Vol. 41 - No. 2 February 2020

ROUTING SLIPBoard Chair

Executive Director/CEO

Chief Financial Officer

Human Resources Director

Development Director

Other

Massachusetts Council of

Human Service Providers, Inc.

100 Crossing Blvd, Suite 100

Framingham, MA 01702

The Newspaper of the Providers’ Council

Investment in successcritical to ensure a stronghuman services sector

EDITORIAL: PAGE 4

Gentile: Funding neededto increase pay rates for

home care workers VIEW FROM THE HILL:

PAGE 6

LifeStream offers clients,consumers individual

support and supervision PROVIDER PROFILE:

PAGE 3

‘Smart data’ key to health equityCommunity-based Massachusetts organ-

izations serving people with intellectualand developmental disabilities have cre-

ated an electronic health record system for themore than 13,000 people they serve.

Thirty-two agencies are currently using thesystem, built via a best practice model on theiCentrix platform; nine agencies are now in-volved in a pilot program billed as “smart datafor better health care.”

The innovative idea for the pilot emerged,its leaders say, as a way to address significanthealth care disparities among people with dis-abilities, who often do not have access to ex-perienced medical practitioners; receive poorerquality and less coordinated health care; andmore frequently use emergency and acute careservices.

The purpose of the project is to use dataand analytics to eventually bridge the dividebetween the health care system and peoplewith intellectual and developmental disabili-ties. Data collected on Quality Measure andother Key Performance Indicators (KPI) canthen be benchmarked across participatingagencies and Quality Improvement Plans canbe developed and based on the results.

The project, spearheaded by HMEA CEOMichael Moloney, is funded by a $35,000grant from the Tufts Foundation. The nineagencies involved signed a memorandum ofunderstanding in March 2019 to collect andanalyze key health information related to thepeople they serve.

“We are excited to learn from the data andimprove health care outcomes in this first-of-its-kind benchmarking project that will scaleto all 32 agencies and others as they join oncethe pilot is completed,” Moloney said.

The Consortium, as the group is called, isworking in conjunction with the Center for De-velopmental Disabilities Evaluation and Re-search at UMass Medical School.

Data collected includes elements in the fol-lowing domains: Access to Health Care andPreventative Care including physical and den-tal exams, cancer screenings and mammogra-phy); Accidental Injuries (falls); MedicationAdministration Errors; and Utilization Meas-ures (emergency, urgent care visits and hospi-tal admissions.)

Using algorithms and prompts, the collec-

AG touches on top human services topics

Massachusetts Attorney GeneralMaura Healey offered sincerethanks to Providers' Council

members for their ongoing commitmentto improving the lives of others at theCouncil’s Annual Leadership Forum atSuffolk University Law School lastmonth.

"Your work is profoundly importantand profoundly moving," she said to thecrowd of nearly 80 human servicesleaders. "The need is great, now morethan ever."

Healey spoke about her office's ad-vocacy on several topics of importanceto the human services sector, includingstudent loan debt relief, immigration,fair labor, human trafficking and opioidabuse prevention.

The current difficult and “cruel” po-litical atmosphere in Washington D.C.,she added, led her office’s recent deci-sion to join more than a dozen otherstates in suing the Trump administra-tion over its recent proposal to restrictaccess to the Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program (SNAP), an effortthat could affect 700,000 Americans.

“These rules will prevent peoplefrom getting food they need and forcemany to make incredibly difficult finan-cial choices,” she said of the lawsuit.“We are suing to protect our residents

and prevent these cruel restrictionsfrom going into effect.”

Her office is also regularly offeringguidance to Massachusetts humanservices agencies on how to manage in-creased scrutiny by Immigration andCustoms Enforcement (ICE) and pro-tect the rights of their clients, Healeysaid. “It is very intimidating when theyshow up. The AG is here to stand up forthe little guy.”

Despite the current challenges,Healey said she was “heartened” byprogressive social movements for racialand economic equity, women’s rightsand climate change awareness, espe-

cially efforts led by young people. “Ihope we continue to find ways to sup-port them. I am optimistic about the fu-ture.”

Healey has been a longtime sup-porter of the sector, said Providers’Council President and CEO MichaelWeekes in his introductory remarks.“She is the people’s lawyer who oper-ates the people’s law firm. We arethrilled she is involved with the issueswe care about.”

A day after the forum, Healey’s CivilRights Division announced a grant pro-gram for nonprofit and charitable serv-

Attorney General Maura Healey discussed the work of her office at the Providers’Council’s Annual Leadership Forum at Suffolk University in January and receivesa Council water bottle from Council President and CEO Michael Weekes.

HEALEY, see page 7

EHR, see page 7

Massachusetts Governor CharlieBaker in late January pre-sented a $44.6 billion budget

proposal for Fiscal Year 2021 that in-cluded a record $160 million in theChapter 257 Reserve account (1599-6903).

The administration said the fundingwould accompany a major change inthe way salaries are set for humanservices workers who fill nearly180,000 jobs in Massachusetts. Ratherthan using historically depressed salarydata in Uniform Financial Reports toset wages for direct care workers, clini-cal staff and nursing employees, theBureau of Labor Statistics mediansalary benchmarks will be used. Thechange is expected to bring salaries inthe human services sector closer tomarket value.

The Governor’s budget proposalrepresents a 2.3 percent increase overthe current fiscal year. Executive Officeof Health and Human Services Secre-

Gov. budgetfunds C.257at $160m

Mayor Spicer helps Council,members open new office

Framingham Mayor Dr. Yvonne M. Spicer joined the Providers’Council in January at its Open House and participated in a ribboncutting ceremony. Also pictured are members of the Council’s boardand staff. From left, Children’s Services of Roxbury President andCEO Sandra McCroom, Council President/CEO Michael Weekes,Council Fiscal Manager Tracy Jordan, Mayor Spicer, CommunityResources for Justice President and CEO John Larivee, CouncilBoard Chair and Bay Cove Human Services President and CEOBill Sprague and Advocates President and CEO Diane Gould.

