CHP Berkshires Welcomes New Clinicians

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Marina Hoag, Mary Zabinski, and Michael Jefferson.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — CHP Berkshires has expanded its clinical team with the addition of three new providers in Pittsfield, Lee and the CHP Mobile Health team. 
 
Marina Hoag, family nurse practitioner, has joined the primary care team at CHP Neighborhood Health Center in Pittsfield. Previously a registered nurse at CHP North Adams Family Medical, she recently completed her doctorate of nursing at Elms College. She earned her B.S. in nursing at the University of Phoenix and received her associate degree in nursing at Berkshire Community College. She has previously worked at Berkshire Medical Center in the emergency department and Mcgee Substance Abuse and Center for Rehabilitation. She has also worked at elder care settings in the region.
 
Dr. Mary Zabinski, pediatrician, has joined CHP Lee Family Practice. She earned her medical degree at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, NE, and completed her post-doctoral pediatric internship and residency at UMass Chan Medical School/Baystate Medical Center. She earned her B.A. in biology at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, then worked at the Pulmonary Center at Boston University School of Medicine. She is also completing her M.S. in bioethics at the Alden March Bioethics Institute at Albany Medical College. 
 
Michael Jefferson, physician assistant, has joined the CHP Mobile Health team. He earned his master's degree from Bouve College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University, followed by a post-graduate fellowship at Albany Medical Center. At Eastern Kentucky University, he received a bachelor's in emergency medical care; earlier, he completed the emergency medical technician/paramedic degree program at Prince George's Community College in Maryland. He has previously worked at the BMC emergency department and at Holyoke Medical Group Walk-in Clinic. 
 
Community Health Programs, Inc., is a healthcare network based in the Berkshires of Western Mass. serving approximately 30,000 regional residents with comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health services at multiple practice locations. CHP Family Services provides a range of support, parent education and resources to families. CHP accepts most forms of private and public health insurance and offers sliding fees for qualifying patients. CHP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. chpberkshires.org 

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Neal, Markey Reflect on U.S. Political Climate

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LEE, Mass. — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and U.S Sen. Edward Markey shared the reflections on the nation's political climate during separate swings through the Berkshires this week. 

"I watched the whole thing and I've known Tim Walz for a long time and I thought that the debate showed the vigor of where we find ourselves," Neal said at Lee Town Hall after bringing news of a $1 million earmark for Lee's proposed public safety building. This was one day after the vice presidential debate.

"And I thought it was pretty interesting."

On Monday night, Democratic nominee Tim Walz and Republican nominee James David "JD" Vance debated at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York. The 90-minute program included foreign policy, reproductive rights, immigration, and more.

Neal observed that the candidates spent the evening talking about the respective presidential candidate of the other party. He did not identify a winner in this debate, which was not the case for the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in September.

"So in terms of outcome, I think media have a tendency to try to declare winners and losers and I thought last night, I don't think moves the needle much one way or another," the Springfield Democrat said.

"The presidential debate was entirely different. I thought even Republicans said they thought that the vice president won the debate."

"I think both candidates made the pitch for their presidential candidates very well," said Markey at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on Thursday. "However, it's going to come down to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and I'm very confident that the energy level on the Democratic side is so high that we're going to get out the vote. It's a very small percentage of all voters who are undecided right now across the country, it's only going to come down to seven states altogether.
 
Massachusetts and California have already decided, the Democrat said, and so has in Texas and Mississippi. "So we're down to just seven states."
 
Most of the last presidential elections have come down to the general election as ties, he said, so it will matter who gets out the vote. He was heading to Pennsylvania on Friday to speak to Democrats.

Neal was asked about his thoughts on immigration and if the Democratic Party's stance has drifted to the right over the past few years.

"I don't think I would say that it's drifted right," he said. "I think it's drifted to a reality. I think and have professed for a long period of time, you need a process."

He said the problem is you need to know who is in the country and how they arrive.

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