Berkshire Health Systems Institutes Visitor Protocols

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital, in Great Barrington, have announced changes to visitation policies in line with national trends and to further lower the risk of transmission of infectious disease, including the coronavirus COVID-19. 
 
Hospitals and other health-care facilities across Massachusetts and the United States have enacted similar visitation restrictions.
 
"Berkshire Health Systems is committed to protecting the health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff, and this change helps us to enhance our ongoing efforts to minimize the potential transmission of COVID-19," said Dr. James Lederer, chief medical officer and chief quality officer for Berkshire Health Systems. "We recognize the importance of the support of family and loved ones to our patients during their stay at BMC or Fairview, but the novel coronavirus requires us to temporarily adjust our visiting policy in order to keep our patients and visitors safe from infection."
 
The changes go into effect at 8 a.m. on Sunday, March 15, and include:
  • No visitors under the age of 18
  • No visitors in the Emergency Department treatment areas, one visitor allowed in the waiting area per patient
  • No visitation for Medical/Surgical Units and Intensive Care
  • Mother Baby Unit: One adult birth partner per patient
  • Pediatric Unit: One parent per patient
  • Behavioral Health: One adult visitor per patient, with exceptions and screening based on the decision of the provider
  • End-of-Life Circumstances: Number of adult visitors based on specific circumstances
  • No one other than the approved visitor(s) can enter the building
  • No visitation if the visitor is experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms
The changes are temporary and visitation policies will be updated when the situation improves.
 
BMC and Fairview continue to use policies and procedures to address COVID-19, and all other infectious diseases, and is following guidelines from the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Massachusetts Department of Public Health, as well.
 
"We thank our community for understanding and adhering to these policies to help us keep our patients, visitors and staff safe during these unique times," said Lederer.
 
BHS continues to operate a toll-free hotline seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1-855-262-5465 for questions and concerns surrounding COVID-19.

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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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