BUDGET, see page 7

Student loans, immigration,SNAP discussed at forum

NEWS AND NOTESPROVIDERS’

PAGE 2 ■ THE PROVIDER  ■ FEBRUARY 2020

Noack selected as HMEA’snext president and CEO

The HMEA Board of Directors unan-imously voted to appoint Jule GomesNoack as HMEA’s nextpresident and chief exec-utive officer on July 1.

She is only the thirdCEO in the Franklin-based human serviceagency’s 58-year history.Noack joined HoraceMann Educational Asso-ciates in 1987 as theagency’s first clinical co-ordinator and, over the past 32 years,has worked directly in or managednearly every program, service and ad-ministrative role within the organiza-tion.

She succeeds Michael Moloney, whohas served as CEO since 2000, growingfrom an organization serving 550 peo-ple to today providing comprehensiveservices to more than 5,000 people ofall ages. Moloney, the chair of theCouncil’s Caring Force Committee anda former chair of the Council’s board ofdirectors, will remain with the organi-zation serving as executive vice presi-dent for government and communityrelations.

BAMSI names Evers as newpresident and CEO

The Board of Directors of BrocktonArea Multi-Services, Inc. (BAMSI) hasnamed Peter Evers the new presidentand CEO of the organization, effectiveMarch 2.

Evers spent six years as presidentand CEO of Riverbend CommunityMental Health, Inc. and Vice Presidentfor Behavioral Health at Concord Hos-pital. A licensed independent clinicalsocial worker, Evers brings 30-plusyears of experience in the mental healthand human services fields, includingleadership positions in emergency, res-idential and outpatient services.

Evers replaces Anthony SimonelliJr., who joined BAMSI in 1977 and hasled the agency since 1984. Simonellihas been the principal architect of theagency’s operations, which grew from a$2 million budget in 1984 to the cur-rent budget of $95 million.

New England Village namesRodrigues new leader

Michael A. Rodrigues has beennamed the new president and CEO ofNew England Village. He succeeds GailT. Brown, who recently retired after 45years in the human services field.

Brown recently retired from Pem-broke-based NEV afterseven years as the organi-zation’s leader. Duringher time at NEV, Gail ledthe organization througha changing and some-times precarious externalfunding environment. Ro-drigues is the formerpresident and chief exec-utive officer of Thrive Support & Ad-vocacy in Marlborough and prior tothat, he was the chief executive officerof Triangle in Malden.

Thrive’s Vice President of Develop-mental Services, Denise Vojackova-Karami will act as interim CEO asThrive conducts a search for the orga-nization’s next president and CEO,Thrive board chairperson Kathy Powersnoted in a release.

YOU Inc. affiliates withSeven Hills Foundation

Worcester-based YOU, Inc. has an-nounced an affiliation with Seven HillsFoundation, effective April 1.

Worcester-based YOU, Inc. (YouthOpportunities Upheld, Inc.) providesbehavioral health and educational serv-ices to more than 15,000 youth andfamily members across central Massa-chusetts, and employs over 550 peopleacross 30 program sites.

The new partnership will ensure thepreservation and continuation of youthand family services across the region,which will be integrated with a broaderset of services provided by Seven HillsFoundation to children and adults inneed of support, leaders of both agen-cies said.

Other Council memberspersonnel, board moves

Venture Community Services hasappointed Shaunna Monts as its newvice president of human resources andprofessional develop-ment. She brings morethan 15 years of profes-sional experience to Stur-bridge-based Venture andhas a strong history ofhuman resource manage-ment.

Open Sky Community Servicesannounced the appointment of two newexecutives: Matthew Small to the posi-tion of Chief Operating Officer and An-thony Consolmagno as Executive VicePresident and Chief Financial Officer.Consolmagno was appointed CFO uponthe retirement of Philip Ingersoll-Ma-honey, the longtime CFO of AlternativesUnlimited, Inc.

Cambridge Family and Children’sService (CFCS) announced the ap-pointment of three new members to itsboard of directors. Joining the boardare Joe Giso, a partner at JohnsonO’Connor Feron & Carucci, LLP; BethSimon, whose solo law practice is ded-icated to assisting families of childrenwith disabilities; and Susan Spurlock,Director of the Public Policy and Prac-tice Hub at Suffolk University.

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Springfield-based Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services held its “In TimesLike These” celebration on January 20 to honor the legacy of Dr. King. The dayincluded a welcome from Governor Charlie Baker and Springfield Mayor DomenicSarno. MLK Jr. Family Services President and CEO Ronn D. Johnson, eighth fromleft in the above picture, noted “This was a party with a purpose.”

Jule GomesNoack

Michael A.Rodrigues

ShaunnaMonts

Debra Coaston has dedicated herlife to assisting others and serv-ing as a champion of the elderly.

With 41 years of service in the homecare industry, Coaston sees helpingthose in need through her work Cen-tral Boston Elder Services (CBES) asa Geriatric Support Care Coordinatoras far more than a job, but a calling.

When describing Coaston, CBESChief Human Resource Officer DoreenLindsay noted she was reminded of“renowned gospel singer Mahalia Jack-son who sang a Negro spiritual that isoften sung in many black churchesthroughout the U.S. The words of thesong are, ‘If I can help somebody as Ipass along, if I can cheer somebodywith a word or song, if I can showsomebody he is traveling wrong, thenmy living shall not be in vain.’”

Since 2009, Coaston has been pro-viding exceptional care to the elders ofCBES, providing individualized caremanagement for more than 200 eldersenrolled in the agency’s programs.

