Berkshire Nursing Families Awarded Perinatal Health Grant

07:34AM / Tuesday, July 30, 2024Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation today announced $360,000 in new grant funding to support 12 organizations working to improve perinatal health across the Commonwealth, including supporting access to doula care for pregnant people in communities of color.

Berkshire Nursing Families will use the grant to support the next phase of its partnership with Springfield Family Doulas to train and mentor Black doulas and lactation counselors in Berkshire County.

The Perinatal Health Initiative grant program is part of the Foundation's broader strategy of grantmaking and policy analysis aimed at better understanding and disrupting structural racism and eliminating racial inequities in health.

The Foundation's grantmaking team met with over 30 community organizations and leaders working in perinatal health to inform the design of the Perinatal Health Initiative. Several grant partners are focused on the doula workforce, which is comprised of trained, non-medical professionals who support people during and after pregnancy. MassHealth recently began covering their services to improve maternal health and reduce health disparities affecting communities of color.

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Pittsfield Man Facing Charges in Hit-and-Run

Staff Reports 07:57PM / Tuesday, December 30, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city man is facing charges in Vermont related to a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian.

The Bennington (Vt.) Banner reports that Nelsin Martin, 21, is facing a felony charge in the May 8 incident. He could face up to 15 years behind bars if found guilty.

The crash occurred on Route 7 near the intersection with Route 346 at about 6:38 a.m. A witness and video from a Pownal school bus indicated that two vehicles were driving south down the highway nearly side by side at an excessive speed. The witness said they appeared to be racing, according to the Banner. A third vehicle was mentioned by it was not clear if it was involved.

The pedestrian, 37-year-old Adrienne Formel of Pownal, was struck by the vehicle in the far right lane, which was either trying to pass in the breakdown lane or was "bumped" by another vehicle, according to witnesses.

The victim was taken to Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, including a broken arm, and had to have her right leg amputated.

Vermont State Police identified two vehicles, a white Chevrolet Silverado and a white Volkswagen sedan, which both fled the scene south into Massachusetts and were last seen on North Hoosac Road in Williamstown. By the end of the day, they had identified both the vehicles and the drivers.

Martin is expected to be arraigned next week.

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