the elementary and middle school levels."  Boston STEM Week is funded through foundation and corporate support and is provided at no cost to Boston Public Schools. The week-long program was developed by i2 Learning in collaboration with lead sponsor MathWorks, curriculum partner MIT, program sponsors Vertex, Lynch Foundation and Boston Foundation. "As part of our long-standing partnership with Boston Public Schools, we're thrilled to support programs like Boston STEM Week that help prepare students for future success and equip them with the skills needed to become the next generation of STEM leaders," said Dr. Jeffrey Leiden, Chairman, President and CEO of Vertex. In addition to the innovative curriculum and learning approach, volunteers from STEM corporations will visit the classrooms as part of Boston STEM Week, giving students a view into career pathways in STEM. Boston STEM Week will culminate with a student-led showcase at each school, where students will present their work to their families, friends and communities. School administrators interested in bringing STEM Week to your school, and corporations and foundations interested in getting involved, connect here. For a full list of participating schools, curriculum courses and more, please visit BostonSTEMWeek.org and follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

MAYOR WALSH & RED SOX PROPOSE "DAVID ORTIZ DRIVE" TO HONOR CAREER OF RED SOX PLAYER

MAYOR WALSH & RED SOX PROPOSE "DAVID ORTIZ DRIVE" TO HONOR CAREER OF RED SOX PLAYER

BOSTON - Monday, October 3, 2016 - To honor David Ortiz's career with the Boston Red Sox, Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Red Sox announced that they will create a David Ortiz Drive in the City of Boston. The street under consideration is currently called Yawkey Way Extension. The Mayor made the announcement at a pre-game ceremony honoring Ortiz at Fenway Park on Sunday, October 2. "David Ortiz is a true Bostonian and he embodies the spirit of our great City," said Mayor Walsh. "I am proud that the City of Boston is able to honor his career and legacy with the Red Sox and show our gratitude for all of his contributions to our community and beyond." Yawkey Way Extension connects Maitland Street and Brookline Avenue. As a new street built in 2013, it was given that temporary name. The street serves as an important connection between Fenway Park and the MBTA's Yawkey Station. Most notably, a pedestrian plaza along the street is lined with all the retired numbers of Red Sox greats. Street name changes must be approved by the City of Boston's Public Improvement Commission. The PIC expects to hear the petition from the Red Sox formally requesting this name change before Opening Day 2017.