As a veteran with vast experiencewith all aspects of care coordination,Coaston is charged with handling someof the most challenging cases. A signif-icant portion of her caseload consists ofelders who have moved to Boston fromChina, Vietnam, Spain, Haiti, Russia,Africa and the Middle East. Debra'scase assignments are directly attrib-uted to her high level of compassion,cultural sensitivity and understandingof the aging process for non-English

speaking elders.In addition to her day-to-day re-

sponsibilities, Debra serves as a mem-ber of the Person-Centered PrimaryCare Team at BCES partnering withregistered nurses, medical and behav-ioral health professionals responsiblefor developing of services to meet thetactical and long-term needs of CBES'selder population.

Lindsay said: “Our elders so oftenhave no family, no formal support, maybe abandoned, neglected, and abusedwith no one other than Debra to relyon. Ms. Coaston is their family, friend,advocate, companion, and socialworker. She is an elder champion.”

PROFILESPROVIDER

FEBRUARY 2020 ■ THE PROVIDER  ■ PAGE 3

LIFESTREAM, INC.

Offering individual support and supervision About theAgency

LifeStream was founded in 1976by a group of concerned par-ents seeking better care for

their adult children with intellectualand physical disabilities. It hasgrown into one of southeastern Mas-sachusetts’ premier human servicesproviders and one of the largest em-ployers in New Bedford.

LifeStream offers services to helppromote personal dignity, independ-ence and the removal of barriers,which include: community resi-dences for those needing 24-hour su-pervision; services for those living ontheir own but requiring individual-ized support; and residential optionsfor individuals who cannot safely livealone and want the comfort of ahome environment.

The agency also offers SupportedEmployment & Training programs forcareers in the healthcare industry;Autism Services for children between3 and 22 years of age; Acquired BrainInjury and Traumatic Brain Injuryservices; as well as medical, psycho-logical, physical, occupational andspeech therapy services.

LifeStream is licensed by theCommission on Accreditation of Re-habilitation Facilities as well as theMassachusetts Department of Devel-opmental Services. It is also licensedas a private business school by theMassachusetts Department of Edu-cation.

The operating budget of $27 mil-lion is funded primarily by govern-ment agencies at the federal andstate levels.

444 MYRTLE ST. • NEW BEDFORD, MA 02746 • 508.993.1991 • WWW.LIFESTREAMINC.COM

A ‘champion’ for Boston’s eldersLooking out for the community

President& CEO

When Bonnie Mello joinedLifeStream in 1993, itwas the very beginning of

the movement to transition indi-viduals with disabilities to moreflexible home andcommunity sup-port services.

“This transi-tion was truly thebeginning ofeverything ourfounders hadhoped for theiradult children –the opportunity for greater inde-pendence and more fulfilling lives.”

Prior to being appointed Presi-dent/CEO in 2019, Mello served asLifeStream’s Chief Operating Offi-cer. She had previously served asthe Senior Vice President of Dis-ability Services.

To serve the changing needs ofthose they support, Mello and theleadership team are updating thestrategic plan to include expandingservices for children with autismand adding a living skills day pro-gram, both of which are growingneeds in the community.

Mello is a graduate of Bridge-water State College. She is a mem-ber of the Board of Directors for theFall River Deaconess Home whichoffers residential education, grouphome services, and pre-indepen-dent living programs to youngwomen.

Coaston has provided exceptional careto elders at CBES since 2009.

Bonnie Mello

THE CARING FORCESALUTING

Andrea Allen Glenn, coordinator ofthe Emergency Food DistributionProgram at Martin Luther King

Jr. Family Services of Springfield, is“always looking out for the community,”her supervisor, Gwen McGowan saidwith pride.

A 20-year veteran of the agency,Glenn oversees food acquisitions, stor-age, and a volunteer staff of two dozenin conjunction with programs with TheFood Bank of Western Mass, food res-cue programs with the Springfield Res-cue Mission, the Springfield JewishCommunity Center/Rachel’s Table andLovin’ Spoonfuls.

“She is dependable and an expert atwhat she does,” said Ronn Johnson,president of MLK Family Services. “Sheis the greatest advocate that most donot know that they have working ontheir behalf. Her efforts have grown ourEmergency Food Pantry into one of thelargest in western Massachusetts,” hesaid.

Glenn and her crew of volunteersarrive at 4:00 a.m. each Thursday topull several tons of food from the stor-age units and freezers to serve approx-imate 450 pantry participants eachweek.

Glenn earned her B.S. from PostUniversity, and before coming to MLKFamily Services worked in the financedepartment of Northeast Utilities andas a legislative aide to Former Rep. Ray-mond A. Jordan. She also worked forthe Greater Hartford chapter of Ameri-can Red Cross as an emergency serv-

ices specialist. Glenn said she enjoys the chal-

lenges her job presents and that “noone leaves our program hungry.”

“Statistics indicate that in the com-ing years the number of seniors whoare experiencing food insecurities willincrease dramatically. Our role is to ad-vance the hopes and dreams of Dr. Kingas set forth in this agency’s missionstatement.”

The mission has special meaning forGlenn, who once had the privilege ofmeeting Dr. King at the High School ofCommerce in Springfield.

“Her many volunteers love andadore her for her strong commitment toserve and modeling of respect to thosein need,” McGowan said.

Glenn is “always looking out for thecommunity,” her supervisor said.

LifeStream offers several types of resi-dential services, including 30Community-Based Residences

throughout southeastern Massachusettsfor individuals with developmental disabil-ities and brain injuries.

People receive the support and assis-tance needed to lead independent, fulfill-ing lives, and fully participate in theirhome and community. Each residence of-fers 24-hour support and supervision.

Shared Living/Adult Family Care areresidential options for individuals whocannot safely live alone and want the com-fort of a home environment with dedicatedcaregivers. Through a highly personalizedmatching process, LifeStream ensures thatcaregivers have the skills needed to sup-port the person’s needs.

