Southcoast announces annual nursing awards and scholarship recipients; More than 20 nurses and other staff honored

During National Nurses Week, Southcoast Health announced its annual nursing awards and scholarship recipients, honoring nurses, certified nursing assistants, health unit coordinators and other staff from across the not-for-profit community health system.

“In 2020, designated as the Year of the Nurse by the World Health Organization, our civilization is facing a crisis that has reshaped nearly all aspects of modern life. But there is one constant: Nurses. Your commitment is steady, and your clinical expertise is calming,” Southcoast President and CEO Keith Hovan told nursing staff. “All of us at Southcoast Health thank you for the wonderful work you do every day. But it’s not just the physical effort we appreciate. It’s more. It’s your spirit and the example you set for others inside and outside of Southcoast.”

Awardees are nominated and selected in five distinct categories: The Spirit of Nursing Award, the Eagle Leadership Award, the Care Team Partnership/Support Services Award, the Medical Staff Partnership Award, and the New to Practice Award.

“This year and at this time, when our staff are giving so much of themselves to care for the patients we are seeing with COVID-19, along with all others, it is especially meaningful to celebrate these individuals,” Chief Nursing Officer Jacqueline Somerville said. “They represent the high-quality care and exceptional service that we are accustomed to throughout all of Southcoast Health.”

The Spirit of Nursing Award recognizes staff nurses who demonstrate excellence in clinical skills, customer service and commitment to patients and families; and serve as professional role models for nurses and as exceptional colleagues, displaying collaboration, teamwork and a positive attitude.

The 2020 recipients:

• Sandra Silva, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Elizabeth Ferreira, RN, St. Luke’s
• Jessica Vinjerud, RN, Tobey
• Mary Finsness, RN, Southcoast Visiting Nurses Association
• Ana Oliveira, LPN, Southcoast Physicians Group

The Eagle Leadership Award recognizes Patient Services leaders who set high standards, live their standards and mentor others, create and share a vision, make hard choices when necessary, are visible and out front and instill hope in others.

The 2020 recipients:

• Susan Lemieux, Manager, Charlton Memorial
• Kim Pina, RN, Nurse Manager, St. Luke’s

The Care Team Partnership/Support Services Award recognizes the valuable role of a care team member who has exhibited compassion, caring patient advocacy, service and a commitment to quality.

The 2020 recipients:

• Stacy DeSa, CNA, Charlton Memorial
• Patrick Griffin, HUC, St. Luke’s
• Maria C. Joseph, Environmental Services, Tobey
• Deborah Burchill, Revenue Cycle Authorization Specialist, Southcoast Central Authorization
• Staci Cronin, Office Coordinator, Southcoast Physicians Group

The Medical Staff Partnership Award recognizes and acknowledges outstanding physician and advanced practice clinician colleagues who exemplify exceptional teamwork, partnership and collaboration with nursing and other members of the patient care team.

The 2020 recipients:

• Kristina Amaral, NP, Charlton Memorial, General Surgery/Breast Care Center
• Alicia Pimentel, NP, Southcoast Physicians Group
• Sarah Bernier, MD, Tobey
• Nicole Coleman, DO, Southcoast Physicians Group

The New to Practice Award recognizes nurses with up to one year of experience who show enthusiasm in their practice of nursing; demonstrate a questioning and positive attitude, passion for customer service and outstanding commitment to continual learning and growth; represent nursing professionalism; and seek to learn and grow.

The 2020 recipients:

• Molly Mendonca, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Ashley Fidalgo, RN, St. Luke’s
• Katie McCarthy, RN, Tobey

During National Nurses Week, Southcoast Health also awards several nursing scholarships to a select group of nurses.

Recipients for this year:

• Rachel Aguiar, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Courtney Cogliano, RN, St. Luke’s
• Christopher A. Ferreira, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Alyssa Franco, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Jennifer Gudmundsson, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Holly Huffine, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Kiana Jeronimo, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Allison Johnson, RN, St. Luke’s
• Keri Mossman, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Maria Neto, RN, Charlton Memorial
• Shelly Paiva, RN, Charlton Memorial




Governor Baker Initiates Transition to First Phase of Four-Phase Approach

Today, the Baker-Polito Administration released Reopening Massachusetts, the Reopening Advisory Board’s report, which details a four-phased strategy to responsibly reopen businesses and activities while continuing to fight COVID-19. The Administration also released a new “Safer At Home” Advisory, which instructs residents to stay at home unless engaging with newly opened activities, as a way to continue limiting the spread of COVID-19. Starting today, based on current public health data and trends, Massachusetts will begin Phase 1 of a cautious reopening, and workplaces that are permitted to open are required to follow new safety protocols and guidance.