MAYOR WALSH LAUNCHES BOSTON'S 'SAFEST DRIVER' COMPETITION

MAYOR WALSH LAUNCHES BOSTON'S 'SAFEST DRIVER' COMPETITION

Smartphone app competition allows drivers to score themselves and win prizes

BOSTON - Monday, October 3, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh, the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics and the Vision Zero Task Force, in partnership with Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) and the Arbella Insurance Foundation, today announced the launch of the Boston's Safest Driver Competition, a smartphone based app that scores drivers on five behaviors associated with safer driving. Drivers from the Metro Boston area are invited to compete for over $9,000 in prizes by downloading the app and practicing safe driving on the roads. "Our top priority is creating streets that are safe for Boston's pedestrians, cyclists and drivers," said Mayor Walsh. "We know that when drivers are more attentive, we save lives, and this new competition is a fun way to encourage drivers to use more caution when traveling on our streets. I thank Cambridge Mobile Telematics and the Arbella Insurance Foundation for their partnership." The Boston's Safest Driver Competition allows participants to challenge their friends, see how they rank in their community, and win prizes for improvement each week. Between now and December 3, participants can download the app and win one of a dozen weekly prizes for everything from having the top score, to being the best new driver, to taking car-free trips. Funding for prizes has been provided by the Insurance Foundation and the Cambridge Mobile Telematics donated technology services for competition. The competition will culminate in mid-December with the crowning of the Safest drivers in the region. A major goal of the program is to allow users to self-reflect on their own driving habits, particularly distractions from mobile phones, which the app informs the user about after a drive has been completed. According to the United States Department of Transportation, 3,179 people were killed and 431,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2014. "The Arbella Insurance Foundation has been on the front lines of the fight against distracted driving for more than 7 years and we're proud to partner with the City of Boston on this first-of-its-kind city-run competition," said John Donohue, chairman, president and CEO of the Arbella Insurance Group, and chairman of the Arbella Insurance Foundation. "We're committed to making our streets safer and the Boston's Safest Driver competition is the perfect way for the community to come together to achieve this goal." The app, developed by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, provides feedback to drivers on five metrics for each trip they take: rapid acceleration, harsh braking, sharp turns, at-risk speeding, and phone distraction. The app logs trips while in the background on the user's phone, and the driver is alerted afterwards of their score for that trip, told how they did on the different factors, and provided with helpful tips to improve in the future. "Many people blame smartphones for an increase in distracted driving, and there is some truth to that. Over the past several years, right here in Boston, our team at CMT has shown that smartphone technology can help make people better drivers. The Safest Driver app uses phone sensors to measure distraction and other aspects of risky driving," said Hari Balakrishnan, CTO of Cambridge Mobile Telematics. "We are delighted to partner with the Mayor's Office to bring this engaging app to our City and make Boston's roads safer." In 2015, Mayor Walsh launched Vision Zero Boston as a commitment to focus the City's resources on eliminating fatal and serious traffic crashes in Boston by 2030. The Vision Zero initiative explicitly promises action on addressing distracted driving, reducing speeding, and the exploration of new engagement strategies - all goals that sparked the partnership between CMT and the City.CMT, a spinoff from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, is pioneering advanced telematics and behavioral analytics technologies to develop innovative safe-driving programs. About The Mayor's Office of Urban Mechanics The Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics serves as the City's innovation incubator, building partnerships between internal agencies and outside entrepreneurs to pilot projects that address resident needs. Their streetscape work spans ways to make the transportation experience better for users, through products like the ParkBoston app, to working on the impact that autonomous vehicles could have on people in Boston. Their approach to innovation is human-centered, nimble and responsive to the changing needs of our growing City. About Arbella Insurance Foundation Established in 1988, the Arbella Insurance Group is a company with over $850 million in revenue with over $1 billion in assets, headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts. Arbella is a customer-focused regional property and casualty insurance company, providing personal and business insurance in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and business insurance in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. Arbella Insurance Group founded the Arbella Insurance Foundation in 2004. The mission of Arbella's Foundation is to engage in activities and to support not-for-profit organizations that have a significant positive impact on the people and communities served by Arbella. About Cambridge Mobile Telematics Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) makes roads and drivers safer around the world. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and founded in 2010 by two MIT professors and experienced entrepreneurs, CMT pioneered smartphone-based telematics and behavioral analytics, including new approaches to usage and behavior-based insurance. CMT's award-winning DriveWell program is now used in numerous successful safe-driving apps and programs in many countries around the globe, with a proven record of changing driver behavior: an average reduction of 35% in phone distraction, 20% in hard braking, and 20% in at-risk speeding, all within less than 30 days of drivers using the app. For more information, please visit cmtelematics.comand follow on Twitter @cmtelematics.

CITY OF BOSTON AND COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HOST SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE FAIR

CITY OF BOSTON AND COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HOST SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE FAIR

Event included networking opportunities, workshops and keynote address from Legal Sea Foods President and CEO Roger Berkowitz

Participants at Wednesday's Small Business Resource Fair at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury. BOSTON - Friday, September 30, 2016 - The City of Boston's Office of Economic Development and the Massachusetts' Office of Business Development on Wednesday hosted a Small Business Resource Fair at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury. The event marked the first time local city, state, and federal agencies have collaborated to showcase the full range of government resources available to assist in starting, growing and expanding small businesses. "From day one, Mayor Walsh has been committed to providing Boston's over 40,000 small businesses with the tools and resources necessary to operate and thrive throughout all neighborhoods in the City of Boston," said Chief of Economic Development John Barros. "Small businesses create jobs, wealth and opportunity for the City's workforce and are the heart of Boston's economy. I'm thrilled we are able to showcase the support the Boston offers, and connect businesses with city, state and federal resources available." The free event, attended by over 200 members of the small business community, featured assets available through the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that support and foster small business development. There were over 30 small business support organizations, and two workshops that guided small businesses through resources available at the City and State level,as well as explained how to navigate government resources for contracting and procurement opportunities. "Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and ensuring these important employers have access to the resources they need is essential for the continued growth of Boston and the Commonwealth," said Deputy Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Carolyn Kirk. "We are committed to collaborating with local, state and federal partners to connect our small businesses to new opportunities." The day kicked off with a speaking program moderated by the U.S. Small Business Administration and featured Carolyn Kirk, Deputy Secretary, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; John Barros, Chief of Economic Development for the City of Boston; and ended with a keynote address by Roger Berkowitz, President and CEO of Legal Sea Foods. Boston's Small Business Plan, released in March 2016, aims to make the small business economy thrive, to enhance neighborhood vibrancy, and to foster economic and social inclusion and equity. This small business resource fair, coupled with supportive policies and expert guidance, is one of the many tactics the City is implementing a high-quality, efficient support system for Boston's small business economy. About the Mayor's Office of Economic Development The Economic Development Cabinet's mission is to make Boston an appealing place for working families, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors to innovate, grow and thrive in a way that fosters inclusion, broadens opportunity, and shares prosperity, thereby enhancing the quality of life for all Bostonians and the experience for all visitors. For more information, visit the Economic Development website. About The Massachusetts Office of Business Development The Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD) is the state's one-stop source for businesses seeking to relocate to Massachusetts and businesses wishing to expand their current operations here. We offer a range of expertise and services to help your business flourish in Massachusetts. Our staff operates in regions across the state, so we provide you with on-the-ground knowledge and viable connections for your business.  We work closely with the private and public sectors to coordinate a whole range of resources at your disposal. MODB is an operating division of the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development.