Independent Living provides cus-tomized services to those living on theirown or with family members, but who needadditional assistance with everyday tasks.The individuals and families servicedthrough this program direct the supportsthey need.

LifeStream also offers three types of daysupport services with individualized med-ical, therapeutic, and developmental serv-ices. Day Habilitation meets the needs of

those requiring enhanced assistance andsupport while also fostering personal inde-pendence.

Community-Based Day Supports/Living Skills helps individuals enrichtheir lives and enjoy a full range of activi-ties. It encourages greater independenceand assists in the development of personalskills, greater social interaction and fullparticipation in the community.

Supported Employment offers train-ing and support to help individuals securemeaningful employment at businesses inthe community.

Clinical services are offered to all in-dividuals utilizing our residential, day sup-port and individual support services.LifeStream clinicians take a holistic ap-proach to service delivery with programsthat are individualized and customized totheir specific needs

LifeStream’s Employment & Trainingdivision trains candidates for Nurse Aideand Home Health Aide positions. Its fee-based programs adhere to the guidelinesset forth by the Massachusetts Depart-ment of Public Health.

LifeStream is licensed as a Private Oc-cupational School by the MassachusettsDivision of Professional Licensure.

LifeStream encourages independence through individual educational and developmental programming and social growth through recreational classes, including cooking and art.

PAGE 4 ■ THE PROVIDER  ■ FEBRUARY 2020

EDITORIAL

Michael WeekesPresident / Publisher

Investing in Success

100 Crossing Blvd., Suite 100 • Framingham, MA 01702Telephone: 508.598.9800 • Fax: 508.599.2260

Email: info@providers.org • Online at http://www.providers.org

2020 BoardOfficers

ChairBill Sprague

Chair-ElectNancy Munson

Vice ChairSandra McCroom

TreasurerMichael Vance

Assistant TreasurerSusan Stubbs

ClerkDiane Gould

Assistant ClerkMia Alvarado

Immediate Past ChairJackie K. Moore

Chair EmeritusGerry Wright

Staff

President and PublisherMichael Weekes

Vice President of Public Policy and DevelopmentWilliam Yelenak

Fiscal ManagerTracy Jordan

Manager of Member EngagementChristina Broughton

Public Policy & Communications ManagerErica Noonan

Education and Membership AssociateEliza Adams

Public Policy and Communications AssociateRavi Simon

Education and Membership Associate, eLearningZoena Howland

CartoonistMichael Ripple

Want additional copies of The Provider? Interested in writing a letter to the editor?

Have a topic that would make a good subject for Viewpoints from across the State?

Let Erica know: 508.599.2245or enoonan@providers.org

Every day, nearly 140,000 humanservices workers rise to helpnearly one-in-ten Massachu-

setts residents rise to reach their fullpotential. They come from every cornerof every community in Massachusetts,from Pittsfield to Provincetown.

These workers are serving ourneighbors who may have an intellec-tual or developmental disability; thosewho may be struggling with a mentalor physical illness; children, womenand elders seeking protection fromabuse; individuals grappling with adrug addiction or traumatic brain in-jury; people finding themselves in thecriminal or juvenile justice system; orresidents experiencing homelessnessand/or food insecurity.

The ability ofour human serv-ices systems tomeet their needs isdependent on theadequacy andquantity of ourworkforce. Andtoday, manyproviders wouldstate that ourworkforce’s capac-ity- to provide crit-ical care and otherservices is on theprecipice of a cri-sis.

A recent reportby the Universityof MassachusettsDartmouth andthe UMass Donahue Institute, TheFace of the Human Services Sector,stated: “As the pressure builds to at-tract workers to human services, in-dustry leaders and policy makersmust recognize the fact that manyhuman services workers face chal-lenges similar to the people they serve,with some just a few steps away fromneeding assistance themselves.”

There is no factor more challengingto recruiting, developing and retainingour human services workforce thancompensation levels. These workersare historically underpaid with a me-dian income of just $27,400 comparedto an overall state workforce medianincome of $40,600. This is in a Com-monwealth that has recently tuckedaway another $356 million to hold arecord $3.2 billion in its stabilization,

or “Rainy Day” fund. Well, the humanservices system is in a storm.

Fortunately, the hue and cry fromour sector was heard by the Baker Ad-ministration. With strong supportfrom Executive Office of Health andHuman Services Secretary MarylouSudders and her team, Gov. Bakerproposed a record $160 million invest-ment in the human services Chapter257 Reserve (line item 1599-6903) inhis House 2 budget proposal in Janu-ary.

Not only does the initiative directmuch-needed funding to some of thelowest-paid direct care, clinical andmedical positions that have high va-cancies and turnover, but it alsochanges the methodology to a more ra-

tional and market-driven approach.The strong advo-cacy from The Col-laborative –Association of Be-havioral Health-care, Association ofDevelopmental Dis-abilities Providers,Children’s Leagueof Massachusettsand our Providers’Council — has longargued for a changein the methodologyto make this andfuture workforceinvestments mar-k e t - b a s e d , l i k eusing the Bureau of

Labor Statistics for guidance ratherthan the historically misused UniformFinancial Report that was a ball-and-chain in preventing wages from rising.

While the new BLS salary bench-marks are not yet entirely clear, we in-tend to continue work with theadministration and Legislature to notonly preserve Chapter 257 but also toimprove on this first great step in in-vesting in success for all our state’sresidents.

So if you agree that Massachusettsshould work for all of our residentssuccesses – those in need and thoseproviding the solutions – then let yourelected officials know to support theChapter 257 Reserve at no less than$160 million. There are many of ourresidents relying on us to invest intheir success.

Historic early voting in MarchFor the first time in Massachu-

setts history, our 4.4 million vot-ers can cast a ballot before the

Super Tuesday presidential primaryon March 3.

The legislature has passed a provi-sion that early voting for this year’spresidential primary is from Feb. 24through Feb. 28. This will help ourstaff manage getting customers andclients to the polls and support thesector’s operations.

Now, every city and town will haveat least one location that will be openduring business hours during this pe-riod. We encourage all our members tohelp make this presidential primarythe largest turnout ever. Massachu-

setts will be heavily represented on theballot, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren andformer Gov. Deval Patrick on the Dem-ocratic ticket and former Gov. WilliamWeld on the Republican ticket chal-lenging President Donald Trump. Ourvoter engagement initiative, CareVote,encourages individuals to “vote to sup-port caring communities” because weknow that those who vote are thosethat are heard on Beacon Hill andCapitol Hill. So, get your staff, pro-grams, clients and consumers readyfor early voting. Let’s break ourturnout record! Contact the Council atcarevote@providers.org if you needmore information.

“If you agree that Massachusetts should

work for all of our residents’ successes —those in need and thoseproviding the solutions— then let your elected officials know to sup-port the Chapter 257

Reserve at no less than $160 million.”

FROM ACROSS THE STATEVIEWPOINTS

FEBRUARY 2020 ■ THE PROVIDER  ■ PAGE 5

Rent control critical for familiesBy Lisa Owens

Renters across the country andacross Massachusetts are facingan affordability and displacement

crisis. In Boston, nearly half of families who

rent are cost burdened – spending overone-third of their income on rent. Evenmore shocking, one in four householdsspend over half their income on rent.This means families are often placed inthe impossible position of deciding be-tween cutting groceries, forgoing med-ications or eliminating child care just topay rent.

This is precisely why we must letfamilies at the center of the displace-ment crisis lead our way out of it. Andtheir leadership is clear – they need rentcontrol now.

For most of the past year, CityLife/Vida Urbana has been working withMIT researcher David Robinson to un-derstand patterns of eviction in Boston.We looked at data pulled from over15,000 eviction records for the threemost recent years for which data areavailable, 2014 through 2016.

The sobering reality (which is no sur-prise to those living on the frontlines ofthis crisis) is that eviction court filingrates and execution rates in privatemarket housing are highest in areasthat are predominantly communities ofcolor, particularly majority black areas,and areas that are majority low-income.

We examined the data by censustract, and these high rates are true ofmany tracts in Dorchester (as well asRoxbury, Mattapan, and Hyde Park). Onthe flip side, these rates are lowest inparts of Boston where the population ismore than 50 percent white. In a censustract in Beacon Hill for instance, one in100 private market rentals had the evic-tion process started (through a legaleviction filing) over a recent three-yearspan. In contrast, a census tract in Rox-bury saw one in 10 private marketrentals have an eviction filing over thesame period.

As a result, every day in Massachu-setts, approximately 43 people areevicted from their homes. Homelessnessin the Commonwealth jumped by over15 percent in just one year, between2017 and 2018.

Homelessness challenges the healthand stability of a family in every facet oftheir life. Homeless families face dailystresses and conditions that can causeor exacerbate serious physical, emo-tional and cognitive problems for bothchildren and parents. Evicted motherssuffer maternal depression at rates twiceas high as those reported by their non-evicted counterparts. The stress of being

behind on rent alone can cause depres-sion and poor health in parents as wellas poor health and developmental delaysin children. It’s no wonder that there isa 30-year gap in life expectancy betweenRoxbury and Back Bay, even thoughthey’re just half a mile apart.

Organizations like City Life and oth-ers across Massachusetts are respond-ing to this crisis to ensure that all peoplehave quality, safe, stable homes. Rentcontrol is a key component.

Rent control shields families fromhomelessness, allows families to savemoney for their children's education, en-ables kids to build friendships in theircommunities and thrive in school, andgives renters peace of mind and emo-tional well-being knowing that they havea stable roof over their heads.

Rent control works – it increaseshousing stability and affordability forcurrent tenants. Tenants living in rent-controlled units move less frequently,are less likely to experience destabilizingforced moves and pay substantially lessthan tenants in non-regulated units ofsimilar size and characteristics.

Rent control is unrivaled in speedand scale. Rent control is the only policytool that can immediately provide reliefto renters facing unaffordable rent in-creases. Because rent control covers pri-vate rental housing where the vastmajority of renters live, it outperformsall other affordable housing tools interms of scale of impact. In cities withrent control, it is often the largest sourceof affordable housing.

Rent control puts money back in thepockets of low-and-middle income work-ers, especially when combined with liv-ing wages. If no renters paid more than30 percent of their income on housing,they would have an extra $124 billionannually – approximately $6,200 perrent-burdened household.

To move rent control forward, weneed Massachusetts state legislators tomove forward. What we’re proposing isnot a single, statewide policy (althoughwe certainly wouldn’t be against that).It’s about allowing cities and townsacross Massachusetts to choose thehousing policy that’s best for them.There are local conditions which electedofficials should take into account, andthey should be able to adapt rent con-trol to their local context. And it needsto be part of a more comprehensive vi-sion for social housing going forward.We believe that there should be a homefor every family, and rent control is acritical step on that path forward.

Lisa Owens is the Executive Director ofCity Life/Vida Urbana.

Retroactive repeal removes tax onnonprofit transportation benefitsBy David L. Thompson

Taxing transportation benefitsnonprofits provide to their em-ployees was always a bad idea;

now even the U.S. Congress and the In-ternal Revenue Service agree. And theyhave taken action to reverse the tax andundo the damage.

At issue is a tax enacted as part ofthe 2017 tax law known as the “TaxCuts and Jobs Act.” In order to reducethe price tag of the overall bill that cutincome and corporate taxes, Congresscreated a new 21 percent unrelatedbusiness income tax that applied tononprofit expenses for such employeetransportation benefits as transitpasses and free parking.

Imposing an income tax on ex-penses was just the beginning of the il-logic of this tax. The IRS interpreted thetax to apply not just on an employer’ssubsidy of benefits, but also employeepre-tax withholdings.

Further, the tax applied even incities that require employers to providethe benefit, hence the tax on “fringe”benefits also was a tax on “mandated”benefits.

Charitable nonprofits were quick tocry foul about the tax on nonprofittransportation benefits. In testimonyprepared for the House Ways andMeans Committee, we pointed out thatthe tax imposed significant costs andrecord-keeping burdens on nonprofits,“making it harder for these organiza-tions to address their charitable mis-sions and more difficult to recruit andretain employees.”

To comply with the law and calcu-late their taxes, nonprofits were forcedto determine which and how much oftheir expenses generated income tax li-ability.

For some, the tax payment was crip-pling. For many others, the cost of hir-ing accountants and lawyers todetermine whether and how much theyowe in unrelated business income taxeswas more than their actual tax pay-ments.

All of that is the bad news. Withenough volume coming from Providers’

Council members and others, the mes-sage got through to Congress, which in-cluded repeal of the tax late in 2019.

And the news gets better: the repealwas retroactive to enactment of the2017 tax law, so it’s as if the tax neverexisted.

So what about the taxes that thou-sands of nonprofits paid? Weeks afterthe law’s repeal, House Ways andMeans Committee Chair Richard Neal(D-Mass.) and Oversight SubcommitteeChair John Lewis (D-Ga.) sent a letterto the IRS Commissioner asking theService to create an expedited processso nonprofits can quickly secure re-funds.

The news release stated: “Congressdid our part to right this wrong – now itis time for the IRS to provide tax-ex-empt organizations with the guidancethey need to claim and receive the re-funds they are due.”

A mere two weeks later, the IRS an-swered their letter with information tohelp nonprofits get their money back.The guidance issued by the IRS in-structs nonprofits to fill amended Form990-Ts and write at the top “AmendedReturn – Section 512(a)(7) Repeal” soIRS officials will know what it is andwhat to do with it. We’re talking aboutfilling out tax forms, so of course it’s abit more complicated than that. But it’simportant that the IRS is alerting non-profits and their own staff to the needfor speed on this.

Tim Delaney, President and CEO ofthe National Council of Nonprofits,summarized the feelings of the non-profit community now that this tawdrytax episode is almost over.

He said: “For the past 21 months,charitable organizations persistentlyobjected to the unfair diversion of dol-lars from missions to pay the tax. [TheIRS] guidance is much appreciated be-cause nonprofits need to get this moneywhere it belongs – in local communitiesaddressing local challenges.”

David L. Thompson is Vice President ofPublic Policy for the National Council ofNonprofits in Washington, DC.

Council members participate in study on smoking cessation medsBy Sally Reyering, M.D.

There is exciting news about smoking cessationfor individuals with mental health conditionswho smoke, and Providers’ Council members

Bay Cove Human Services, Inc. and Vinfen are tryingto get the word out.

A recent large multicenter international clinicaltrial – the largest smoking cessation trial ever en-rolling more than 4,000 individuals with mental ill-nesses – found that critical smoking cessationmedications, especially varenicline (brand nameChantix), are safe for individuals with mental healthconditions including psychosis and serious mooddisorders.

The study was so compelling that the FederalDrug Administration and its European counterpartremoved the “Black Box Warning” on the medicationsvarenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Wellbutrin) inhopes that more individuals with a mental healthcondition who smoke will get these life-saving med-ications.

Bay Cove, Vinfen, and the Massachusetts GeneralHospital Center for Addiction Medicine have beenteaming up to disseminate this important informa-tion to primary care and psychiatric providers whowork with smokers from the two agencies.

It is part of a large pragmatic clinical trial fundedby Patient Centered Outcome Research Institute

(PCORI), the research funding arm of the AffordableCare Act.

Almost 1,200 smokers from Bay Cove and Vinfenwere enrolled to see if two interventions would work.They received targeted education to primary care andpsychiatric providers about the latest smoking ces-sation evidence, and/or the services of a CommunityHealth Worker (CHW) and increased access to smok-ing cessation treatment and increases success insmoking cessation.

A dozen CHWs were hired and trained as tobaccotreatment specialists through a program at the Uni-versity of Massachusetts Medical Center with sup-port from that state Department of Public Health.They helped provide individual and group supportwith smoking cessation.

The program included individual meetings focus-ing on engagement in the goal of smoking cessationand enrollment in groups focused on learning theskills necessary for abstinence and support during aquit attempt.

The groups were held in a variety of settings, in-cluding group homes and other familiar service set-tings, including Transitions of Boston clubhouse,Bay Cove and Vinfen offices, the Lawrence Public Li-brary and Massachusetts Mental Health Center.

A key ingredient for success is smoking cessationpharmacotherapy. Research has shown that withoutit individuals with psychotic disorders have only a 4

percent abstinence rate whereas, with medication,quit rates jump to between 23 and 30 percent.

One success story: CHW Nina Cherilus was givena list of people receiving agency services who identi-fied as smokers. She reached out to one of them,whom we’ll call “Maryanne,” to see if she was inter-ested in enrolling.

Working with Nina, Maryanne enrolled in thestudy and became a regular attendee at smoking ces-sation group sessions. She credits the group for pro-viding emotional support and mutual understanding.Throughout the program, she has only slipped withone cigarette in eight months.

She credits Nina for helping her stay on track andcalls her a “guardian angel.” When asked what herproudest moments have been during her journey toquit smoking, Maryanne shared that seeing her oxy-gen level at 100 percent at the PCP office was herbiggest motivator.

Dr. Reyering is a psychiatrist at Bay Cove HumanServices and is the co-Principal Investigator for thePCORI - funded Integrated Smoking Cessation Project.

Bay Cove and Vinfen are agency partners with Mas-sachusetts General Hospital Center for Addiction Med-icine, the academic lead for this PCORI project.