Detailed in Reopening Massachusetts, each phase of the reopening will be guided by public health data and key indicators that will be continually monitored for progress and will be used to determine advancement to future phases. Industries, sectors, and activities that present less risk will open in earlier phases. Those that present more risk will open in later phases.

The 17-member Reopening Advisory Board, co-chaired by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, consists of public health experts, municipal leaders and members of the business community representing many facets of the Massachusetts economy. Since its formation on April 28, the Board met with a total of 75 stakeholder groups ranging from industry associations, regional chambers of commerce, community coalitions, and labor organizations, representing over 112,000 different businesses and more than two million workers across the Commonwealth. The Reopening Advisory Board also considered written comments from over 4,500 employers, organizations, and individuals in the development of its plan.

Safer at Home Advisory:

Effective today, the Department of Public Health also updated the Stay at Home Advisory, replacing it with a new, “Safer at Home” Advisory. The new Safer at Home Advisory instructs everyone to stay home unless they are headed to a newly opened facility or activity. It also advises those over the age of 65 and those with underlying health conditions to stay home with the exception of trips required for health care, groceries, or that are otherwise absolutely necessary. All residents must continue to wear a face covering in public when social distancing is not possible, and individuals are advised to wash their hands frequently and be vigilant in monitoring for symptoms. Restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people remain in effect.

Public Health Metrics:

Key public health metrics will determine if and when it is appropriate to proceed through reopening phases. They include:

– COVID-19 positive test rate;
– Number of individuals who died from COVID-19;
– Number of patients with COVID-19 in hospitals;
– Health care system readiness;
– Testing capacity;
– Contact tracing capabilities.

Phase 1 Reopening:

Based on the public health metrics, manufacturing facilities and construction sites will open effective today with applicable guidelines.

Places of worship will be able to open with guidelines that require social distancing and encourage services to be held outdoors.

Hospitals and community health centers that attest to specific public health and safety standards can begin to provide high priority preventative care, pediatric care and treatment for high risk patients.

Under a staggered approach, additional Phase 1 sectors of the economy will be permitted to open effective May 25 including:

Lab space;

– Office space;
– Limited personal services, including: hair salons, pet grooming, car washes;
– Retail: remote fulfilment and curbside pick-up;

Also permitted to open on May 25 with applicable guidelines, are the following:

– Beaches;
– Parks;
– Drive-in movie theaters;
– Select athletic fields and courts;
– Many outdoor adventure activities;
– Most fishing, hunting, and boating;
– Outdoor gardens, zoos, reserves, and public installations.

Additional sectors expected to open on June 1 as part of Phase 1 include office spaces in the city of Boston with applicable guidelines.

Reopening Massachusetts In Phases:

The goal of this phased reopening plan is to methodically allow businesses, services, and activities to resume, while avoiding a resurgence of COVID-19 that could overwhelm the state’s health care system and erase the progress made so far.

Each phase will last a minimum of three weeks and could last longer before moving to the next phase;

If public health data trends are negative, specific industries, regions, and/or the entire Commonwealth may need to return to an earlier phase;

The Commonwealth will partner with industries to draft sector-specific protocols in advance of future phases (example: restaurant-specific protocols will be drafted in advance of Phase 2);

If we all work together to defeat COVID-19, we can proceed through each phase.

Success in earlier phases will refine criteria for future phases including travel, sizes of gatherings, as well as additional retail openings, lodging and accommodations, arts, entertainment, fitness centers, museums, restaurants, youth sports, and other activities.

Industry-Specific Guidance:

Businesses are not required to reopen, and may not do so if they are unable to follow safety protocols. The Baker-Polito Administration has developed specific guidance so that each industry reopens as safely as possible. Businesses are expected to implement these protocols in addition to the more general Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards.

As of May 18, materials for the sectors eligible to open in the first phase of reopening are included on the mass.gov/reopening website. Guidance for sectors opening in later phases will be posted online in advance of those phases.

In order to reopen, businesses must develop a written COVID-19 Control Plan outlining how its workplace will prevent the spread of COVID-19. Required materials are located on mass.gov/reopening, and include detailed sector-specific circulars and checklists to facilitate compliance.

