SBOL 8/8/19

THE PRINT EDITION

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019

VOLUME XIX- ISSUE 74

A Third Proposal for the Edison Site

Congressman Stephen Lynch speaks about carefully considering Edison site options.

by Rick Winterson

M

onday evening, August 5, the Boston Planning & Development Agency (the BPDA) held a meeting at the Ty na n Communit y Center on East Fourth Street. The meeting was organized by BPDA Project Manager Stephen Harvey. The topic was the

Pizzi Scholarship Recipients Recognized

ongoing plan for developing the 15-acre Edison Power Plant site at 776 Summer Street by a design/build pa r tnership called Redgate/Hilco.

T he E d i s on site /7 76 Summer project has become a controversia l project, a s evidenced by the 300+ concerned South Boston residents, who both showed up and actively participated. A significant source of the controversy is based upon the added traffic and parking burdens that would result from all the residences contained in the first two proposals. Building heights, residentia l densit y, crowded public transport, and the presence of (or lack of ) sufficient green community spaces have also drawn adverse comments till now.

The most significant change in this proposal (the third one Continued on Page 3

L-R: Rodolfo Arias, UMass/Boston, Superintendent Nora Baston, Kaleigh Flaherty, Curry College, Joseph Baker, UMass/Lowell, Sergeant Gino Provenzano.

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n Thursday, August 1st, 3 exceptional, local college-bound teens were on hand for a luncheon held at Boston Police Headquarters to be included in a group identified as the first recipients of scholarships generously provided by the Salvatore and Maria Pizzi Family Foundation.

It was truly an amazing event with inspirational remarks from Police

Commissioner William Gross, Superintendent Nora Baston, and son of South Boston - Sergeant Gino Provenzano. Recipients included: Rodolfo Arias (UMass/ Boston), Joseph Baker (UMass/ Lowell), and Kaleigh Flaherty (Curry College). The BCYF Condon Community Center is fortunate to be surrounded by these leaders of tomorrow. Congratulations!

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

Lynch Holds Sunday Press Conference

by Rick Winterson Congressman Stephen Lynch conducted an impromptu press conference last Sunday morning, August 4. It took place in front of his residence on G Street at 11:30, after a dozen or so media personnel gathered there. The Congressman had just returned from a trip to the Texas/Mexico border at El Paso, as one of a 25-member Congressiona l delegation.

The delegation’s purpose? An in-depth, eyes-on assessment of the immigration sit u at ion on ou r border.

In g e n e r a l, Ly n c h ’s remarks were upbeat about the improvements that had been made along the border with Mexico, but he stressed that there is still a long way to go.

One of the changes involved the crush of immigrants seeking asylum in America, and f looding

Comgressman Stephen Lynch (r.) conducts a press conference in front of his G Street residence. The topic was the immigrant situation he witnessed on his official visit to El Paso, Texas. the immigration facilities on the U.S. side of the border. This situation was severely aggravated by the 180-day holding period for asylum requests, and the shortage of immigration judges needed to process so many of these requests. Now, the immigrants at the borders are being rerouted into more spacious holding

Flaherty Opens Campaign Office

areas on the Mexican side of the border, where a 1,400-person facility is being built. This will allow the U.S. to process one manageable group at a time.

In add it ion, U. S .

Immigration a nd Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) off icers are being stationed on crossing bridges to check entries.

I m med iate i nter v ie w s a re being conducted in two new ICE facilities for processing and detention.

Lynch took care to point out that physical facilities are considerably better, although some overcrowding still occurs – perhaps as many as 600 immigrants in a 400-person building, for example. Of the $4.7B now appropriated for the immigrant problem, $197MM is directed to immediate medical care. In one instance a 50-year old immigrant was treated after suffering a heart attack.

The United Nations is

now providing shuttle buses to return immigrants to their own countries. Lynch stated his support for four immigrationrelated bills proceeding through Congress. He also mentioned that Catholic Cha rities is providing immigrant aid. In his closing remarks, he said that enough progress is being made that the pace of the immigrants’ case-by-case reviews is now the bottleneck in asylum processing.