PAGE 6 ■ THE PROVIDER  ■ FEBRUARY 2020

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By Rep. Carmine Gentile

A couple of years ago I was con-tacted by a constituent in need of help.As a state representative that in and ofitself is not uncommon, but this wasone of those calls that would prove tobe the beginning of a larger story.

On the other end of the line was asocial worker informing me of an eld-erly lady who was blind, hearing im-paired and barely managing to livealone who – try as they might – couldnot be connected to a home care aidedespite being eligible.

The constituent in this case hadbeen approved for an aide three timesa week, but after three months of wait-ing, she had not be able to receive theservices she needed. That’s when Iwent to work by reaching out to localproviders to see what could be done.As I listened and learned, it becameclear that while I may be able to helpthis one woman, more systemicchange was needed.

I had long known from my time onthe Sudbury Council on Aging andBayPath Elder Services Board of Di-rectors that we had an urgent need formore home care workers, and once Iwas elected as a state representativeand named as a member of the JointCommittee on Elder Affairs, the scopeof the problem became ever clearer.

The shortage of home care aides –substantially occasioned by their lowrate of pay – has caused a crisis inmany communities throughout theCommonwealth. While the pay ratesfor workers performing similar work(but higher wages) in nursing facilitieshas been regulated for many years,home care wages have not been thesubject of similar regulatory oversight.

Here was someone in my commu-nity, whose voice I am honored to rep-resent on Beacon Hill, in crisis.

At the next opportunity I partneredwith Representative Aaron Vega to fileHouse Bill 630, An Act Relative toHome Care, and pledged to work withhim and a coalition of advocates tosolve the underlying problems at theheart of this emergency. A separateversion of the bill was filed in the Sen-ate as Senate Bill 358 by Senator Pa-tricia Jehlen. Both were heard before

the Joint Committee on Elder Affairsand Chairwoman Ruth Balser in Sep-tember 2019.

This legislation, known as “EnoughPay to Stay,” directs the Common-wealth to implement a consistent andrational wage and rate setting processfor all essential home care workersthat serve eldersand persons withdisabilities with thegoal of strengthen-ing Massachu-setts’s safety net ofservices and long-term care supports.Home care workers’pay would be raisedand never allowedto fall lower than 15percent above minimum wage.

Our coalition is proud to have al-ready seen results of our advocacy asrecently as December 2019 when Gov-ernor Baker approved an additional$10.08 million for the home care work-force. This funding was a critical stepin our collective efforts to bridge therate and wage gap between workerswho provide services in nursing facili-ties and those providing similar serv-ices in clients’ homes and provided ameasure of immediate relief for thehomecare workforce bringing themcloser to parity with workers in nurs-ing care facilities.

The work goes on towards develop-ment of long-term systemic solutionsto address the challenges posed by thecritical shortage of frontline home-makers, personal care homemakersand home health aides – the backboneof our Commonwealth’s home caresystem. Turnover remains far too highin this critical workforce due to thelack of consistent and adequate ratespaid to home care providers. Thesededicated workers are still in desper-ate need of a wage and benefit increaseto make ends meet.

I look forward to continuing mywork with Representative Vega, Sena-tor Jehlen and Representative Balser,and I await the day that not only willhome care workers be adequately paidfor their work but also that those inneed of their services will be freely ableto access them.

Carmine Gentile (D- Sudbury) is theState Representative for the 13th Mid-dlesex District.

A VIEW FROM THE HILLA commentary from a

legislator on human services

The opinions expressed in A View from the Hill and Viewpoints from Across the State are those of the author and do not

necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Providers’ Council or its members.

Rep. CarmineGentile

Legislators attend SE Mass. Breakfast

A group of human services organizations held the SouthCoast Human Service Advo-cacy Legislative Breakfast on Friday, January 24 in Westport. Providers’ Councilmembers Community Connections Inc., Kennedy-Donovan Center, LifeStream Inc.and People Incorporated contributed to the event; LifeStream President and CEO Bon-nie Mello is second from left; People Incorporated President and CEO Megan Schef-fer is fourth from left. Others pictured in the back row, from left to right, include M.O.L.I.F.E. COO Ivan Britto, State. Sen. Paul R. Feeney, State Rep. Antonio F. D. Cabral,State Rep. Christopher Hendricks, State Rep. Carole A. Fiola, State Rep. James K.Hawkins, State Rep. William M. Straus, Senate Ways and Means Chairman Sen.Michael J. Rodrigues, State Rep. Steven S. Howitt, Arc of Massachusetts Director ofGovt. Affairs and event emcee Maura Sullivan and State. Rep. F. Jay Barrows.

FEBRUARY 2020 ■ THE PROVIDER  ■ PAGE 7

The Providers’ Council members canpost jobs for free on our jobs board,

Jobs With Heart!

Visit jobswithheart.org today to post a job for your organization!

Need help? Contact bill@providers.org.

ice provider organizations toprovide job training, skill de-velopment and/or careerplacement programs for indi-viduals with developmentaland/or other disabilities. Ap-plications are being acceptedthrough February 21.

Visit the Attorney General’swebsite at www.mass.gov/ser-vice-details/current-grant-op-portunities for more details onhow to apply.

Continued from Page 1

HEALEY:Job grantsavailable

tary Marylou Sudders described her department’sbudget as a "strong maintenance budget" at $23.8 bil-lion.

The Collaborative, a group of human services tradeassociations that have worked together for more thana decade on rate-setting issues, lauded the Governor’sbudget, especially the $160 million in Chapter 257funding and the move to use BLS data. The group in-cludes the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, theAssociation of Developmental Disabilities Providers,the Children’s League of Massachusetts and theProviders’ Council.

“After working directly with EOHHS officials fornearly a year on a plan to increase wages for low-paidworkers, nurses and clinicians, we’re pleased to seethis significant progress that will help close the gapbetween fair market wages and what staff are cur-rently making,” said Providers’ CouncilPresident/CEO Michael Weekes.