Self-Certification for Businesses:

Required materials for businesses to self-certify are located on mass.gov/reopening, and include:

– COVID-19 Control Plan template, which must be retained on premises and provided in the event of an inspection;
– Compliance Attestation poster to be posted in a location visible to employees and visitors indicating a completed COVID-19 Control Plan; and,
– Other posters and signs describing rules for maintaining social distancing, hygiene protocols, as well as cleaning and disinfecting.

Businesses operating to provide Essential Services, as defined in the Governor’s March 23, 2020 Executive Order, updated on March 31, April 28, and May 15, may remain open and have until May 25, 2020 to comply with the general workplace safety standards, as well as their industry’s sector-specific protocols.

Health Care:

Effective May 18, hospitals and community health centers who attest to meeting specific capacity criteria and public health/safety standards will be allowed to resume a limited set of in-person preventative, diagnostic and treatment services.

Effective May 25, other health care providers who attest to meeting these standards may resume limited in-person services.

Services that may be performed are limited, based on the provider’s clinical judgment to high-priority preventative services, including pediatric care, immunizations, and chronic disease care for high-risk patients, and urgent procedures that cannot be delivered remotely and would lead to high risk or significant worsening of the patient’s condition if deferred.

In order for the phased in hospital expansion and non-hospital reopening, the following statewide metrics must be met:

– 30 percent of hospital ICU beds (including staffed surge capacity) must be available;
– 30 percent of total hospital beds (including staffed surge capacity) must be available.

As a precursor, health care providers must meet the following requirements to reopen or expand services, which include:

– Attesting to public health standards and specific guidelines;
– Ensuring adequate personal protective equipment is on hand, reliable supply chain and other supplies and policies in place;
– Infection control readiness (workflow, cleaning, social distancing, etc.);
– Workforce and patient screening and testing protocols; and,
– Hospitals must have ≥ 25 percent ICU and total bed capacity and reopen pediatric ICU and psychiatric beds if they had been repurposed for surge capacity.

Child Care:

The Commonwealth’s mission in reopening is to increase access to child care and youth programs while continuing to protect children and staff and preventing the spread of COVID-19. Child care and summer recreation camps will reopen in a phased approach. The Departments of Early Education and Care and Public Health are developing guidelines that balance families’ need for child care with health and safety. The initial reopening plan will focus on families who have no safe alternative to group care by increasing emergency child care capacity. EEC will also partner with industries returning to work to develop options specific to their workplaces.

In March, the Baker-Polito Administration stood up an emergency child care system to support children of essential workers and vulnerable families with extra virus mitigation protocols. During Phase 1, the emergency child care system we have already in place will be utilized to meet the needs of people with no alternatives for care. Currently, only 35% of the 10,000 child emergency child care capacity is occupied and the system has the ability to serve more families to provide care options as more sectors come back online.

Transit:

The MBTA has been and will continue to implement measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 across the system to keep employees and riders safer.

While public transportation unavoidably creates some risk of transmission, working together the MBTA, riders and employers can significantly reduce that risk:

​- Riders are required to wear face coverings and must make efforts to distance. Riders are asked to avoid riding transit if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19;
– Employers are encouraged to stagger schedules and implement work from home policies to reduce demand, especially during rush hours;
– The MBTA will continue to take protective and preventative measures such as frequently disinfecting and cleaning vehicles and stations and providing protective supplies to workers.

To mitigate risk while providing appropriate levels of service, the MBTA will:

​- Support the transit needs of essential workers and those returning to the workplace in Phase 1 while continuing with limited service to maximize employee and rider safety;
– Ramp up to a modified version of full service by Phase 3, although social distancing efforts will limit effective capacity on vehicles even after full service schedules are restored;
– Actively communicate public health guidance and schedule adjustments in-station, online, and over social media.

Supplies:

In order to operate, all Massachusetts businesses will need to meet the Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards and relevant Sector-Specific Protocols published by the state. To support businesses, the state has developed a guide to educate business owners on what supplies are needed to return to workplaces, and a portal to connect businesses with manufacturers and distributors. These are now available to business owners via mass.gov/reopening.

​In order to operate, all Massachusetts businesses will need to meet the Mandatory Workplace Safety Standards and relevant Sector-Specific Protocols published by the state.

​The state has developed a guide to educate business owners on what supplies are needed to return to workplaces, and a portal to connect businesses with manufacturers and distributors.

Educational materials will be provided to define how an employer should prepare their work spaces to reopen and what products are appropriate for employees to protect themselves at work.

While face coverings are critical, medical grade face coverings are not necessary for non-health care workers.

Schools and Higher Education:

As previously announced, Massachusetts’ K-12 school buildings will remain closed through the end of the 2019-20 school year, with remote teaching and learning in place.

Schools will continue offering essential non-educational services to their communities. Plans are being made for the summer learning programs and 2020-21 school year, and will be shared with the public in the weeks to come.

Massachusetts’ diverse higher education institutions continue to foster teaching, learning, student support, and essential research remotely throughout this time.

They are working together and in partnership with the state to ensure a safe and gradual return to campus life. In the upcoming weeks, institutions will develop customized reopening plans with safety of their communities in mind.




New Bedford officials report 91 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases since Saturday

New Bedford health officials reported one additional COVID-19 related deaths today bringing the city’s total death count to 49.

Mayor Jon Mitchell’s office reported 91 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Bedford on Monday, bringing the total positive cases in the city to 1,528, up from 1,437 on Saturday. New Bedford officials do not report COVID-19 data on Sundays.

Greater New Bedford has six operation COVID-19 testing sites; two in New Bedford, three in Dartmouth, and one in Fairhaven. Details on each location and list of COVID-19 symptoms here.

The City of New Bedford is offering a mask to any New Bedford resident who wants one at no cost, at a series of drive-through distribution events in late May and June. Full details here.

25 additional cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Fall River, according to the Mayor’s Office. This brings the total in Fall River to 990. The death toll from the coronavirus in Fall River remains at 20. Full details here.

Massachusetts is on its way to reopening the state’s economy with a detailed plan Gov. Charlie Baker is scheduled to unveil on Monday under which construction projects can resume immediately and some businesses can reopen on May 25 with public health restrictions in place. Full details here.

Cambridge-based Moderna Therapeutics is investing in manufacturing capacity in hopes of producing millions of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, the company said Monday as it announced positive results from the first phase of its vaccine clinical trials. Full details here.




New Bedford Coalition to Save Our Schools statement on actions needed in our school system

The New Bedford Coalition to Save Our Schools (NBCSOS), a vibrant, diverse, grassroots community-based organization of over 150 members, has launched a statement and invitation to public dialogue today, to insist that the school system, which includes the school committee and all other associated decision-making bodies, makes deep changes.

The statement includes items which correspond with areas that the school committee normally takes up and was collaboratively developed by the NBCSOS membership and through community surveys. It urges administrators and elected officials to respond publicly to each of the needs and to clearly articulate to the public what is currently in place to address the issues outlined and future plans to strengthen these areas.

The statement asserts: “This public health crisis has taught us that we must rethink our schools and society. Whether in healthcare, public health, the criminal justice system, emergency services, environmental protection, immigration, economic development, transportation, social services, urban planning, postal services, education, and a myriad of other services, what we have witnessed is that we have been and are living a deeply inequitable and dangerous existence. It is time that we imagine a different community and world.” 

You can read the entire document here.
 




Governor Baker reopening some Massachusetts businesses in new phased plan

Chris Van Buskirk
State House News Service

Massachusetts is on its way to reopening the state’s economy with a detailed plan Gov. Charlie Baker is scheduled to unveil on Monday under which construction projects can resume immediately and some businesses can reopen on May 25 with public health restrictions in place.

The plan, outlined to reporters by a Baker administration official on Monday morning, offers the first glimpse into the guidelines, restrictions, and timeline for reopening businesses.

Progress in the four-phase approach to gradually roll back forced shutdowns of non-essential businesses will be measured against six data points including the COVID-19 positive test rate, the number of deaths from the virus, and health care system readiness. The state’s COVID-19 Command Center plans to release updates every Monday on the six data points alongside their daily numbers.

Each phase will last for a minimum of three weeks with the understanding that government officials could revert to a previous phase at any time. Monday marked the start date of Phase One.

As for who gets to open first, manufacturing and construction companies and houses of worship can resume operations with restrictions, capacity limitations, and staggered start times on May 18. Businesses that were deemed essential will have until May 25 to comply with safety standards aimed at limiting the spread of the virus.

Labs, personal services like hair salons, pet grooming, and car washes, and retail spaces can also open on May 25 with some restrictions. Office spaces in Boston can open on June 1 with a 25 percent limit on the number of people who can show up to work.

Activities and outdoor locations like beaches, parks, drive-in theaters, some athletic fields and courts, most fishing, hunting, and boating will be accessible on May 25, Memorial Day.

Baker has previously emphasized that while some businesses might get the green light to start operations, employees should consider working from home when possible. As expected, much of the timeline for reopening will rely heavily on whether or not key data indicators trend in a positive direction.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy headed up an advisory board to craft the reopening plan. The group heard testimony from more than 75 business associations, labor unions, non-profits, and coalitions that represent more than 112,000 businesses and more than two million employees.

If the COVID-19 cases continue to trend downward and other indicators are positive the state may move into Phase Two, dubbed “Cautious.”

Restaurants and lodging will receive the go-ahead to open with restrictions and some capacity limitations once phase two of the reopening plan launches. Additional personal services like nail salons and day spas are also included in phase two.

Baker on Monday is also expected to update his stay at home advisory to “safer at home” where people should only leave their house for health care, permitted work, shopping, and outdoor activities. The state advises that people do not participate in close contact activities like pick-up sports games and should continue to use remote modes of communication instead of visiting high-risk friends or families.

When Phase III arrives, residents can expect bars, casinos, and all other business activities to resume with restrictions and capacity limitations. Large venues and nightclubs will remain closed during phase three.

During Phase IV, the state plans to enter into a “new normal” with full resumption of activities and business operations.




Massachusetts-based Moderna Therapeutics announces positive results for COVID-19 vaccine

Colin A. Young
State House News Service

Cambridge-based Moderna Therapeutics is investing in manufacturing capacity in hopes of producing millions of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, the company said Monday as it announced positive results from the first phase of its vaccine clinical trials.

The company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, was “generally safe and well tolerated” by eight volunteers who participated in the phase 1 study led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and those eight volunteers produced antibodies at levels at least equal to what’s found in the blood of patients who have recovered from COVID-19, the company said.

Moderna also announced that a study involving mice infected with COVID-19 produced encouraging results. The study found that Modern’s MRNA-1273 vaccine candidate “provided full protection against viral replication in the lungs” of the mice.

“With today’s positive interim Phase 1 data and the positive data in the mouse challenge model, the Moderna team continues to focus on moving as fast as safely possible to start our pivotal Phase 3 study in July and, if successful, file a BLA,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said, referring to a biologic license application. “We are investing to scale up manufacturing so we can maximize the number of doses we can produce to help protect as many people as we can from SARS-CoV-2.”

Word of the positive trial results sent the company’s stock soaring before the markets opened Monday morning on Wall Street. Bloomberg News reported that shares of Moderna were up 26 percent ahead of the opening bell. Last week, Dr. Anthony Fauci singled out Moderna and it’s mRNA-1273 vaccine candidate when talking about the multi-pronged efforts to develop therapeutics treatments and a vaccine for COVID-19.

“The phase one will directly go into phase two, three, in late spring, early summer. And if we are successful, we hope to know that in the late fall and early winter,” Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a U.S. Senate committee.




Massachusetts State Police officer saves life of man that collapses at gas station

“Early yesterday morning, Trooper Andrew Zeller, assigned to the State Police Crime Scene Services Section, had just returned from working on a homicide investigation in Dover and secured some evidence at the Medical Examiner’s Office on Albany Street.

Trooper Zeller then stopped to get gas at the J&T Mobil Station at 273 East Berkley Street in Boston. While he was paying for his fuel, a man walked into the gas station and collapsed in front of him. Trooper Zeller alerted emergency medical services and began CPR.

Assisted by Trooper Michael Lane, who responded to the scene, Trooper Zeller administered several doses of the overdose reversal drug Narcan and continued chest compressions until Boston EMS arrived. He and Trooper Lane were able to re-establish a pulse and revive the man, who was transported to Boston Medical Center, where he is expected to recover.”




Massachusetts Environmental Police cite man and seize illegal catch of horseshoe crabs

“Massachusetts Environmental Police found an individual in Swansea with 250-pounds of live horseshoe crab in their vessel.

Further investigation found that the individual did not possess a valid permit or letter of acknowledgment to catch horseshoe crabs. The individual was charged for commercially fishing without a permit and for numerous safety violations.

All crabs were found to be alive and were safely returned to the waters of the Commonwealth.”-Massachusetts Environmental Police.




Rhode Island man sentenced in Boston for dealing Carfentanil and Fentanyl

A Rhode Island man was sentenced May 13 in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl and carfentanil distribution conspiracy.

Robert Soucy, 26, of Providence, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 16 months in prison and six years of supervised release. In February 2020, Soucy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 10 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl, and carfentanil.

On May 2, 2019, Soucy delivered fentanyl and heroin to an undercover officer. A subsequent test confirmed that the white powder Soucy claimed was fentanyl actually contained .32 grams of carfentanil and that the brown powder Soucy claimed was heroin was actually .4 grams of fentanyl. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times more potent than heroin.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the annoucement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.




Governor Baker authorizes $56 million to combat food insecurity in Massachusetts

The Baker-Polito Administration Sunday announced $56 million to combat urgent food insecurity for some Massachusetts families and individuals as a result of COVID-19. This funding is consistent with findings of the Food Security Task Force, which was convened by the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center in response to increased demands for food assistance. The task force is comprised of a broad group of public and private members charged with ensuring food insecurity and food supply needs are addressed during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

“These funds jump start some of the recommendations to address urgent needs and food supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic for communities across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “While COVID-19 has had a statewide impact, some of our communities and residents who have historically experienced food insecurity have been even more disproportionately impacted.”

“Our Administration has always been focused on supporting residents and families dealing with food insecurity, especially now during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We thank the Food Security Task Force for their work on these important issues, and are glad to make these crucial investments.”

The Administration will continue to utilize the Food Security Task Force and work with the Legislature to address food security issues going forward.

“Longstanding food assistance programs including the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infant and Children’s Program (WIC) are experiencing significant increases in assistance applications. In addition, community-based food banks are seeing skyrocketing demand and local grocers and farmers are struggling to meet the needs of consumers,” said COVID-19 Command Center Director and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders. “I am appreciative of the task force’s practical recommendations to meet immediate needs as well as the longer-term solutions.”

“We are pleased to provide new funding to a wide array of programs and initiatives in order to help ensure individuals and families have access to affordable, nutritious food during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “This funding builds upon other critical COVID-19 resources which are being distributed by the Administration in partnership with the Legislature, including the $502 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funds which will support important municipal initiatives, such as food assistance, during this public health crisis.”

“Increasing food security is essential to protecting the health of Massachusetts residents, and the funding and recommendations made available through the Task Force will help meet greater demand for nutritional assistance among vulnerable populations and those struggling with the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides. “The ongoing crisis has also highlighted the importance of reinforcing our local food supply chain, and this investment from the Baker-Polito Administration will provide needed capital to the farmers, fishermen, food banks, and distributors that are helping the Commonwealth respond to this unprecedented public health emergency.”

In less than a month, the Food Security Task Force, which was convened on April 22, synthesized and prioritized more than 80 recommendations into the following four key actionable categories:

– Develop and implement an emergency food program
– Fortify the food bank system
– Maximize federal resources for food and nutrition
– Reinforce and redeploy the food system infrastructure

As the task force continues its work going forward, today the Administration announces:

A $36 million COVID-19 Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program with a goal of ensuring that individuals and families have access to food. Eligible services include:

– Increasing capacity for food direct delivery;
– Increasing capacity of food banks and food pantries;
– Increasing capacity of local food distribution partners;
– Innovative solutions to enable those receiving SNAP and WIC benefits to receive food more easily;
– Innovative solutions for urban farming and
– Farms, retailers, fisheries and other food system businesses to help them adapt to the disruptions and to allow them to provide greater access to local food.

$5 million increase for the Healthy Incentives Program to meet increased demand for local produce and to increase access points that process SNAP and HIP benefits.

$12 million for the provision of 25,000 family food boxes per week through a regional food supply system. Each family food box contains 30 to 35 meals. Food boxes would be distributed throughout the state to food pantries.

$3 million in funding as an immediate relief valve to food banks.

The work of the task force builds on Massachusetts’ initiatives to increase access to food, including establishing emergency food distribution sites and school meal sites for food distribution, implementing Pandemic EBT to provide food to 500,000 youth who usually receive free or reduced priced lunch, distributing additional SNAP benefits to households, requesting online EBT purchasing approval from the federal government, and streamlining food benefit program administration.

Additionally, the Commonwealth recently released funding from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund to local cities and towns of up to $502 million and highlighted food insecurity as an eligible program.

Reporting up to the COVID-19 Command Center and Secretary Sudders, the work of the Food Security Task Force will continue as a private-public partnership, chaired by Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides, Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Amy Kershaw and Jill Shah, President of the Shah Family Foundation.