Autism Awareness Month: A Parent to Parent Message

By Lia Spiliotes April 24, 2018 I am the mom of an adult son with autism, and it’s meaningful to me that April is Autism Awareness Month. I appreciate this annual recognition of  people who live with autism’s challenges and rewards: adults and children...
Hike at CHP in GB!

Hike at CHP in GB!

Did you leave your CHP appointment with a prescription for a health-enhancing hike? No problem — CHP has a hiking path right outside the door of its Great Barrington Health Center! Thanks to a 2016 collaboration between CHP, Berkshire Natural Resources Council,...

Berkshire Senior TV: CHP on TV with Lia Spiliotes

CHP’s chief executive officer, Lia Spiliotes, talked recently on “Berkshire Senior TV,” a Pittsfield Community Television program hosted by Elder Services of Berkshire County. Watch here. Lia joined John Lutz, executive director of Elder Services, to...

Listen: New CNM Appears on Radio Talk Show

Susan Greenberg-Yarmush, certified nurse-midwife (CNM) with CHP Barrington OB-GYN, had a radio conversation on the WSBS 860-AM program “Ask the Nurse,” with host Cynthia Henry, herself a retired CNM. You can download the program here to listen to their...

CHP Partners with “Supergenerians” for May 9 Forum

CHP is excited about this upcoming event addressing aging well in the Berkshires! What: Berkshire Supergenarians: A Forum for Seniors When: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 , 8:30 a.m.-noon at the Berkshire Museum. About: If you’re a Supergenerian, in your 7th, 8th, 9th, or...
Certified Nurse-Midwives, New MD, join CHP Barrington OB-GYN

Certified Nurse-Midwives, New MD, join CHP Barrington OB-GYN

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience with the staff at Fairview and with CNM Lisa Fraine. They all made what could have been a very scary experience, smooth and calm and their teamwork was incredible! I’m so glad Lisa was the one to deliver our...
CHP Neighborhood Health: Accepting New Patients

CHP Neighborhood Health: Accepting New Patients

Three of our top primary care Clinicians are now accepting new adult patients at CHP Neighborhood Health Center in Pittsfield! Family Nurse Practitioner Rebecca Gamache is focused on health promotion and disease prevention, and she has a strong passion for holistic...

MountainOne Gift Expands Patient Access in North Adams

CHP is grateful for a gift from MountainOne that allowed us to equip two patient rooms at CHP North Adams Family Medicine. This gift will enhance the patient-doctor experience and allow CHP to care for more patients. Thank you, MountainOne!  

Massachusetts Bankers Association Contributes $5K

Thank you, bankers — and thank you, Mountain One! Community Health Programs has received a $5,000 donation from the Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA) Charitable Foundation to support CHP’s health care and family support services in Berkshire County. CHP...

On the Front Lines of Open Enrollment

In his column for Commonwealth Magazine, CHP Enrollment Counselor William Cruz shares his perspective on the Affordable Care Act — and the people who need it. THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT is still the law of the land after a series of failed attacks in Congress....
CHP Board Welccomes Gloria Escobar

CHP Board Welccomes Gloria Escobar

Community Health Programs is pleased to welcome Gloria Escobar to the board of directors. Glroia came to the Berkshires from Colombia in 2000 and is now community development coordinator for Greylock Federal Credit Union and a certified credit union financial...
Stop the Attacks on Medicaid: Op-Ed by CHP’s CEO

Stop the Attacks on Medicaid: Op-Ed by CHP’s CEO

By Lia Spiliotes Nov. 28, 2017 It’s time for our nation’s health care leaders to stand up against those who denigrate the nation’s invaluable Medicaid program. Such talk is wrong-headed, usually untrue, and counter-productive to the provision of care. Medicaid...

CHP Adds Three Clinicians to Staff

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Community Health Programs has added three new health care Clinicians to its medical and dental ​network in the Berkshires. Read online at iBerkshires.com

For Nutrition Smarts and Cost Savings, a CHP Grocery Store Tour

It’s Tuesday morning at the Great Barrington Price Chopper, and a collection of moms and toddlers are clustered by the carts outside. They’ve gathered for Cooking Matters at the Store, a free grocery store tour program of the Share Our Strength organization,...
New Staff: Dr. Elwira Tyra Joins Neighborhood Dental

New Staff: Dr. Elwira Tyra Joins Neighborhood Dental

CHP Neighborhood Dental welcomes Elwira Tyra, D.D.S., to its staff in Pittsfield. She graduated from Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poznan, Poland where she received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree, followed by a dental residency program at Collegium...

New Staff: Berkshire Pediatrics Welcomes Nurse Practitioner

CHP welcomes Gina Nickels-Nelson, family nurse practitioner, to the primary care team at CHP Berkshire Pediatrics in Pittsfield. She earned her M.S. in nursing at the University of Rochester, after completing her undergraduate nursing degree from Northern Michigan...

New Staff: Welcome Dr. Claire Horth

CHP welcomes Claire Horth, M.D., family medicine physician, has joined the primary care team at CHP Community Health Center in Great Barrington. A graduate of UMass School of Medicine in Worcester, she completed her residency through Brown University at Memorial...

In the News: CHP Board Reorganizes

In its print publication for October 2017, Berkshire Trade & Commerce has published news about the annual reorganization of Community Health Centers’ board of directors.

George

George Ball is fortunate to have good health insurance. He chose CHP and Kathleen Floyd, FNP, as his primary care Clinician. In his own words,  “Everyone here is so friendly… I realize I’ve been blessed with a good life and choices … I like the fact that CHP provides...

