BHS Doctor Honored As 2017 Community Clinician of the Year

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Dr. Linda F. Smothers

WALTHAM, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems physician Dr. Linda F. Smothers has been honored by her physician peers of the Berkshire District Medical Society as the district’s 2017 Community Clinician of the Year, an award recognizing her professionalism and contributions as a physician. She received the award at the district’s annual meeting last month at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield.

Board-certified in adult psychiatry, Dr. Smothers is the medical director of Acute Care Services of Berkshire Health Systems and The Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, a community-based, non-profit agency providing care for children, adolescents, adults and families who suffer from chronic mental illness, substance use disorder, and behavioral health disorders. She has provided care as a community psychiatrist to patients throughout Berkshire County for more than 20 years in outpatient and hospital settings, emergency departments and nursing homes.

Smothers earned her bachelor’s degree from California State University and her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She is an annual participant in the Crisis Intervention Training for Law Enforcement sponsored by the Berkshire Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a program that educates law enforcement personnel about behavioral health disorders.

The Community Clinician of the Year Award was established in 1998 by the Massachusetts Medical Society to recognize a physician from each of the Society’s 20 district societies who has made significant contributions to his or her patients and the community. The Berkshire District Medical Society is comprised of nearly 500 physicians who live and work throughout Berkshire County.

The Massachusetts Medical Society, with some 25,000 physicians and student members, is dedicated to educating and advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The Society, under the auspices of NEJM Group, publishes the New England Journal of Medicine, a leading global medical journal and web site, and Journal Watch alerts and newsletters covering 13 specialties. The Society is also a leader in continuing medical education providing accredited and certified activities across the globe for physicians and other health care professionals.


Tags: BHS,   professional award,   recognition event,   

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Dalton OKs $22M Budget; Tables Concrete Sidewalk Article

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — Voters approved all but one of the 22 articles on the warrant at the annual town meeting on Monday night at Wahconah Regional High School.
 
More than one hundred registered voters attended the meeting, which lasted more than three hours, to vote on the budget, school district regional agreement, a proposed bylaw change, and various spending items for town equipment, repairs, projects, and initiatives.
 
The town budget of $22,951,092 is an increase of $1,449,376, or approximately 6.74 percent, over this year. Of that, the Central Berkshire Regional School District assessment of $10,537,044 and the town operating budget of $10,147,991 are included. 
 
Article 1, which proposed amending the town bylaw to make concrete sidewalks the standard, was tabled after a 20-minute discussion that included questions and concerns about its language. More on sidewalks here.
 
This has recently been a hot topic, making its way through town government boards and committees will continue with a Planning Board public hearing.  
 
Planning Board member Zack McCain motioned to table the article until a public hearing, where the details could be discussed further. He said this is common practice for bylaw amendments. 
 
During the discussion, voters also urged the need for sidewalks on Orchard Road. The Department of Public Works budget only has $12,000 to cover the cost of maintaining town sidewalks. 
 
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