“The Collaborative is incredibly appreciative toGovernor Baker, Secretary Sudders and AssistantSecretary Alda Rego for their partnership and theircommitment to ensure community-based humanservices workers receive better wages based on mar-

ket-driven data.”Among other highlights in the budget proposal

was a new Disability Employment Tax Credit to sup-port businesses that hire individuals with disabilities;the credit would be for 30 percent of wages, up to$2,000 per employee working a minimum of 18 con-secutive months. The credit would first be availablebeginning in 2022. In addition, MassHealth sustain-ability is maintained without reducing benefits.

Other proposed increases of note include: — The increases for education are reflected in

Early Education and Care line items for Quality Im-provement (3000-1020), with funding proposed at$44.5 million, a 8.75 percent increase; and Support-ive and TANF Childcare (3000-3060), with a 17 per-cent increase at $350.9 million;

— A significant investment in the Department ofPublic Health's line item 4513-1000 at $13.7 million– an 88.9 percent increase over projected FY '20spending;

— DDS Transportation Services (5911-2000) alsosee a big bump in the FY '21 proposal of $33.3 mil-lion, up from $29.5 million projected for FY '20; and

— The Department of Children and Families' lineitem for Family Support and Stabilization (4800-

0040) is proposed to rise to $67.5 million (18.5 per-cent increase).

The Governor's budget also included a number ofcuts to human services line items, notably:

— The Department of Youth Services' line item4200-0200 Residential Services for Detained Popula-tion, proposed funding of $27.5 million, 5.4 percentless than FY '20; and

— Department of Transitional Assistance line item4401-1000, Employment Services Programs, had pro-posed funding of $13.9 million, 4 percent less thanthe FY '20 projected spending level of $14.5 million.The line item also omitted language to specificallyfund Competitive Integrated Employment Services(CIES) programs, though this is typical as the Legis-lature typically earmarks this funding.

— The Department of Public Health's line item4512-0200, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, at$153.1 million, 6.6 percent less than FY '20.

The Providers' Council will track budget develop-ments in human services accounts or line items, andwe will provide regular updates for our members. Formore information or to ask the Council to track addi-tional line items, please contact Bill Yelenak atbill@providers.org.

BUDGET: Proposal also includes disability employment tax creditContinued from Page 1

EHR: Data, analytics helporganizations bridge divideContinued from Page 1tion, analysis and presentationof this data in encounters withhealthcare providers will assiststaff in becoming become moreeffective health advocates whoare well informed to advocatefor preventative care; Identifygaps in care; and proactivelyscreen people with emergingrisks.

Ruth Banta, executive di-rector of Pathlight of westernMassachusetts, a participatingagency in the project, said theorganization was looking for-

ward to contributing.“At Pathlight, we are hon-

ored to participate in this proj-ect that will bring data andanalytics to improved healthoutcomes for the individualswe serve,” she said.

Other organizations partici-pating in the pilot include Ven-ture Community Services;Lifeworks, Inc.; Arc of GreaterPlymouth; NuPath, Inc.; DeltaProjects, Berkshire County Arc;and Nonotuck Resource Asso-ciates.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS • WINTER/SPRING 2020

What: Members-Only Webinar: The New Vocabulary for SocialService Agencies

When: Thursday, Feb. 6 Time: 10:00-11:00 a.m.Where: Providers’ Council Learning Center, Framingham Trainer: Alison Glastein Gray and Mary Devlin of Pear AssociatesCost: Free, Exclusively for Providers’ Council Members

What: Creating Safer Spaces for LGBTQYouth & Families

When: Thursday, Feb. 20 Time: 9:30 a.m.Where: Providers’ Council Learning Center, Framingham Trainer: Colby Swettberg, EdM, LSCW Cost: $65 members, $115 non-members

What: Members-Only Event: Roundtable on Student Recruitment

When: Thursday, Feb. 27 (Snow date: March 5)Time: 10 a.m. to noonWhere: Providers’ Council Learning Center, Framingham Panelists: Susan Coleman, LICSW, Assistant Dean for Field

Education, Boston College School of Social WorkStephanie Bryszkowski, Director of Career Development & Internships, Bunker Hill Community CollegeLisa Worsh, M.Ed, Senior Cooperative Education Faculty Coordinator, Northeastern UniversityJoanna Lazarek, M.Ed., Associate Director of Internships and Alumni Career Engagement, Suffolk UniversityCarroy (Cuf) Ferguson, PhD, Associate Professor & Human Service Internship Coordinator, UMass-BostonDawn Ross, Director of Career Services, Framingham State University

Cost: Free, Exclusively for Providers’ Council members

What: Attracting and Retaining Next Generation LeadersWhen: Wednesday, March 11Time: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Where: Providers’ Council Learning Center, FraminghamTrainer: Jim Ognibene, Optimum Development Cost: $65 members, $115 non-members

What: Success as a New Supervisor When: Tuesdays, March 17 & 31Time: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Where: Seven Hills Foundation, Worcester Trainer: Jim Ognibene, Visioneer ConsultingCost: $140 members, $200 non-members

What: Strategies for Managing Workplace ConflictWhen: Thursday, March 19Time: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Where: Providers’ Council Learning Center, FraminghamTrainer: Christine Singer, Your Personal Best:

Workshops for SuccessCost: $65 members, $115 non-members

What: Interrupting RacismWhen: Thursday, April 23Time: 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Where: Providers’ Council Learning Center, FraminghamTrainer: Barbara Holland, BreakThrough Partners

Debora Bloom, Debora Bloom AssociatesCost: $65 members, $115 non-members

PAGE 8 ■ THE PROVIDER  ■ FEBRUARY 2020

Pre-registration for these events required unless otherwise noted.Visit www.provider.org/events to learn more and register. Questions? Call Eliza Adams at 508.598.9700