Provider Profile – Suzanne Childs, BHS Occupational Therapist

Print Story | Email Story
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.




Tags: BHS,   BMC,   


Pittsfield Subcommittee Supports Tax Incentive for St. Joe's Project

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The developer of the former St. Joseph's Central High School dreams of a glass rear that floods light into the auditorium and allows for more parking. 

On Tuesday, the subcommittee on Community and Economic Development unanimously supported a proposed 10-year tax increment exemption agreement to redevelop the former Catholic high school. 

They heard details about the plan to convert the shuttered school into a 70 percent residential, 30 percent commercial building with 20 percent of the 19 apartments designated affordable. It is expected to be an 18-month project once begun. 

Over the last decade or so, developer David Carver, of Scarafoni Associates & CT Management Group, has been involved with several overhauls of churches, school buildings, and even a firehouse into apartments. 

"I've always been interested in older historic buildings, especially in downtowns, and as the economy changes, we know there are lots of older buildings, worthy buildings that need a new life, and I've always found it interesting and a challenge to save them and turn around," Carver said. 

"Most of these buildings, I will say, are generally better built and more attractive than some of the new buildings that are built everywhere, and I've always been drawn to that, and it's almost like public art to me."

In 2017, the 120-year-old school ceased operations. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it sheltered people without homes before The Pearl, a 40-bed downtown shelter, was finished a few years ago. 

The TIE would freeze the current property value base, starting at 100 percent forgiveness in the first year, decreasing by 10 percent annually over the agreement's 10-year period. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories