ible with liberty and justice for all. Uh I the first item that we have is if um if uh vice chair uh Pauline Perno if you could do a roll call of the members. >> Absolutely. So Ralph Dico you are
>> present. >> Pauline Pero is present. Jason Baron >> present. >> Mario Gmanis >> present. >> Ellie Vargas >> present. Hi Ellie and Ann Marie Fiori >> present. >> Hi Anarie.
>> So we have we have everyone is present so we have a full full account of our members tonight. Thank you very much. Um item number one I had sent everyone the not only the agenda for this meeting but
also our meeting minutes from our uh January meeting. Um, everyone had hopefully had a chance to look those over. If there was if anybody had seen any omissions or any errors, um, please let me know. Uh, if not, if you were at
that meeting, if I could have, uh, someone make a motion to approve. >> Motion to approve. >> I'll second it. >> Okay. Made by Okay. Okay,
perfect. Perfect. Okay, item number two on agenda on our agenda, we have a guest speaker that graciously is joining us tonight. It his name is uh Jared Craig, even though I incorrectly sent him an email a couple of times because it was a
very couple of crazy days. I incorrectly uh addressed the email by Craig and I sent him another apology. Thanks for Pauline noticing that. Um he is the mobile operations manager for the MGH uh community care van. So uh thank you
Jared if you want to just introduce yourself and then I've given you the um the privileges to share your screen and you can go ahead with your presentation. >> Sounds good. Thank you Ralph. Um and I will say I have three first names. So it
my whole life I've been called any any order of them. So there's no issue there. Um but yeah, as Ralph said, I am the operations manager for the uh Mass General Hospital community caravan, >> uh which is part of a fleet of three
vans. So there's the Mass General Hospital Community Carav Van, mine. There's also the Bigham Women's Community Careavan and the Salem Hospital community caravan. So we try to cover between south and northshore um all the way up to Salem all the way down
to you know Madapan that area. Um I will share this and please let me know if you guys can see this. >> Yeah. Okay. >> All good. >> Awesome. Thank you. Um so this is kind
of a overview of what Mass General Brigham the enterprise that includes MGH Brigam Women Salem Hospital. Now um the community health and health equity
department is rather large. It doesn't just include um my van and the van program. Uh we have of course the MGB community care vans. Like I said, there's three. All vans are out between 20 to 24, even more hours a week. I
mean, this this coming summer, we'll probably be out, you know, 30 hours a week each van. So, while it says the three vans are out around a little over 60 hours a week, we may this summer be out 90, 100 hours a week. Um, trying to
bring care to those. And I always, this is how I explain it. There is, of course, so the van is free essentially. It's what we provide uh in terms of services is free to anyone. You can come with with or without health uh insurance.
Uh and but our our main goal is to really help people bridge the gap from not having a primary care and being engaged in care on a regular basis to having primary care. Of course, I would love to be out of a job um because
everyone has a primary care physician and they see them on a regular basis and they manage their um you know, chronic illnesses, whatever those may be. Um but that's kind of where we come in. We we started uh with during COVID, you know,
doing the bringing vaccines and testing for COVID out to communities that weren't, you know, easily accessible or had lower rates of engagement with their primary care physicians. So that included like Chelsea River, you know, they're not as easily accessible with
the T um BTA. So going out to these areas that have had historic issues with getting care and bringing it to them. And so once CO kind of became more of a endemic situation like the flu of course worse in its own way we shifted more
towards screening. So the MGB community caravans do a lot of screening when it comes to um cardiometabolic diseases. So anyone with hypertension a family history of hypertension we want to make sure we're on that. Um also diabetes. So we we check people's glucose levels. we
can get them in for uh A1C levels uh and nearby >> uh whatever works for um their insurance or if they don't have insurance, we can work with them to find a lab that will do it for little to no cost. Um and we also
do, especially with MGH has this program called the bridge clinic where um all the vans two days a week will do substance use disorder treatment. So that can be things like needle exchange or harm reduction. We could also get our
goal of course is to get people into rehab or uh uh giving them education on you know other resources to help them quit. Um, and then our next part, so the mobile postpartum care unit, they use two of the vans, uh, once a week for
each van, and they enroll 100 individuals who are, um, mothers that are expecting or previously um, recently gave birth, who are MGB patients. Whereas for the MGB community care vans
like mine, you can be a CHA patient, you can be a Beth Israel, you can do be anywhere else. we will. It doesn't matter. You don't have to be a Mass General patient to get care. But, uh, for the postpart mo mobile postpartum care unit team, you do have to be an MGB
patient. Um, and they'll follow you for a year. Um, after giving birth to follow the mother and the baby. It's not supposed to um you know supersede going to a you know a
postpartum care physician or their primary care physician but it's supposed to supplement it and make sure that they are followed you know and advocated for uh and the results for that have been really impressive. >> Uh we also uh work with the uh Walgreens and Lynn
in Mission Hill. >> Uh anyone can come in there. We have a nurse practitioner there that will, you know, do checkups or kind of almost like a physical >> in a way. >> Um, very similar to the community care van, but not on a van, of course. It's
in these two different Walgreens. Um, and then we just started, we built out a clinic with Laabraativa and Chelsea um within the um their Laabraativa
Survival Center. Uh right off it's right under the US1 bridge there, but uh >> not too far from Market Basket. >> Not too far. Exactly. Yeah. >> Yeah. And the commuter rail is right there, too, I believe. Right. >> Exactly. Yeah, it is right there. Um they're great and that way we're able to
serve especially our um immigrant community and those that maybe don't speak English as a first language. Luck Labraativa has been great in serving the community in Chelsea, River, uh, Everett even, you know, it it's not just, you know, serving those in Chelsea. It's
it's kind of like a lot of, um, our communities in that area, um, you know, have a shared experience, especially those that just moved to Boston, especially from other countries. Um, this kind of just goes over, like I
said, we do blood pressure screening visits, diabetes education and assessment, um, substance use disorder. Like I said, a big program that we started just in October of last year is our colarctal cancer screening program.
So we have >> uh two soon to be three colarctal screening navigators whose whole job is to follow people from start to finish. And I'm going to go ahead here and I'll
go back um just to show this but follow people from start to finish. So, anyone that comes in to the caravan or um one of the three caravans or anywhere else that the um we have a program at that could be the Walgreens
LAA. Um we screen people for you know we ask them questions like does your family have a history of colorctal cancer? Does uh do you have any uh issues like blood in your stool or things of that nature? Have you ever been told by a physician that you should get a test? Well, the
colctal cancer screening navigator will get them a fit test. You may have heard of cola colig guard. It's it's very similar to that. Um, and we will send us a lab. The cost is totally absorbed by our program. Has nothing you know will
not um be something that the any patient will have to you know burden. And then based on that it you know if it says we need further testing that next test would be a colonoscopy and the colctal cancer screening navigator will work
with the patient to get them into a colonoscopy that like I said col the community care van has nothing to do with if someone has uh health insurance or not. Well, even if they don't have health insurance and they need a colonoscopy at that point because the
the colog test suggests it, we will get them in for a colonoscopy at no cost to them. Um, so this has been something that just started, like I said, in October. So far, results are really promising. We're following people from start to finish. And the whole point of
that is to really try to catch these um you know with any cancer if you can catch it early earlier the better prognosis the less cost for the patient um long term all around a better end
result for that. Um but let me back up here. I got ahead of myself of course as I do um this kind of goes into that what I just said. So, we really try to follow people um that are experiencing hypertension and diabetes whether it be
maybe a future you know anyone that's pre-diabetic or um you know having higher you know because hypertension develops over the course of one's life. Um we also do the substance use disorder um intervention. We try to reduce one's
harm for themselves or get them into rehab ideally. um the cancer as I mentioned and we also a big part each van has a community health worker uh who is dedicated to that van and that team and they are amazing because they work
with each patient to get them into primary care if they don't have one to uh help them get on Mass Health if they need it to get them transportation to a doctor's appointment anything and and everything in between they are there to,
you know, if we just had a nurse practitioner on board and no community health worker all day long, we can order labs, we can say you need to go to the doctor, but if no one's there to help them, you know, listen to what their life involves and this especially um
pertains to people in our disability community that have a, you know, very individualized experience in life. if no one's there to listen to that and and try to help match it, I mean that it's it's only half the the the issue. So, um
this is kind of some data from last year. Uh so, between all the vans, we saw 6,200 people or so. Over the course of the van program's life, that's five years, >> we've seen over 40,000 patients.
um which I always say to people in for context in a normal hour uh at a any given primary care clinic they'll on average see two to three patients the care vans on
average in an hour see four to five. So we're we're really trying to efficiently but you know in depth address people's needs especially in those areas that I highlighted and try
and get them into coming to see us on a monthly basis or going to care of course is ideal. Um but you know we try to ensure that we're seeing people that you see diverse communities of course people and in communities that have had you
know a historic issue of getting access to care. Um we do a big thing we of course we like I said started with vaccination but we still try to vaccinate people. Um it may not be our main focus as it used to be during COVID but uh we we do a lot of flu
vaccinations. This data was right before flu season got into, you know, full swing. Uh we've been a lot of flu vaccines since then. Um and our big, you know, thing is we also for people
that maybe are without insurance or with insurance and just aren't monitoring their hypertension or diabetes >> um regularly, we also give blood pressure cuffs. Um, it kind of shows it at the bottom right here. Home BP cuffs
provided. We we give out blood pressure cuffs um to people so they can monitor at home and let us know, hey, this is what I got on average for the month since I last saw you. Or we also give out uh glucose monitors with the lamb sets so they can put their finger in the
test strips. you know, we try to reduce as often as we can the barrier to monitoring uh chronic diseases um in the meantime while they are in between not having care and having care. Um and I think the last two slides I had
to share was this is in last this is fiscal year 25. So that's October 2024 to basically October 2025. Um we these were the areas especially those in like the darker green and red
that we really were involved in. So up on the Northshore that's van >> uh Chelsea River that'd be my van and then uh down in like Dorchester Roxbury Adapan that's the Brian Women's van and
um I started with this van in November. the previous operations manager was still kind of a little south of downtown. Um, so I'm trying to bring us I mean we are in Revier a lot more now. Um, which I'm really happy to say. I mean we just uh got on with the Revier
Community School uh joining uh their afternoon classes for people learning English as a second language. Uh we're with the women encouraging empowerment. Uh we're with several places for the river housing authority. So, um, we
recognize that River and Everett and Chelsea is where, you know, our van can really do some good. Um, and so the next slide shows where whereas the previous one shows where the van's been in the last year, this shows where the people
that have come to the van are from in terms of zip codes. Um, so it's it's um uplifting to see that like in general comparing the two, we're serving people that are in those
areas that we're going to, you know, they're not coming, you know, from Brooklyn or or or Melrose or other areas that maybe not don't need uh the care as much because they're, you know, generally more affluent or or
things of that nature. they're more engaged in care in those areas. So, we we we really want to do a good job of um looking at we do community needs assessments all the time and we want to look at hey, we want to meet the people where they're at. Um and this is
going in the right direction of where we want to go. Um but that is kind of the gist of the whole program. Uh Dr. Priya is our medical director. her information's there if anyone ever needs to get in contact with her. Um,
but I hope that uh, you know, gave you guys a good uh, overview and if you have any questions. >> Yeah, I have just a couple of questions. Thank you, Jason. How how accessible are these medical care vans for people with disabilities? That is a a great point
and something I think often, especially now in the snow. You know, I see these narrow walkways to get to places and I I just think how would someone, you know, especially those that are in a wheelchair with crutches or what have you uh get around for this, you know,
during these times of the month. Um, so when we're while I say we're on a van, >> you have the tents on the outside. >> The what? You have tents on the outside. You set up >> during the summer. Yeah, for sure. But during the winter, while we are bringing
all the supplies and our our our team of course on the van to these community based organizations that we're going to like encouraging empowerment or via community school, for example, we're going off the van in the winter months mostly and going inside to lobbies to
these places. >> Um or if they have, of course, a private room, that's even better. um just because it it it's while the van has heat and everything, it's hard to access and the van doesn't have a lift and we recognize that. So, it is easier
and and even in the summer when we're, you know, say we're on the van at a park or something, we'll bring the team off if we have someone we've had that happen before where we have people come up and they're, you know, in a wheelchair, they they you know, maybe they're unable to climb the steps, we'll come off, we'll
bring everything off. It's no issue to us. Um, we want to make that's the whole point of this. We we want to make it as easy as possible because someone wouldn't be coming to see the van and get care if they could go to a brickandmortar uh clinic, you know, in
the first place. And and we recognize that. >> So, yeah, I hope that answers that question. >> The other other follow-up question I have is I see you do have you keep some data on demographics. Do you keep any demographic data on um people that you
that you see that have disabilities, mobility issues? Do you keep any of that data? >> Um I don't. So in a way, yes. So, we check people in
on Epic. Um, just to adhere to like, you know, uh, electronic health record standards, make sure everything's safe. And, you know, on Epic, we have the secure browser and everything's it's just easier to do on an epic and make sure everything is secure. So on Epic,
when you check people in, at least for Mass General Hospital, it'll ask if we need to update their disability accommodations, and it asks a slew of different questions as to if anyone identifies with a disability. Um and so
we can pull that data in, you know, say I wanted to see um who's coming to the van based, you know, and and if the people coming to the van had a disability, I can pull that for any other given month in the past. Um so we always do update that.
>> I I don't think it's something that in since November that I've seen the you know, leadership like say, "Oh, let's let's let's look at that." And that's something I think that's a great idea to look at like are we really reaching people that um maybe identify with having a disability. Um and are we
>> you know if you're starting to go at like the River Housing Authorities or housing authorities a lot of the senior senior buildings uh there's a lot of residents in there that may not have access like you're saying you're trying to reach demographics of of residents
that cannot get to medical facilities and the caravan is going there. Uh it'd be great to see how much this increases people with mobility issues um that cannot get to there, how valuable this is for them. Uh especially in in the
senior the senior the senior, not the senior recreational centers, but the senior buildings uh of that when you off the Shirley A neighborhood, you got Walnut A and a couple of those buildings that you're saying you're trying to go into the housing authorities. Um, so we have a lot of those buildings and
there's a lot of there's a lot of not only seniors, there's a lot of residents with disabilities who are who are homebound that stay in their building um that this that that this benefits. That's why I wanted to see the accessibility. I'm great to hear that, you know, you try and go into the buildings uh where there's a room, you
know, especially in the winter time. But I was just curious to see um if there was any demographics on that. And I'm I'm assuming that you I I because I I was involved um with the food pantries in the past in River and at that time MGH these vans they were using them to
come and get the boxes of food and helping to distribute those. Um so I know that they were involved with the department of public health in the city and I think you're still involved with the River Department of Public Health um agency. >> Yeah, I did have a meeting the other day
with uh you you guys may know Lauren and then >> Lauren. Yep. Lauren. Yep. >> And so I I also know MGH has expanded maybe with the food um since then. They now partner with the YMCA to do the mobile markets which is another mobile
situation where they bring food to different parts of the community um that you know allows for maybe more accessibility than having to go to a specific site. especially because I know a lot of the um food banks across
greater Boston have, you know, lines that, you know, down down the street sometimes or they have weight lists even. So, um because they're all trying to serve families in need, of course. Um so, that that's something new that I know that we're really trying to expand
that partnerships with the YMCA. I've heard that they're supposed to be doing it on like Monday or Tuesday from like 12 to 2 near Shirley have with the mobile. Is that correct or is that incorrect? I just heard from that recently from someone.
>> That's a good question. I So >> I had a backup question. Where can we get all this lovely information like if you had like a scheduling? Do you have like a site or something? If you want like show up to one of your sites to get like a checkup or whatever the case may be because I'm local. I'm next to the uh
River Beach station, not even 5 10 minutes away. So if I was like needed somehow, how could we find you? That's my question. >> Yeah, so we do have um our website on
um on Google and it has our um mobile van schedule which we update you know for the web uh however often you know on a monthly basis essentially. So, let me put that in the chat.