BOSTON WOMEN'S WORKFORCE COUNCIL (BWWC) HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

BOSTON WOMEN'S WORKFORCE COUNCIL (BWWC) HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE

BOSTON - Friday, September 30, 2016 - Reaffirming his commitment to making Boston the best place in the country for working women, Mayor Walsh today took part in the Boston Women's Workforce Council's (BWWC) second annual Best Practices Conference. More than 200 participants representing the 165 signers of the 100% Talent Compact attended today's conference, where they participated in roundtable discussions focused on best practices, guided by pro-bono facilitators from McKinsey & Co. The conference featured more than 20 CEOs and senior executives from leading businesses and organizations in the greater Boston area dedicated to closing the pay gap. The Boston Women's Workforce Council is a public-private partnership between the City of Boston, the business community and Simmons College, which seeks to eliminate the gender wage gap through employer-informed, data-driven change. Since forming in 2013, 165 companies have joined the BWWC to sign the "Boston: 100% Talent Compact," committing themselves toevaluating - and taking concrete steps to close - the wage gap at their organizations. "Ensuring pay equity in the City of Boston has been a priority for me since taking office," said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "I want to thank all the companies that have signed onto the 100% Talent Compact -- and I want to stress that this conference is about taking action. Together, we can work to create real change. It is important for the City of Boston, and all our residents, that we continue to empower women and fight for equal pay for equal work." Starting off today's conference were BWWC co-chairs Cathy Minehan, former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and most recently Dean of the Simmons College School of Management, and Evelyn Murphy, former Lieutenant Governor and President and Founder of The WAGE Project. "Our new source of data, reported by companies in the greater Boston area that want to solve the problem of wage equity, combined with those companies sharing best practices, will move Boston to the forefront of US cities in making the best use of its talent," said Minehan. Shari Slate, Vice President, Chief Inclusion and Collaboration Officer at Cisco gave the keynote address, sharing Cisco's experience with prioritizing pay equity in every aspect of the company, the steps they took to analyze their data and lessons learned as a signer of the White House Pay Equity Pledge, modeled after the work done in Boston. The best practices shared at today's conference will be included in a report out later this fall, which will also highlight the findings of the first ever data collection conducted by the BWWC last May. Roundtable Discussion Hosts: Eddie Ahmed, Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at MassMutual Jim Boyle, CEO & Chairman of Sustainability Roundtable Lisa Brothers, Chairman & CEO of Nitsch Engineering Peter Curran, Chief of Human Resources at Putnam Investments Sandra Fenwick, President & CEO of Boston Children's Hospital Sylvia Ferrell-Jones, President & CEO of YW Boston Carol Fulp, CEO of The Partnership Jay Gonzalez, President & CEO of Celticare Shira Goodman, CEO of Staples Kerry Healey, President of Babson College Joanne K. Hilferty, President & CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries Dr. Thomas Lynch, CEO of Mass General Physicians Organization Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan MD, MBA, President & CEO of Dimock Jodie Morrison, CEO & President of Tokai Pharmaceuticals G. Michael Palladino, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Robert Petrucelli, President & CEO of Associated General Contractors of Mass Collette A.M Phillips, President & CEO of Colette Phillips Communications Pam Randhawa, CEO & Founder of Empiriko James E. Rooney, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Jerry Rubin, President & CEO of Jewish Vocational Services Marilyn Swartz-Lloyd, President & CEO of MASCO About the Office of Women's Advancement The Office of Women's Advancement is an embodiment of Mayor Walsh's commitment to advancing and supporting women in Boston. We provide a permanent, effective voice for all female residents of Boston by working inclusively with public, private, and nonprofit partners on key issues that significantly affect women and girls. Our mission is to advocate for equal opportunity for women in all arenas of our city. We provide educational opportunities for women that emphasize economic equality, and the health and safety of all women. About the Boston Women's Workforce Council The Boston Women's Workforce Council's mission is to work with the businesses in the Greater Boston area in a private-public endeavor to eliminate the gender wage gap, remove the visible and invisible barriers to women's advancement, and ensure that 100% of the talent pool is used to make Boston the best area in the country for working women.

