CHP Names Chief Medical Officer for Countywide Healthcare Network

08:48AM / Tuesday, November 22, 2022Print Story | Email Story

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Andrew Beckwith, M.D., has been named chief medical officer (CMO) at Community Health Programs.

Beckwith, who is an obstetrician-gynecologist at CHP Barrington OB/GYN, will continue seeing patients while overseeing the CHP medical staff throughout Berkshire County.

"Dr. Beckwith has served as the interim CMO at CHP for several months, and his leadership and management skills have confirmed that he is the ideal physician to lead our medical staff," said Rick Gregg, interim CEO at CHP. "We believe it's essential to have a practicing physician guiding our medical staff and operations, and Dr. Beckwith knows first-hand about our community's health care needs."

Beckwith, who joined CHP in 2018, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Penn., where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

He completed his residency at Brigham & Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was a co-administrative chief resident. He also served as Division Chief of OB-GYN at Berkshire Medical Center. He previously practiced with Berkshire OB/GYN in Pittsfield.

At Barrington OB/GYN, Dr. Beckwith works with other physicians, certified nurse-midwives, a family nurse practitioner, and a support team, caring for women at all stages of their lifespan.

"I look forward to working closely with my colleagues throughout CHP and across the county to achieve the goals of CHP's mission to improve the health of the people throughout the Berkshires by delivering exceptional, compassionate health care," said Beckwith. "These are challenging times in health care, but our excellent clinicians at CHP are meeting these challenges every day."

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Elevated Mercury Level Found in Center Pond Fish

11:41AM / Friday, December 19, 2025

BECKET, Mass. — The state Department of Public Health has issued an advisory after a mercury-contaminated fish was found in Center Pond.

According to a letter sent to the local Board of Health from the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention, elevated levels of mercury were measured in the sample taken from the pond.

The concentration in the fish exceeded DPH's action level of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram, or parts per million.

"This indicates that daily consumption of fish from the waterbody may pose a health concern. Therefore, DPH has issued a FCA for Center Pond recommending that sensitive populations should not eat chain pickerel and all other people should limit consumption of chain pickerel to 2 meals/month," the letter states.

The letter specifically points to chain pickerel, but the 60-acre pond also has largemouth and smallmouth bass and yellow perch.

The "sensitive populations" include children younger than 12, those who are nursing, pregnant, or who may become pregnant.

The Toxicology Division recommends reducing intake of "large, predatory fish" or fish that feed on the bottoms of waterbodies, such as largemouth bass and carp. More information on safely eating fish can be found here.

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