Provider Profile – Suzanne Childs, BHS Occupational Therapist

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Across the country, there are nearly 135,000 Occupational Therapists, and Suzanne Childs, who provides this specialized care at the Center for Rehabilitation at BMC, says OT goes beyond helping someone regain their functions for work.
 
"We promote functional independence for people and help restore not only vocational skills, but also homemaking and daily living skills," said Childs. "Occupational Therapy covers the full range of activities people of all ages do to live functional, meaningful lives."
 
Suzanne has been with BMC since 1994 and has served as an Occupational Therapist in the Berkshires for nearly 30 years, most of that time in the outpatient setting. She came to the Berkshires after providing OT services in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and later New York state.
 
"Occupational Therapists often work together with Physical Therapists, but our roles are quite unique. PT focuses on improving the patient's ability to move their body, whereas I concentrate on improving my patient's ability to perform activities of daily living. We help our patients to do things beyond their PT care, such as brushing their teeth, getting dressed, making meals and all of their other everyday tasks that may have been impeded by an illness or injury."
 
Suzanne is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and completed her clinical education at Toledo Mental Health in Ohio and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia. Over the years, she has provided care for spinal cord injury, stroke, post-acute rehabilitation for children and young adults and general rehabilitation.
 
If you need Occupational Therapy or any kind of rehabilitative care, ask your primary care provider for a referral or call the Center for Rehabilitation at BMC at 413-447-2234.




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BIC Expansion Could Begin This Fall

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PEDA officials are hoping the momentum will carryover to other sites in the business park. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — With about $8 million in public funding secured, the Berkshire Innovation Center could break ground on its expansion as soon as this fall. 

An 8,000-square-foot addition is planned for the BIC to welcome a new company, Myrias Optics Inc.  Executive Director Ben Sosne recently gave the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority an update on the future advanced optics tech hub, the larger vision for this project. 

Myrias, a meta-optics producer, has a partnership with BIC tenant Electro Magnetic Applications for testing and simulation services. They will be able to work side by side once the expansion is complete. 

"There is not a part of me that thinks Myrias wouldn't be here looking to work with the BIC if we weren't already working with EMA," Sosne said. 

"That was the draw, 100 percent."

The effort is supported by $5.2 million from the state, and another $2 million was earmarked through an economic development bond bill. Pittsfield has also committed $1 million in GE Economic Development Funds

Myrias will bring up to 55 employees to Pittsfield with an average salary of $110,000. The project's budget is being finalized, and PEDA will have to conduct a design review process for the addition. 

Sosne reported that they hope to break ground this fall, and construction will happen "relatively quickly."  Earlier in the meeting, the PEDA was notified that Mill Town Capital has closed on space on Site 9 and on Woodlawn Avenue for development. 

"I think the theme of today is momentum, here at the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority meeting," Chair Jonathan Denmark said. 

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