>> No, I mean for people that are not in chat, just >> Oh, if they're not. So, >> for for So, we go to like um to Ralph's point, we go to like Liston and He towers. We go to like I said, Rever Community School. I create flyers in
multiple languages um and send them to those community based partners on a regular basis. And now with the uh River Department of Public Health and Lauren and her team, we're also starting to share all those all the anyone that
we're any partner that we're going to in River. We're going to share all those flyers with them so they can post it and let people know because I know sometimes it's really hard to find, you know, where someone where anything's going to be even in, you know, especially if you're looking across greater bus, but
even in River like there's a lot of things going on at any given day. Um, so >> as >> yeah, those flyers are at the sites and we're gonna have them with the Department of Public Health, but um, other than that, we do have our, you know, community caravan website that has
our schedule, but it it can be a little difficult. I do recognize that. Yeah. >> Has there been any logistics talk on how Lauren is going to be uh, dispersing that information? Is it going to go on the city calendar? Is it going to just be on the DPH, the Department of Public
Health's page? Are you just in preliminary talks with them? >> Yeah. Are you guys going to do it for like 311 just for in case if they want like you know someone nerdy like a hit up 331? Do they have that information? That's all good stuff. >> No, that's a that's a great point. I I
um will reach out to Lauren and see I didn't know what contact she was going to go through to get that out through at least the Department of Public Health. Um and if they can put on the city website, I mean that's even better because it's something that um is a little more accessible. and 301's a
great option. So, I will I will raise that to her because I think that's a great idea. It's it it allows it to be, you know, >> because um Ellie, there's there's the weekly newsletter that goes out um and they may be able to put that in the
weekly newsletter, uh where it's going to be each week or something like that, but I don't want to speak for them. So, I don't know uh what their plan is on on how they're going to um pass on that information. >> No, it doesn't does not hurt to ask at all. Yeah.
>> What do you mean? >> I um I live at the Highman Towers. Do you and I see somebody once a week. They come to do the blood pressures and check people's vitals. Does that have anything to do with you guys? >> Yes. >> We do go to Hyman and we do go to Liston. Yeah.
>> Yeah. I see them once a week. Yeah. Okay. Well, we we aren't there once a week. We're there once a month. That may be department. >> Probably once a month. Yeah, >> that's probably Department of Public Health, Mario. >> Oh, okay. Yeah, because I do that. I was wondering what that, you know, that was from. >> Yeah, that's probably the review
department of public health. And the blood pressure checks are great that they do because you know it's important to check that on a regular basis but we can offer a little bit more with you know glucose vaccines ordering you know we can even you know we have often people come to us and say hey I'm on you
know any sort of hypertension med or you know >> big things and they're like I haven't seen my doctor in three months and I'm about to run out. our nurse practitioner can order a month of that med um >> and you know help get people to the next
point. So that that's a big thing that we also do. I didn't >> the other question on these these the on the care van what is your uh bandwidth for languages? Do you use service or call in service or
>> we um on the van we're bilingual in Spanish and English in person and then we use a uh the language line through okay general hospital and okay but even when we for example go to highman we have a every time like four or five
ladies that come in a group and they all speak Moroccan Arabic and we've never had an issue with using the language line with them that it works Well, >> I just wanted to get that out so people know that you do, you know, you have to use the language line for interpretation. >> For sure.
>> Perfect. >> Any other >> any other members have any other questions? >> Yeah, I'll say it. Uh, well, more of a uh my suggestion would be that um I would honestly tell you that uh you would think that uh Brooklyn and places like that would not have a need for it,
but honestly, to tell you the truth, there's a huge immigrant population. and a lot of other places like that and also folks that are elderly that are disabled that need that assistance. So, it might be something they want to look at because they may not be able to get into a place or don't have anybody anymore or
places that they can access easily uh who have chronic conditions. So, just something they might want to look at for MGH because it it's getting more and more difficult to get to care. And uh someone like myself who's disabled and have a chronic health
condition, I'm finding that with the visiting nurse type stuff as well. So, it's getting more and more complicated, you know, and as the diabetes side of things make things more of a mess. So it would be helpful just something that
they might want to look at as a team instead of just assuming because some area is wealthy that those people don't need it. You don't know who's living there. That's just a suggestion I would look at, >> you know, going forward because >> that's a great point. Yeah. And and this
is not based on anything of assumption. We do, you know, >> uh, community assessments on like a >> quarterly basis where we send our community um, not the community health workers that are on the band, but we have a core of community health workers that go out and talk with communities
around greater Boston that includes Brookline out to Brighton, Austin, um, Melrose and Somerville, everyone, you know, in the area. And we really try to see where the greatest need is. And while there can be pockets of course in
communities uh of you know maybe perceived affluence, we have to you know really sit down and think the van can only be in so many places in a given month. I mean right now the van does two clinics a day. So we're >> and it can be all over Boston each day.
Um we have to think where can we do the most good and that that's a great point and and you know the other day I was driving past the Brooklyn uh senior center. I thought that very idea, you know, that's a great place to talk to. Um, >> well, because there's a lot of there's a
lot of places here that they have a nurse, let's say, you know, a nurse that some of the retirement communities, but they can't do certain things and it's a lot more pressure. They're limited in what they can do. So, you know, it would be helpful because when you're running
into more complex issues like myself now, I'm going to need a patch or a pump. it is hard to get visiting nurse services through the long-term let's say like long-term ones. So options would be helpful because then I could maybe do
care where now I got to rethink those things or medication I might be getting that I can't afford you know those kind of things. So it would help to have access to that and take some pressure off some of the other side of it because you know one building might have a good
example say 200 people living in it that nurse might only you know can't do everything you know but also by their lensure they can't either. So, >> it would be just something to look at. My suggestion because there's a lot more than you would think. It probably
doesn't show up, but it's, you know, I'm learning more and more as I get into the healthcare side of it for myself, but I've been part of it my entire life. My dad was a transplant patient, so I look at everything. And so it's just something I would definitely look at and
I' be happy to chat with somebody from that program as more about something like that to try to >> to show that. >> I definitely appreciate that and moving forward I I'll definitely keep in contact with about that. >> I appreciate it. >> Yeah. >> Any other members?
>> No, I just want to say that I remember passing a community caravan and wondering what it was all about. And it wasn't until my daughter was hired to go on the community caravan that I actually understood it better. And I think in the
scope of things that and having worked as a public health nurse, having worked as a home care nurse and having worked in hospitals, so taking all of that into consideration, there are a number of different services that are out there for people. It's getting that
information to the people who need it is I think the biggest gap. And I just I see the number of hours, patient hours, work hours that are put into
finding where the the gaps are, finding where the holes are, finding where that they can get more information. And I think maybe um for the community care program, the van program, you know, maybe they need
to look at having conversations with, as you said, I know Jared, you're doing talking with Lauren Buck, but the different public health nurses. I worked in Newton and I was a public health nurse who went into people's homes. very very limited as you you know pointed out
um Jason but you know in the scope of things there I think there's going to be an awful lot of overlap of services which is good um but I think that someone really needs to take the ball and and kind of identify
different areas different pockets what's available to people and how that information most importantly is getting out I had no idea this even existed until I passed a van and I have more of an idea now that my daughter is working on one and that I've had the pleasure of
meeting Jared up close and personal and I think you're a wonderful extension of Mass General Bighgam's van. I think that you are the perfect fit for this and I I wish you all the best. I
know that you're new doing this, but you're doing a tremendous job. Well, thank you. And I I was going to say earlier, Pauline's daughter, Lily, is our community health worker. She is absolutely amazing. And to to your point, I before I So, I moved to Boston
in November. I managed a mobile health program similar to this and uh for the University of Florida. Uh >> why would you move up here? >> I that is what everyone keeps telling me. >> I learned that. >> No, that's why >> you love snow and you got it this year.
>> I did. Uh but uh I've done nonprofit public health work for several years now and I think to Pauline's point um a lot of times it is the people that work on the ground, you know, as a home health nurse or a public health nurse that know
things that maybe people that are doing programmatic work like myself or other programs across uh Boston, you know, I see CHA driving around in advance sometimes. I see uh you know other there's programs all the time and they don't talk to each other. They don't
talk to the home health nurses. They don't talk to the public health nurses. Everyone's kind of siloed in their own areas and it's an issue. I mean that is an issue that I hope to God does not affect us forever because everyone talked a little like we are all right now. I'm learning things you know I'm
able to discuss things with you guys and I think it's great. Um, but it it is a matter of trying to tread water in terms of getting information out. You know, Lily does that every day as our community health worker and she's amazing. She
teaches me things all the time that I didn't >> teach me things every moment. >> She does. Yeah. But um and same to to everyone here. I mean, I'm learning things that I didn't know before. And I think it's just um that that's the that's the whole, you know, just as we
try to >> Well, we appreciate what you do, but I mean I I I understand and I I I appreciate what you brought up, Colleen, and she's right about that that connection, not talking to each other, but the other part that isn't that isn't brought out. A good example, part of the
problem is the health insurance and the services that are available. So, an example, my health insurance has like 15 or 30 different VNAs they work with. Okay. So, they call all of them and you call them and then they say, "Well, we
can't do long-term." Or the one that could, "Well, we don't have enough people, so we don't we're not able to do that." >> Then you go to call ones that are spec or spec specifically designed to do that. So, for example, say caring bees
or uh there's another one out there. Um I can't think of off the top of my head. Um but we'll turn around and then say, "But we don't take that health insurance." say the main one that I have. So then Medicare and Mass Health is accepted by those like say car and bees. So now the person's got to decide.
Do you see where I'm going with that? That it's >> there's a real problem and the person that's getting and I mean this respectfully professionally is that it's hurt out of it is the patient that is disabled or elderly that has a chronic
health condition is not getting the services they need. And then people expect, well then the family member now has to take in those medical things. And that's not to me, especially when you're getting into pumps or patches that puncture the skin where the risk of
infection goes up as Pauline knows by quite a bit. And so the it's not fair to dump that on the family members and that family member might be working full-time as an example or you know so I'm just it would help because then we can maybe fix
some of that and maybe to get people to realize that you know a person might have two or three insuranceances and they're going to get covered. you just got to do it a certain way and it it's all about this it's like almost like a bubble for the patient and it's not really fair because the patient is the
one taking the hit >> right >> you know and the community too because then they go up and they go to the emergency department instead of >> you know which I hate by the way as Paul knows I I don't want to go um I yeah I
that's that's my thought I you know it's I especially when they're overridden didn't like this, but I still don't like to go period. And it's it's just frightening >> because it Yeah, it's >> it is and it's
it's very very self well very disheartening as a health care professional. I mean, I yes, I'm retired, but I still worked a lot of years. To have to say the state of health care and accessing and and making
sure that you know you get what you need is just it's absolutely horrific. And I've experienced it myself. I'm I'm still experiencing it. It's over and over again. And it doesn't matter how much knowledge you have. It's it's you
need to you need to look at every avenue. You need to have someone helping you. And you know, the the van does have what Lily does. And I I applaud her every day because, you know, she she's she's got every avenue. She's got every niche. She got
everything covered. And I just I I admire that. And so, but we need a thousand of them. We need a thousand liies. I only have one for you. I'm sorry. fine. >> Well, well, especially with insulin now because people are as I'm finding out on Facebook is that they are rationing
this. >> Yes, Colleen, it is >> as I told Ralph before we started >> what I'm running into. >> Get to get back to the whole thing is more the more communication that we can have between agencies and inter agencies and intra agencies.