In t he que s t ion- a ndanswer period that followed Lynch ’s remark s, he spoke eloquently of the magnitude of the illegal immigrant problem.

A lthough more than half of these immigrants come from the so-called ”Northern Triangle” – El Sa lvador, Hondura s, Guatemala – Lynch said that there actually are immigrants on our border from a total of 79 (!) other nations. In response to questions why whole families (including children) are f leeing across Mexico to the U.S. borders, he emphasized that there is no rule of law in those t hree “Nor t hern Tria ng le” nations. They are infested with gangs, crime, and immense danger from terrorist acts. Their citizens are desperate. Lynch compared our border situation with Syria. Germany originally a greed to accept 140,000 Syrian immigrants. Actually, some 1.4 million (1,400,000) refugees f leeing from Syria’s wartorn dictatorship showed up.

Compass on the Bay Events Summer Concert Series at Compass on the Bay City Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty has opened his South Boston Campaign Office at 707 East Broadway. Michael is campaigning for re-election to his office as a Boston City Councilorat-Large. South Boston Online wishes him the best in the upcoming election. For additional information about Michael, please log onto www.michaelflaherty.com

Join us for refreshments and live music on our front lawn!

All concerts begin at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 8th, Gian Faraone, singer Thursday, August 15th, Richie Bern, guitar and vocals Thursday, August 29th, David Hull, guitar and vocals

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 Continued from page 1

Edison from Redgate/Hilco for the Edison site at 776 Summer Street) was a reduction in residences.

Proposals #1 and #2 had 1,700 and 1,300 units respectively; Monday’s Proposal #3 reduced residence units to just 750, and 16% of these were designated as “affordable”. Other items in Proposal #3 included 800,000 square feet of office and research space, 80,000 square feet for retail stores, 350 hotel rooms, and over 1.000 parking slots. The two million (2,000,000) square foot, 15 acre site would also offer 5.5 acres of public green space (2.5 acres along the waterfront); several historic buildings, notably the turbine halls, would be preserved. Proposal #3 would be a truly “Mixed Use” development I ntere s t i n g ly, R e d g ate / Hilco’s development team also mentioned a totally commercial way to develop the Edison site – a development that would contain no housing, just commercial buildings and uses. This totally commercial development would have the same density, building heights, open spaces, and historic preservation as the “Mixed Use” Proposal #3 above. Because there would be no residences in the commercial development alternate, daily in-and-out traffic would increase, while use of public transit would decrease.

To obtain your own

Project Manager Stephen Harvey of the BPDA opens the meeting about the Edison site. information on the development itself, we suggest you plan to attend the next meeting on the Edison site project in September (date to be determined). In the meantime, you can send your comments and opinions on the Edison site project by email to: ht t p://www.bostonplans. o r g /p r o j e c t s /d e v e l o p m e n t p r o j e c t s /7 76 - s u m m e r - s t r e e t All of the elected officials on hand last Monday spoke of the Edison site project in a balanced manner, saying, “It’s up to you to choose the way we go.” Congressman Steve Lynch emphasized a cautious approach to the Edison development, because it’s the last seaside site to be cleaned up and because Massport’s Port of Boston “must stay viable”, no matter what!

Genera lly, the audience

reaction to developing the Edison site was somewhat favorable, although several speakers in the audience vehemently stated that any development ought to only benefit South Boston and its current residents. Between 25 and 30 members of the audience posed questions and

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ventured their opinions at the close of the 776 Summer presentation. A lmost ever y responder recognized the need to clean the site up. Perhaps four main schools of thought emerged – one school wanted residences on the site (with more being really affordable), a second school wanted a totally commercial development, a third wanted the jobs that would come with Edison site development of any kind, and a fourth wanted highly effective seaport protection, including a riskfree Edison site clean-up, more onsite public space, and overall environmental improvements.

Please make it a point to attend site development meetings in September and beyond. The Edison site and its future development is located at Summer and First. That isn’t in the Seaport District; it’s right here in the South Boston we all know.

