Two Certified Nurse-Midwives, New OB-GYN Join CHP

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GREAT BARRINGON, Mass. — Following up on a commitment to bring certified nurse-midwife care back to Southern Berkshire County, Community Health Programs has named two CNMs to its CHP Barrington OB-GYN practice. An additional obstetrician-gynecologist has also joined the Great Barrington practice, which serves women in South County, Northwest Connecticut and nearby New York state.

Dr. Andrew W. Beckwith, along with CNMs Lisa Marie Chism-Fraine and Susan Greenberg-Yarmush, completes the practice staff that includes longtime CHP obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Antoine El Khoury and nurse practitioner Molly Rivest.

With certified nurse-midwives now in place in the Great Barrington practice, CHP and Fairview Hospital can offer women the CNM option for pre-natal, maternity and other women's health care for adult patients of all ages. Barrington OB-GYN has been without a certified nurse-midwife since 2014 when its CNM retired.

During the last year, CHP and Fairview have collaborated to evaluate women's health care and maternity services in South County and to recruit new staff to the CHP practice. CHP Barrington OB-GYN is the only women's health practice south of Lenox, and CHP works closely with Fairview Hospital to provide full-service maternity and other women's health services in the area.


Beckwith, most recently in practice at Berkshire OB-GYN of Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. In 2005, he completed his residency at Brigham & Woman's Hospital in Boston, where he was a co-administrative chief resident. He has also served as division chief of OB-GYN at Berkshire Medical Center as well.

In practice since 2001, Chism-Fraine worked most recently at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany and at Saratoga Midwifery and Women's Primary Care at Saratoga (N.Y.) Hospital. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Scranton, and her B.S. in nursing from College Misericordia. She received a certificate in nurse-midwifery from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and went on to earn her master's degree in midwifery from the Philadelphia College of Textile and Science. She has additional degrees in transpersonal psychology and metaphysical healing; she is also ordained as a non-denominational minister.

In practice since 2004, Greenberg-Yarmush was most recently a full-time midwife at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City; she worked previously as staff midwife Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston and Metropolitan Hospital in New York City. She earned her master's degree in midwifery from SUNY Downstate College of Nursing in Brooklyn and completed her B.S. in nursing from Columbia University Nursing School in New York. She earned her undergraduate degree from Vassar College.

For an appointment at CHP Barrington OB-GYN call 413-528-1470. The office is located at East Mountain Medical, 780 Main St., Great Barrington.


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MassDOT Project Will Affect Traffic Near BMC

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Prepare for traffic impacts around Berkshire Medical Center through May for a state Department of Transportation project to improve situations and intersections on North Street and First Street.

Because of this, traffic will be reduced to one lane of travel on First Street (U.S. Route 7) and North Street between Burbank Street and Abbott Street from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday through at least May 6.

BMC and Medical Arts Complex parking areas remain open and detours may be in place at certain times. The city will provide additional updates on changes to traffic patterns in the area as construction progresses.

The project has been a few years in the making, with a public hearing dating back to 2021. It aims to increase safety for all modes of transportation and improve intersection operation.

It consists of intersection widening and signalization improvements at First and Tyler streets, the conversion of North Street between Tyler and Stoddard Avenue to serve one-way southbound traffic only, intersection improvements at Charles Street and North Street, intersection improvements at Springside Avenue and North Street, and the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of First Street, North Street, Stoddard Avenue, and the Berkshire Medical Center entrance.

Work also includes the construction of 5-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.  

Last year, the City Council approved multiple orders for the state project: five orders of takings for intersection and signal improvements at First Street and North Street. 

The total amount identified for permanent and temporary takings is $397,200, with $200,000 allocated by the council and the additional monies coming from carryover Chapter 90 funding. The state Transportation Improvement Plan is paying for the project and the city is responsible for 20 percent of the design cost and rights-of-way takings.

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