>> I think that that will it's not going to be an overnight thing. It is going to take time and it will take a lot of time, a lot of energy and a lot of effort and a lot of having the right people in the right places doing the right thing to get us there. So, I think
that it can happen. Um, and the only other thing I was going to mention is, you know, one other agency here in Rever that might benefit from getting this information, it's a senior center, >> right? >> You know, because Yeah, that's why I said I don't know how >> Lauren what the outreach is going to be.
um but right getting the outreach there. That's why especially the newsletter, the the calendar, right? >> Uh so >> getting it as many places as you can, but I you know I just I applaud the work that's being done because Lord knows it needs to be done
>> and I can reach out to them. Do you guys have a contact you specifically know in my >> at the senior at the senior center? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh uh Debbie Pesca is uh uh is the um the director. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> Debbie Dulio Pesca is the is the director there at the senior center. But I think that the right thing is you're contacting Lauren. So Lauren's going to know um you know how to >> finger thing going on. She's got this person, this person, this person. >> Yeah. you you contacted the right person
and it's just a matter of how they're going to they're going to be disseminating that within the community and the different departments um how they're going to want to do that. >> But now we know that that's going to happen. We can be on the lookout for it as well. And if we're not seeing it,
then you know, >> yeah, >> again, communication is the key. and and I'll reach out to Lauren um tomorrow and and and if it helps, you know, with at least, >> you know, all the amazing work that you guys are doing on a monthly basis, I can
send you the dates and times and where we're going to be in River. Um so if you know, >> I can Yeah, I can also put that in our monthly >> y the month because we meet the second Tuesday of the month >> and I can make that part of my agenda. >> That would be cool.
>> Yep. That would be excellent. And Jared, one last thing is um what day are you guys going to be at River High School? I saw that you're having a nice uh 3 to 6 on >> What day is that? >> It is the starting the 24th of February
and we'll start attending the I think that's what the fourth Tuesday of every month moving forward. >> Yeah, I think so. and it may expand to two two days a month, but um just because we just started with them, we'll start with one day a month.
>> Nice. Well, I wish you guys all the success because um I think it's going to draw a really diverse crowd. I'm hoping. >> I'm hoping. >> Yeah.
>> Oh, sorry. >> No, go ahead. I was going to say we spent um a lot of time laapliva on I think this before I got on but at a bi-weekly basis. Um and so we just offloaded that because I showed um every
you all that we built that clinic out there in partnership with them and so they kind of have their own access to um our screening services now there. And so I think that we have we we have the cap
capacity now and we have of course the skill set with our bilingual staff to really you know I think River Community School could be great especially because um as Fatu uh >> mentioned to us is it's you know a lot of especially um new neighbors to um the
river community from different parts of the world especially our Latin American countries. So, anything we can do to help them with um you know getting screened especially before they get into care or a lot of people come to us with uh uh vaccines they need for immigration
you know we we try to really do that. >> Excellent. >> Well, thank you again Jared. I really appreciate this. >> Yeah. Thank you all for inviting. >> Thank you for all that you do. >> Thank you. I Oh, yeah. >> No, no, no, no. And anytime you
>> need any more information, please let me know and I'll start sending that uh >> our schedule for review on a monthly basis. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Have a great night. >> You all too. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. Moving on to item number three is um is updates and next steps from the January 13th meeting. It's just updates from Pauline and Amarie regarding uh any future calendar uh guest speakers for monthly guest speakers. Um so hopefully
we'll have something for March. >> I'm hoping I'm striking out with Catalo, but I'm going to have my son. He he doesn't get an awful lot of information on the weekends because it's a again skeleton crew. >> My contact number reach >> No,
>> he's no longer there. >> No. So, I'm gonna go a different route. I'll have Anthony tap in and see if he can find out who I'm going to talk to. So, >> that would be great if we can get them to talk about what we wanted to a few months ago.
>> Yeah. The other thing I was thinking of trying to tap into is the um the mental health response team through the police department to see if they would be willing to come and do a little blurby for us.
