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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Pittsfield Council Rejects Federal Police Drone Grant

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday rejected a $31,000 police drone grant after a larger conversation about surveillance and responsible data storage. 

On the agenda was $31,167 from the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, for the Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. For about two hours, councilors dug into the U.S. Department of Justice contract, found grammatical errors, and what they described as abnormally worded conditions and red flags. 

"It's not even like one red flag. It's like a whole field of red flags," Ward 7 Councilor Kathy Moody said.

They voted 9-2 to reject the grant, with only Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren and Ward 3 Councilor Matthew Wrinn in favor.  

"We should not approve a grant where the contract goes against our own policies, whether it be state or local policies, or whether the requirements in that contract go against our community's values," Councilor at Large Alisa Costa said. 

"And what I heard from residents before this meeting, and what was a concern that I flagged when I first read this, is that it does go against my values and the values of our neighbors and us wanting to protect people." 

Open microphone speakers said provisions in the contract violate the Massachusetts PROTECT Act, which Gov. Maura Healey signed last month to establish statewide limits on state and local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. 

"I'm particularly concerned about Condition 53, that would essentially require police officers to report to [the Department of Homeland Security] anyone who is being released from custody from a correctional facility, which would include local jails," resident Kamaar Taliaferro said. 

"Condition 54. This condition is in direct violation of the PROTECT Act." 

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