CHA to Host Day of Free Health Screenings for WomenÂ
Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), an academic community health system serving Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston’s metro-north region, will once again host See Test and Treat, a day of free health screenings for uninsured and underinsured women on Saturday, Oct. 26. The event will be held at CHA Cambridge Hospital (1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge) from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and is intended for women, transmen and non-binary people, ages 21-65, who lack health insurance and access to quality care.
See, Test and Treat is a national program sponsored by the College of American Pathologists Foundation to offer uninsured and under-insured people the opportunity to get important health screenings and information. In a single day, participants receive a pelvic and clinical breast exam, a Pap test with same-day results, a screening mammogram with prompt results, a connection to follow-up care, interpretive services, translated educational materials, health and wellness information, and a healthy snack. Child activities are provided to further reduce barriers to getting these important tests.
“See, Test and Treat embodies CHA’s mission of caring for everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, immigration status or gender identity,†said Rebecca Osgood, MD, chief of pathology, who is spearheading the event at CHA. “The most important piece of all of the free care that we provide is that it could possibly save lives. We are excited to build on the success of last year’s event where we were able to serve 60+ women. Most of them had no insurance and others had such limited insurance it created a barrier for them to receive care.â€
More than 100 CHA staff, including pathologists, OBGYN providers, cytologists and radiologists, are volunteering their time to make See, Test and Treat possible.
In addition to the screenings, the day will be filled with other fun activities including a range of health education programs focused on nutrition, breast self-exams, and HIV screening and counseling. See, Test and Treat at CHA will also have a health fair component filled with mental health resources, smoking cessation information, colon cancer screenings, oral health information and much more.
To learn more about the event on Oct. 26, visit www.challiance.org/community/see-test-treat or send an email to [email protected].
North Suffolk Integrated Community Health Needs Assessment (iCHNA) Now Available
The communities of Revere, Chelsea, and Winthrop will use the upcoming iCHNA and CHIP to work towards a North Suffolk region where individuals from all backgrounds and circumstances will have every opportunity to live a healthy life; and where local governments, health care providers, social service and community-based organizations, and community residents work in continuous partnership to improve health outcomes for all people in the region. Key findings developed from the iCHNA and CHIP will be provided to iCHNA Collaborative Organizations to aid implementation of subsequent iCHNA and CHIP initiatives.
To view the final report, please go to https://www.northsuffolkassessment.org/.
Flu Vaccine
There will be a Flu Clinic vaccination held on Saturday, Oct. 5
In the DeLeo Senior Center at 35 Harvard St. from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The vaccine will be available for anyone aged 4 years old and over. An Insurance Card is needed for vaccination.
Airport Committee to Make Presentation
The Winthrop Airport Hazards Committee will make a presentation before the Town Council on Oct. 15 regarding the Point Shirley aircraft noise. Residents will be able make a public comment during the meeting that starts at 7 p.m. in the Harvey Hearing room in Town Hall.
Coffee with a Cop Oct. 12
On Saturday, Oct. 12 officers from the Winthrop Police Department invite the community to come together at French Square in Winthrop Center to discuss community issues and build relationships, one cup of coffee at a time. All residents are invited.
Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s work in our town. It is our goal to create an experience where residents feel welcome to approach officers for casual conversation. The majority of contacts law enforcement has with the public happen during emergencies or emotional situations, which are not usually effective times to build relationships. Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows for a relaxed, one-on-one interaction.
“We hope that community members will feel comfortable to ask questions, bring concerns, or simply get to know our officers,†said Police Chief Terence Delehanty. “These interactions are the foundation of community partnerships.â€
Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Mass DEP Releases Draft Solid Waste Master Plan
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has issued the Draft 2020-2030 Solid Waste Master Plan. The proposal seeks to increase diversion of food material, textiles and bulky waste items, provide financial and technical assistance for municipal waste and recycling programs, and enhance compliance and enforcement of waste disposal bans. A public comment period on the draft runs through Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, and includes five public hearings across the Commonwealth.
“The Draft Solid Waste Master Plan proposes aggressive goals for reducing our waste in the next decade and beyond,†said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “The draft plan outlines a mix of regulatory, financial and technical assistance to move towards these goals, improve the Commonwealth’s waste management system, and provide important environmental and economic benefits for Massachusetts.â€
The Solid Waste Master Plan establishes the Commonwealth’s policy framework for reducing and managing solid waste that is generated, reused, recycled or disposed of by Massachusetts residents and businesses. The Draft 2020-2030 Plan proposes a broad vision for and strategies on how the Commonwealth will seek to manage its waste over the next decade and beyond.
From 2008 to 2018, Massachusetts’ per capita disposal dropped by 18 percent. The new plan proposes to build on this progress and further reduce the current annual total of 5.7 million tons of solid waste disposal by 1.7 million tons or 30 percent by 2030. The plan also proposes an aggressive longer-term goal to reduce trash disposal by 90 percent by 2050.
Initiatives included in the draft plan will:
• Increase requirements on the diversion of commercial food material from disposal;
• Improve the performance of recycling facilities handling construction and demolition materials;
• Provide financial and technical assistance to enhance municipal solid waste and recycling programs;
• Target the reuse and recycling of textiles, mattresses and other bulky waste items;
• Enhance compliance and enforcement of existing waste disposal bans and pursue additional bans on target materials; and
• Advance adoption of extended producer-responsibility systems for select materials.
The draft plan takes a balanced approach to meeting Massachusetts’ capacity needs for waste materials. This approach includes fostering opportunities to reduce waste up-front through source reduction and reuse, growing in-state capacity and markets to manage recyclables and food materials, and maintaining the moratorium on additional municipal waste combustion capacity.
For a full schedule of planned public hearings, check out this story on our website.
MassDEP has scheduled the following public hearings:
• Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. at the MassDEP Central Regional Office, 8 New Bond St., Worcester;
• Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 5 p.m. at the MassDEP Northeast Regional Office, 205B Lowell St., Wilmington;
• Thursday, Nov. 7, at 10 a.m. at the MassDEP Headquarters Office, 1 Winter St., Boston;
• Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m. at the Springfield City Library, Sixteen Acres Branch, 1187 Parker St., Springfield; and
• Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m. at the MassDEP Southeast Regional Office, 20 Riverside Drive, Lakeville.
MassDEP will accept comments on the draft plan through 5 p.m. on Friday, December 6, 2019. Comments on the draft plan can be submitted via e-mail to [email protected] or via the mail to: John Fischer, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, 1 Winter Street, Boston, MA 02108.
MassDEP is responsible for ensuring clean air and water, safe management and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, timely cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills and the preservation of wetlands and coastal resources.