>> Okay. So, I'll also reach out to them and see if I can get anything going on that. But, um, you know, when I saw that the community caravan was coming to the Riviera schools, I was like, "Oh, we got to have this in here." And I'm glad we did. That was a lot of good information
and a lot of good insight. >> Agreed. >> Okay. Um, yeah. And like I said, commission members, if you know of any agencies or anyone that would be great to come as a guest speaker, you know, reach out to Pauline and Amarie, um, give them that
information. Excuse me. And, uh, excuse me. >> Thank you. Sorry about that. Um, so that we can we want to try and get a few months scheduled in advance so we don't have to try and go monthto month waiting um to try and get somebody. uh makes it
a lot easier if we can schedule a few months in advance. >> Um next is next update is from Ellie if there's any update yet on reaching representative Turko's office. >> Uh about last week I went to the hospital. I got hospitalized for low
blood pressure and during that time I called him personally because I had his phone number. So I tapped him. I told him about it and I sent him an email. I'm gonna contact him tomorrow because I have not heard anything since last week and also when I
sent the email I mentioned him if he had any free time this month or next month hit up Paul uh Pauline for you know setting up something we could have him as a guest speaker. Sorry. Go ahead. No, I'd love him for him that was a great
idea for him to come and actually, you know, hear the concerns upfront and personal and and just be able to address some of this stuff to see if we can get the ball rolling in one matter, shape, or form because there's more and more people that are now jumping out into
traffic because again, we're dealing with the snowbanks. But on top of that, it's it's a it's going to become another issue because I know we're sitting here freezing, but in 3 months from now, we're going to be sitting here sweating and we're going to be up against the same issues. It's it's never going
>> well. Different elements, same problem, same situation. That's why uh what is it? Solve the issues, not make more problems. I I guess you >> you hit it. You hit it perfect. Thank you. >> All right. Um, I'm going to move to item
number four. I'm going to go since we're running behind in the meeting. I'm going to try and go as quick as I can. Um, as you seen, they weren't ready in time for the posting, but I do have them. Basically, at the um item number four is Dakota Commission on Disabilities Alliance monthly meeting, which was on
February 4th. Uh, the Somerville Cood uh member mentioned that they are looking for new members. This was a a a recurring theme on a lot of commissions. the sandwich cood member spoke about issues with the accessible voting machines along with the fact that their
commission is also looking for new members. Uh and then the Arlington Cood member mentioned that they're having some issues recruiting new commission members. Uh, and the Boston Commission mentioned that that at their their meeting last month, they had a
presentation regarding snow removal. And at their meeting this month, uh, in February, they're going to be having a presentation by their DPW on curb cuts. And the Gardener um, COOD member discussed issues with her town not
having a transition plan. And Newberry Port, Cood member is looking to revamp their town's snow removal process. Um, so those were the the the notes from that monthly COOD member. Um, I'm going
to move into item number five um that I wrote in here. I uh I submitted a grant application to the better beach better beach save the harve the bay again this year um and I'm hoping to get awarded again and this is going to be be if we
are awarded it's going to be used towards the third annual all abilities day out at River Beach um so I submitted that at the timely fashion that it needed to be submitted um I don't know um if I'm going to be made aware uh in
March. Uh once I'm made aware of it, then I the next step of the process is that I have to apply for DCR permits. Um and I will keep everybody up to date on that. Um regardless, I'm hoping that we do get the um the grant again and then
we can plan for the uh the third annual all abilities day out at River Beach uh which will probably be again um the first or the second uh Saturday in August. And uh we're trying to do it even better than last year. Um and um
one thing that I'm going to ask for this year is that if we can have all our commission members there. Um and I'll try and get all the logistics of everything done. Um but I am going to need a lot of help. Um and we're going
to need to do some talking on um the figuring out how to register people a little bit easier. um than we have in the past. There was a lot of thanks for the River Recreation Center for their using their process of people registering. Uh but a lot of people were
having a lot of issues on how to go to the recreation site on how to register for events. Um so when it comes to that within the next few meetings, we can talk about how we want to do that. Um, I don't know if we want to just have
them send us emails, uh, because sometimes things get lost in the shuffle if we do it that way or leave messages, things will get lost in the shuffle. So, keep that in the back of your mind on a on any other types of ways that we can have people register for an event. Um,
if we don't want to um take up uh time or bandwidth from the River Recreation Center, right? Um, so >> maybe we should also have the community care van come for that event. >> Yeah, >> that makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah, that Yeah, we could see if
they can they're available for that. So, put that down at a somebody keep that in mind. Keep that as a um an idea for uh possible um >> possible partners for the all abilities day out at River Beach.
Um next is item number six. I just wanted to uh a discussion on reaching out to the river public library to see about what we could assist with purchasing for them uh regarding books, our in-house equipment specifically tailored for people with disabilities.
Uh we'd be able to allocate funds from the 22G um that that we collect for the handicap funds as long as it's geared towards people with disabilities. Um, I had a preliminary discussion with a person that is involved with the River Public
Libraries, the River Public Libraries, and I believe she is uh part of the board of trustees. Um, and I said that I would have uh I would bring this up with the commission so that possibly um and then this person is going to go back to the trustees to see what they have for
books for for people with disabilities, children with disabilities, like books for children to read so they can be a little bit more educated and learn. there's a lot of books out there um to see what we can purchase for them if there's any type of equipment that they need in the library, you know, that's
that that's affordable or things like that. So, I just wanted to see if there's an appetite for me to keep further pursuing that and what your thoughts are on that. >> I think it's a great idea. >> Okay. >> Probably necessity definitely.