Public Meeting

401 Congress Street (Massport Parcel A2) Tuesday, August 20

75 Northern Avenue

6:00 PM

District Hall Boston, MA 02210

Project Description: BPDA-hosted Article 80 Public Meeting to discuss the Proposed Project at 401 Congress Street (Massport Parcel A2) in the South Boston Waterfront.

The Proposed Project contemplates the construction of a new Class A office building with significant public and cultural uses, totaling approximately 675,000 square feet. The Project Site is owned by the Massachusetts Port Authority (“Massport”) and consists of two parcels containing approximately 1.6 acres of land. Parcel A2, which is currently a 1.1. acre surface parking lot; and the Triangle Parcel, which is a 0.48 acre of isolated, undeveloped land.

mail to: Aisling Kerr Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 phone: 617.918.4212 email: aisling.kerr@boston.gov

A part of the hundreds who showed up at the Tynan meeting about the Edison site.

Close of Comment Period: 8/23/2019

BostonPlans.org

@BostonPlans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

Woods’ Farewell to H & Seventh

P

eggy Woods was born and raised in South Boston in an Irish-American family with deep cultural roots. She and her sisters began dancing at an early age, and as a result of their hard work and determination, Peggy and Rose earned several awards at the regional and national level and hence developed their passion for Irish Dance. Twenty five years ago, as young adults, Peggy and Roseann Woods launched their own Irish Dance School so they could preserve this strong aspect of Irish culture. They also knew that the lasting friendships, travel experiences and self-confidence that comes from Irish Dance were most valuable and wanted to share that with the South Boston community. Always traveling alongside them was their mom, Mary and her sisters, offering support and friendship

to all the Irish Dancing families.

In order to compete at the Irish Dance competitions, they had to become certified teachers through An Coimisiun Le Rince Gaelacha in Dublin, Ireland as TCRG’s (Teacher Certificate le Rinci Gaelacha) and eventually Peggy took her Adjudicators test and became a certified ADCRG (Adjudiator Certificate le Rince Gaelacha), which allows her to judge Irish Dance Competitions all over the country.

Under the guidance of Peggy and Roseann, the Woods School building is where trainers came from Ireland to coach the students. It is where all the choreography was planned for every community event including the televised annual Saint Patrick’s Day Breakfast, the Grand Marshal banquets, performances for weddings and parties with famous Irish musicians including the Wolfe Tones, Daniel O’Donnell, and most local bands in and around Boston. Peggy Woods and the Dance School have been featured on Chronicle; but most importantly, Peggy believes that she instilled a sense of community service to the kids by always performing for the Senior Citizens and at most community events in South Boston so that she could share

the happiness and joy of our culture.

In her first few years as a new business owner, Peggy was full of energy and ideas and just wanted to have a little success; but, as it turns out, the early years were the most memorable as she forged lifelong friendships with those young dancers and with their families well after decades of dancing.

She has attended their weddings and christenings, and, as the wheels of life always turn full circle, those same dancers have enrolled their children at the Woods School, which according to Peggy, is the highest compliment.

Spending time at the corner studio has led to a positive lifestyle, kept the young dancers busy and fit, and helped overcome the discriminations set for inner city kids. It was here Peggy not only taught young dance students the fundamentals of Irish dancing, but she also planned bus trips to New York City, to resorts in New Hampshire and traveled with hundreds of students to Nashville, Florida, California, Ottawa and even brought home the First Place National Title in Team Ceili dancing. She has sent world qualifying dancers to Dublin, Killarney, Belfast, Scotland and Spain, as well as to Riverdance Academy, and, I think every one of them would agree that the

dance school on the corner will always hold a special place in their hearts.