HOME HEALTH AGENCY CRIMINALLY CHARGED FOR DEFRAUDING STATE MEDICAID PROGRAM MORE THAN $800,000

HOME HEALTH AGENCY CRIMINALLY CHARGED FOR DEFRAUDING STATE MEDICAID PROGRAM MORE THAN $800,000

Defendants Allegedly Routinely Overbilled MassHealth, Falsely Billed for Unauthorized Services that Were Never Provided 

BOSTON – A Worcester-based home health agency and three individuals have been indicted in connection with allegations that they stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the state’s Medicaid program (MassHealth) by routinely overbilling and falsely billing for services that were not authorized or provided to patients, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

“Our MassHealth program exists to assist people who are truly in need of health-related services, but this home health agency instead exploited this program to bilk hundreds of thousands of dollars from the state,” AG Healey. “We will continue to aggressively pursue those who use fraudulent means and theft to pad their own pockets at the expense of patients and taxpayers.”   

                                                                                         

Compassionate Homecare, Inc. (CHC), owner Francis Kimaru, chief operating officer Wilberto Rodriguez, and administrator Deborah Giordano were indicted on Thursday by a Statewide Grand Jury on the following charges:

Compassionate Homecare

·         Larceny by False Pretense (4 counts)

·         Medicaid False Claims (5 counts)

Francis Kimaru, 41, North Grafton, MA

·         Larceny by False Pretense (1 counts)

·         Medicaid False Claims (2 counts)

Wilberto Rodriguez, 31, Norwich, CT

·         Larceny by False Pretense (2 counts)

·         Medicaid False Claims (3 counts)

Deborah Giordano, 57, West Greenwich, RI

·         Larceny by False Pretense (1 count)

·         Medicaid False Claims (2 counts)

The defendants will be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court at a later date.

CHC is headquartered in Worcester with branch offices in West Springfield and Lawrence. It was established to provide home health services to individuals covered by the MassHealth program, including skilled nursing and home health aide (HHA) visits.

The AG’s Office began an investigation after a physician complained that CHC was seeking authorization to provide services, through “phony” referral forms, for patients who had no medical need for home health services. MassHealth also referred the case to the AG’s Office after alleging misconduct. The AG’s investigation revealed that from 2011 to February 2016, CHC allegedly billed MassHealth through numerous fraudulent schemes.

Investigators allege that CHC recruited a significant number of patients who required no health-related services and who were fully capable of performing their own activities of daily living. 

The AG’s Office alleges that CHC, through Kimaru, Rodriguez and Giordano, routinely and knowingly billed MassHealth for services that had not been authorized by a physician in violation of MassHealth regulations.

The AG’s investigation also revealed that in several instances, CHC altered records on plans of care to omit notations by physicians denying home health services to make it appear as if services were authorized. In addition, CHC allegedly forged physicians’ signatures in some cases after the physicians explicitly refused to authorize services.

CHC also allegedly billed for services that it never provided to MassHealth members, including instances where the company billed for home health services while members were at inpatient facilities.

As a result of its investigation to date, the AG’s Office has identified $815,588.61 that MassHealth paid CHC for services that were either not authorized or never provided.           

MassHealth provides healthcare products and services to eligible low-income individuals, including people with disabilities, children and senior citizens.

All of these charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

               This matter was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Nita Klunder and Casey Groff, Investigators Gregoire Ucuz and Andrew Lutynski, all of AG Healey’s Medicaid Fraud Division, Special Agents from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the AG’s Victim/Witness Services Division. The Massachusetts State Police and MassHealth assisted in this investigation.