>> Yeah. And I have to and to elaborate a little bit more on that, I also need to sit down with the administration and see what we could help uh fund for any accessible um accessible projects within the community such as municipal
buildings or anything like that. Um so I will talk to um to the appropriate people on that. Um, next was uh item number seven with the the the messages
of architectural access board, the MAB for variances. Uh, we didn't receive any since our last meeting, so I don't have any updates on that. Uh item number eight is commission members lateformational items. And I know Jason uh briefly mentioned that he wanted to
talk about um snow issues and but I'm going to try and summize it since we're running late. And I just wanted to let uh people know that here in the city of River, we do have on the on the books an ordinance for snow removal that businesses and homeowners are
responsible to remove the snow on the sidewalks within a timely fashion. Uh if not, they will be fined. If you see that a sidewalk uh is not shoveled in between in front of a business or a home, uh you
can report it to 311 uh and inspectional services will uh will be will enforce it. Inspectional services does enforce it. Um I know we've gotten an astronomical amount of snow um in in
that short period of time. Um, but I believe um I believe they have been up todate on it from what I I I did have a conversation with 311 and they did receive a lot of calls um and inspectional services was going out and enforcing it. But when you do call, you
need to have the physical address. You can't just say the street uh or where it is or a neighborhood. You really have to give them the exact address in order >> Yeah. the coordinates, the GPS. U question. How much is the fine if they
find the person guilty? >> Uh I I'm I don't want to talk on that because I don't know the exact the exact problem. >> Yeah, I don't know the exact amount. >> Okay. >> That's something that you could ask 311 or inspectional services. I don't know
him if you're if if your does if your husband does that part of ISD. Is he in part of that forcing on the snow or >> I can ask. I honestly am not not certain, but I can check with him to find out if he knows anything. >> Yeah. Um, but they I know they are doing
a job. Great job on that. We just had that that not this last storm, that other storm was a lot of snow in a short period of time. All I can say is all I can say is luckily it was not that heavy
wet snow and it was the light stuff. And I'm doing a dance that we don't get any snow tonight. and I'm doing a dance that we don't get any star in the weekend. So, but just to let you know, um there is under under the um the Massachusetts
Architectural Act as board um 521 CMR there it is there is the responsibility to maintain the sidewalks and clear path. Uh there are, believe it or not, cities and towns that don't have ordinances on the books. Luckily, Re, we do have the ordinances and we do enforce
them, but there are communities that don't. I can tell you that firsthand from uh other duties and responsibilities that I have outside of River uh of calls that I've had to take, but um yeah, so that's that's where where we we are on that. The city of
River is responsible to clear um the sidewalks uh in front of municipal buildings and schools and municipal parks and things like that. And they've been doing a great job. they were going straight out uh for those last storms. There's a if you take a look at it, there's a lot of properties that they
do. The the Rever TBW is is uh is involved with doing a lot of the the school parking lots, a lot of the sidewalks, and there are a lot of municipal buildings that they have to handle. So, um it does can't get done at the at the at the blink of an eye, but
it does eventually get done. And there is uh as you saw it was not a lot of places to put the snow. Um and so they did the best that they can like everybody else, every homeowner uh and business owner. We get through it. We haven't had to do this for many years.
Um and we forgot how bad it can get. >> We we we we got slapped in the face as a reminder this year. >> Um and hopefully we won't get it again. >> Well, hopefully not. I mean, the problem is Ralph, it's not just that. It's that people don't a lot of times don't do the
uh ramp accesses for the cutouts, the curb cutouts and stuff. I'm sure Ellie's run into that, too. >> So, time. >> Yeah, >> that's 31. That's why I just said 311. And you have to give them the address.
You can't you can't cry wolf unless you know where the wolf is. So if you want to be if you have to complain about something or you have an issue with something, you have to tell them where the issue is. >> Yep. >> Agreed.
>> That's the only way something will get done. You can't just say this this is not getting done. That's not getting done. That doesn't help you. That doesn't help your municipality. That doesn't help the administration. You have to let them know specifically
where the issues are so they know how where it is so that they can resolve it. You know, there's a lot of curb cuts. There's a lot of sidewalks. There's a lot of areas in this city. So, they need to be aware of where it is so they can take care of it without without them
being told specifically where it is. They can't just be driving around. Somebody says, "Oh, the curb cuts are not going." They can't drive around the city looking for what curb cuts are not done. if they're specifically told, then they'll be able to get there and clean them out. Hopefully that helps.
>> Yeah. >> Um and uh you know, a lot of a lot of a lot of people a lot of there there are a lot of great people residents in this area that live on a corner that will clean them out, but it's you know, curb cuts uh really they don't have to. It's
great when they do, but they don't have to. uh it helps out everybody when they do you like I say uh the person with the disability is the only is the only club I call it the club that you don't ask to be put in
when you you you know you don't ask to be put in and you don't join and and someday most people are going to be in that club >> you're right >> yep >> true >> so everybody try and do their share it
helps out not only not only a person with a disability, it helps out your municipality. >> Same thing with fire hydrants. >> Yep. >> The firefighters can't get out and do all the fire hydrants. So, if you live by a fire hydrant, help out a firefighter, help out the fire
department and clean it out for them. Okay, that's my my uh >> my spiel on my public address announcement for the for the >> nicely done. Um, uh, item number nine, there are no other resident concerns or
issues that I received. Like I said, the meeting was running late, so I wanted to try and get through this as quick as possible. The next steps is we're going to wait to hear back from Ellie uh for Representative Turo and uh also from
Ellie and Pauline on any uh calendar u any guest speakers for any upcoming um monthly meetings. And um item 11 is the u monthly reminder. If Pauline if you
could graciously um read that for me, I'd greatly graciously appreciate it. Absolutely. The Commission on Disabilities office number is 781-2868267. Residents can also call REI via 311 directly and speak to their staff Monday
through Friday. They will answer most questions, but if they are unable to assist you or if you would prefer to talk with the commission directly, please ask to be transferred to the Commission on Disability direct number. Please leave us a detailed message and we will respond to you shortly. As
always, please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss or add something to our monthly meeting agenda. You can also let us know if you want to discuss any concerns. The commission is here to help and assist all residents with disabilities and their families in Reier.
>> Okay. Um item number 11 is uh uh meeting adjournment. If I could have a motion to adjurnn. It was the same time. Wait a minute. >> All right. Jason first and uh Mario
second. >> You guys will Well, you guys have a button to push at the same time. >> Yeah. >> Um uh our next meeting via Zoom is going to be on Tuesday, March 10th. I just want to um wish everyone a happy Valentine's
Day. Um this Saturday, February 14th. I always have to remember this date not only for Valentine's Day uh um for my wife but also it's my mom's birthday. Uh she was born on Valentine's Day. So I want to wish my mom a happy, healthy,
success and many more uh birthdays. So everybody happy Valentine's Day. >> Thank you again for a wellattended uh full meeting tonight. I'm very happy that we were all here and please be safe and please let's have only one more week
of winter and summer. Please come. Please come. >> Okay. >> Great. >> Have a great night. >> Good night. >> Bye. Good night.