It was here at the corner of H & Seventh Street that Moms (and Dads) double parked, tied their shoes, curled their hair, applied band aids to blistering feet and also made lasting friendships among other parents. It was here at H & Seventh where those who were passing by always peered in or sat their little ones on the step to see the cheerful lime green walls, watch the girls dance or listen to the beats of the kids dancing in their hard shoes to the Irish music. It was at the corner of H & Seventh where we laughed and cried over competitions, being too tired to keep on practicing with big blisters, growing too old to continue dance, having sweet 16 sleepovers, making mistakes that made everyone laugh, singing silly songs, dance camps where we played games, and did sidewalk chalk. And it was here, in this little brick building at the corner of H & Seventh, that Peggy gave out more hugs and kisses to the best group of kids she’s ever met. And it was here at the corner of H & Seventh in that little brick building that the students from the Woods School of Irish Dance formed friendships and made memories that will last a lifetime - not only between themselves, but, with Peggy and Rose.

As time and economics change in the city, the timing for relocation was perfect and circumstances seemed to fit well to move to its new location at the Perkins Post.

Now entering its 26th year, the Woods School of Irish Dance has successfully relocated and continues to thrive here in South Boston. The Woods School will always make a lasting impact for our young Irish dancers but we will all miss this building that was a little piece of Irish Heaven on the corner.

To register for classes email Peggy at Woods.doherty@gmail.com.

Classes start the week of September 9th at our new location: The Perkins Post, 863 East Fourth Street, South Boston on the O Street entrance, 2nd Floor.

Watch for our upcoming public appearance at SB Street Festival in September.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019

Paraclete Bids Allison Maladore Farewell

Allison Maladore (l.) is pictured standing in front of The Paraclete Center at 207 E Street with Molly Zollo (r.). Allison is the current Program Director at Paraclete. She is stepping down so she can pursue her studies for a Doctor’s Degree in Public Health at Claremont University, located in Los Angeles.

Molly Zollo, a graduate of Skidmore College in Education, is taking Allison’s place as The Paraclete’s Program Director. The occasion was a farewell party for Allison last Friday afternoon, August 2. South Boston Online wishes both of them the very best in their respective future challenges.

Councilor Flynn BCYF Block Party

Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn thanked the exceptional staff at the BCYF Tynan Community Center, along with other City of Boston Departments, for their programs and services on behalf of our residents at their recent block party. It was a great summer night to be with friends and neighbors, and made even better as Councilor Flynn got to cool off as the first one knocked in the dunk tank!

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

National Night Out, 2019

Mayor Walsh is greeted at NNO by his enthusiastic youthful supporters.

by Rick Winterson

I

t was a beautiful summer Monday evening in front of the Will McDonough Fieldhouse at Moakley Park. A crowd of hundreds, many of them high-spirited young children, gathered for a picnic and an awards night, carefully prepared by the Boston Police Department personnel from Station C-6 on West Broadway. Last Monday evening, August 5, was “National Night Out” (NNO), hosted and organized by BPD Station C-6 Capt. Joseph Boyle and Sgt. Steve McNeil, who supervises the C-6 Community Services operation.

During the high point of

the NNO evening, Mayor Marty Wa lsh, BPD Commissioner William Gross, and many other elected and appointed officials conferred t wo Communit y Awards on two deserving local activists. Bill Trabucco received his award for his ongoing efforts to organize residents of the Polish Triangle into the “Polish Triangle United”. Deacon Paul Klein was recognized with an award for his Peace Breakfasts at St. Monica Church. As Deacon Paul said, “If you don’t have Peace, then nothing else works!”

And it was a great picnic.

Station C-6 police off icers prepa red delicious burgers and hot dogs by the hundreds, accompanied by ice cream for dessert. Fully costumed comic strip characters entertained the kids and most of the adults as well. Batman, Superman, Thor, and two versions of Spiderman delighted the crowd (Were you aware that August 5 was Batmasn’s 80 th Birthday?).

Congratulations to Awardees Klein and Trabucco.

South Boston Online looks forward to NNO next year in 2020, which is the City of Boston’s 4 0 0t h A n n iver sa r y Ye a r.

Community Awardee Bill Trabucco, with Alexandra and Reed, and BPD Capt. Boyle and Sgt. McNeil.

Bill Trabucco (center) holds his Community Award at National Night Out.

Comic strip heroes Superman, Thor, Batman (at 80), and (2) Spidermen hold a BPD Officer hostage.