Tara

Tara’s primary care physician at CHP encouraged her to get a mammogram. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, her CHP doctor assisted her in finding a surgeon she could trust at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. Many women (and men) like Tara need...

Berkshire Pediatrics Joins CHP Medical Practice Network

Berkshire Pediatrics Associates has joined the Community Health Programs health network as of Aug. 1, 2017, becoming the latest private medical practice in the Berkshires to merge with the federally qualified health center organization. With the BPA merger, 12,000 new...

Men’s Health in the Spotlight

June is Men’s Health Month, so let’s put men’s health in our CHP spotlight. In Western culture, some men were raised to be strong and stoic. And sometimes, they downplay their own health issues, figuring they’ll wait to see if a symptom they noticed gets worse. And...

Nurse Practitioner Molly Rivest Joins Barrington OB-GYN

Molly Rivest, DNP, FNP, has joined Barrington OB-GYN as nurse practitioner specializing in obstetrics and gynecology care. Rivest most recently worked as a primary care Clinician at UMass Memorial-Hahnemann Family Health Center, specializing in women’s and adolescent...

Supporter Spotlight: A ‘Pantry Dance’ for CHP’s Project Milk

Philanthropy comes in many forms to Community Health Programs: from financial contributions, from volunteer time with our programs, and from “out of the box” initiatives. Local singer/songwriter JoAnne Spies, a volunteer with CHP’s once-monthly mobile food bank,...

Nurse Practitioner Donna Tew Joins North Adams Family Medicine

CHP’s Northern Berkshire Family Medicine welcomes Family Nurse Practitioner Donna Tew, ARNP, BC, as a primary care Clinician for the practice. Donna will join Dr. Anping Han in providing primary care for adults in Northern Berkshire. A retired lieutenant colonel in...

Family Nurse Practitioner Joins NHC

CHP Neighborhood Health Adds Family Nurse Practitioner Pittsfield, Mass. (Feb. 27, 2016) – Family Nurse Practitioner Rebecca Gamache has joined the primary care team at Community Health Centers Neighborhood Health Center in Pittsfield. Gamache earned her undergraduate...

Dentist Joins CHP Dental Network

Community Health Programs welcomes Datty Sahyouni, D.D.S., to its dental practice network serving Pittsfield and Great Barrington. Most recently a practicing dentist in Illinois and Michigan, Dr. Sahyouni completed her residency at Berkshire Medical Center’s Dental...

CHP Names Lia Spiliotes as CEO

Spiliotes is “the best and brightest” leader for the Berkshire region’s fast-growing healthcare network The board of Community Health Program is pleased to announce the appointment of  Amelia “Lia” Spiliotes as its permanent CEO, following a national search for a...
Allyson Holmes Joins CHP Board

Allyson Holmes Joins CHP Board

Allyson Holmes has joined the CHP board of directors. A partner with the Pittsfield law firm Smith Green & Holmes, LLP, Allyson practices in the areas of estate planning and administration, elder law and real estate. In her earlier career she worked for the City...
Chuck Leach Joins CHP Board

Chuck Leach Joins CHP Board

CHP Berkshires welcomes Chuck Leach to the board of directors.  Chuck is president of Lee Bank. He previously served as senior vice president and chief investment officer at Berkshire Bank. He was also senior portfolio manager at TD Banknorth and held a similar role...

CHP Welcomes New Chief Medical Officer

CHP welcomes Everett Lamm, M.D., FAAP, as chief medical officer for Community Health Programs. He will also practice pediatrics and adolescent medicine in the CHP Great Barrington office. Dr. Lamm is a board certified pediatrician who has practiced community...

Coming This Fall to an Exam Room Near You: New Questions

By Lia Spiliotes Aug. 24, 2016 Does your physician, nurse practitioner or other health care professional ask you about stress? Or whether you feel connected to your neighbors and community? How stable your housing is? Or if transportation problems have kept you from...

In the Media: On TV with CHP

CHP leaders had a healthcare conversation with North Adams City Councilors Gail Cariddi and Marie Harpin on their weekly radio show, “Something You Should Know.” CHP’s Interim CEO Lia Spiliotes and Development Director Jennifer Connor-Shumksy  talked about CHP’s...
Brian Drake Joins CHP Board

Brian Drake Joins CHP Board

Brian Drake has joined the CHP board of directors. Brian is vice president of employee benefits at True North Insurance in Williamstown and also serves as a consultant for Benemax Inc., another insurance-related business. Drake’s career has spanned across several...

Fussy Baby? CHP Class 7/11 Offers ‘Happiest Baby” Techniques

Community Health Programs hosts the “Happiest Baby” program on Monday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the CHP campus at 442 Stockbridge Road, in the Family Services building. The program is free and mothers, fathers and babies are welcome. Led by MaryBeth Merritt, CHP...

Meet rural care challenge with nurse practitioners

By Lia Spiliotes June 28, 2018 Rural America lives with layers of demographic and geographic obstacles to health care, and not surprisingly, rural Americans face bigger health challenges than their urban and suburban neighbors. Berkshire County, the second most rural...

Op-Ed: The Importance of Nurse Practitioners

By Lia Spiliotes June 28, 2016 Rural America lives with layers of demographic and geographic obstacles to health care, and not surprisingly, rural Americans face bigger health challenges than their urban and suburban neighbors. Berkshire County, the second most rural...

In the Media 12/15 – 5/16

CHP Lands $1M Federal Grant to Expand Lee Family Practice The Berkshire Eagle | May 25, 2016 CHP WIC Leaders Attend Conference in Washington D.C. Feb. 29, 2016 | The Berkshire Edge CHP: Back Where It’s Supposed to Be March 7, 2016 | The Berkshire Eagle CHP Takes Over...