Deacon Paul Klein (wearing white cap) is congratulated on his Community Award.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019

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Monday Was Farmer’s Market Day Here

Mamadou Balde represents Mass-Save (less electricity usage) at South Boston’s Farmer’s Market.

by Rick Winterson

T

he first full week of August marks the entry into what many people call “high summer”. It’s also the midpoint of the June-toOctober Farmer’s Market here in South Boston. Boston’s Mayor Marty Walsh announced on

Saturday that this week would be celebrated as Farmer’s Market Week all over the City. This week, his office will honor the agricultural businesses, occupations, and enterprises that have served Boston so well for so many years.

South Boston’s day for its own Farmer’s Market is always on Monday, so South Boston Online took a walk to our own Farmer’s Market on the edge of Perkins Square on August 5, our own Farmer’s Market Day in the City’s Farmer’s Market Week. It was bustling.

Old faithful South Boston farm vendors like Freitas Farm and Wenger’s Farm, with its incredible variety of farm products, were on hand, of course, vending their goods to the (”Live!”) trumpet/accordion music of the Borellis.

The ears of corn laid out by Freitas Farm looked good enough to dive into.

We had a newcomer as well –

American Vinegar Works from Lowell, started up by Rodrigo Vargas. Vinegar is produced by fermenting alcohol to acetic acid (CHHH-CHHOH to CHHH-C=OOH), which gives it that unmistakable tart taste. Rodrigo already makes custom vinegars from red wine and cider; he’s planning to make more specialty vinegars from porter and even from rose wine.

As an added treat, South Boston’s Farmer’s Market Day featured Local

Artist Cameron Teleau, with his brightly colored acrylic paintings. Mamadou Balde from Mass-Save was on hand to help customer conserve electricity (and save money). The Farmer’s Market is run by the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation (the SBNDC). Robert, Courtney, and Coleman staffed the SBNDC table, providing services from bags to advice on nourishing food for Monday’s many Farmer’s Market customers.

Borelli Music brings in-person live music to South Boston’s Farmer’s Market. And they cut discs, too.

American Vinegar Works (Lowell), founded by Rodrigo Vargas, a new entry to South Boston’s Farmer’s Market.

Cameron Teleau is participating as the “Local Artist” during South Boston’s Farmer’s Market Day.

Robert, Courtney, and Coleman help run the Famrer’s Market for the SBNDC.

Ears of corn (yum!) on Farmer’s Market Day are piled on the bench at Freitas Farm – a pillar of South Boston’s Farmer’s Market.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

2019’s Eighth Annual Seafood Festival on Fish Pier

by Rick Winterson

I

t’s easy to forget that South Boston is still a maritime community, surrounded by salt sea ocean waters along more than 80% of its borders. It is a working port as well, with the Conley Terminal and where trawlers and lobster boats still ply their trades. Historically, South Boston provided the first safe dockage (in so-called Old Harbor), and then protected the City of Boston (from Fort Independence on Castle Island).

It is therefore entirely fitting – as well as a highly enjoyable way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon – that we hold an Annual Seafood Festival on South Boston’s Fish Pier. The eighth edition of that Festival was held last Sunday, August 4, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. The crowd that attended the 2019 Seafood Festival numbered in the thousands.

Of course, as its name states, the Festival focused on seafood. Oysters, fish tacos, clam chowder, shucking contests, and preparation lessons from seafood chefs contributed to the central theme of seafood. But lobster – of the bright red, plump, meaty New England sort – ruled

the roost. Lobster feasting took precedence, from a delectable Yankee Lobster roll (with Cape Cod chips) to a full-scale lobster bake with all the trmmins’.

Just a quick seafood news notes: You are probably aware that The Daily Catch, which used to be located on Fan Pier, has now closed down. Yet they still took part in the 2019 Seafood Festival.

For your information, The Daily Catch is seeking new quarters somewhere here in South Boston.

If anyone has any leads for The Daily Catch’s new replacement venture, please get in touch with them. Were you aware that The Daily Catch was the organization

that originally made calamari so popular? They used deep-fried calamari in their North Shore location as a less expensive (but still very tasty) substitute for Ipswich littleneck fried clams.

The entertainment at the 2019 Seafood Festival was varied.

Katie McD of South Boston fame provided Irish singing, instrumentals, and dancing for a couple of hours at the start of the Festival. A Chinese women’s group of Festiva l dancers expertly performed a Dragon Walk and Lion Dances. The high-energ y Hipshot Dance Band took over in the afternoon.

Midway through this year’s

Seafood Festival at 2 p.m., a solemn “Unity Blessing of the Waters” was celebrated. Tamela Mann sang “Take Me to the King”, an original song by Kirk Franklin and Capitol Christian Music Group.

The moving ceremony included the Algonquin Water Song, as water was poured on the Pier’s deck from a purifying copper pitcher. South Boston’s Fr. Peter DeFazio prayed over the Harbor, and the wreath was tossed into the Harbor waters, as a fireboat sprayed water high into the air. The Blessing concluded with singing “The Lord’s Prayer”.

A nd t he n it was back to t he seafood.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

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A Sudden Severe Storm The words “sudden” and “severe” describe last week’s hour-long thunderstorm very well. From 4 p.m. until just about 5, late in the afternoon of Wednesday, July 31, lightning followed suddenly by thunderclaps, intense rain, near hurricane force winds, and severe damage to trees hit South Boston’s shoreline. It lasted just under an hour, but the damage (especially to trees) was extensive.

Several trees on Castle Island, along Day Boulevard, and on the edge of Marine Park were either spilt or entirely felled. The trees around the Murphy Rink, which have been carefully pruned and are symmetrically shaped, suffered little or no damage – there’s an object lesson there about ongoing tree care and maintenance. At a recorded 73 miles per hour, winds approached hurricane force, even though it was actually a thunderstorm and no hurricane was involved. Rain poured down at roughly an inch an hour in the 4 to 5 p.m. interval, and then quickly stopped. Logan was briefly closed; more intense damage and power outages occurred along the North Shore, including a fire caused by lightning. The hot, muggy weather that followed the storm was also “sudden” and “severe”. Welcome to “high summer” in South Boston.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019

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East Boston Savings Bank 4 Peats and Wins the SB Babe Ruth Title Pictured right to left. President of SBBRL, Kevin Lally, Jack Feeney, Coach Mike Murray, Declan Callahan, Cormac Lafferty, Eddie Murray, Stephen Flynn, Michael Brooks, Paul Downey, Joe Keating, Nolan Callow, Henry Gailunas, Owen Leahy, Jerry O’Neil, Lydon McGarrell, Bobby Delaney, Coach Bobby McGarrell and umpire Buddy Lane. Not pictured Coach Mark Feeney and Bobby Banks.

Rep. Biele Votes to Support Children’s Health & Wellness Bill Legislation expands access to and supports health services for children and adolescents Last week, State Representative David Biele voted with his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to unanimously pass legislation supporting the health and wellness of children across t he Commonwea lt h.

The bill, An Act Relative to Children’s Health and Wellness, is part of the comprehensive House Children’s Wellness Initiative which aims to better address the complex health and wellness needs specif ic to t he C om monw e a lt h ’s 1. 4 million children.

The initiative seek s to make access to healthcare easier for v ulnerable populations, eliminate ba rriers to ca re a nd formu late data-d riven recommendations to improve ser vice deliver y and system coordination. The initiative supports a holistic approach that provides services early and often – ensuring that children grow to be healthier, happier and more productive adults.

The legislation creates a foundation for better access to services and more data to inform future policy, including a provision that requires the M a s s a c hu s e t t s Depa r t ment of Children a nd Fa milies

to report on its efforts to improve the Commonwealth’s foster care system.

“Our yout h need t he proper support systems in order to grow up and become healthy, happy and productive adults” said Rep. Biele. “I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation which will create important health and wellness services for our most vulnerable children and adolescents, while collecting important data to inform future conversations a rou nd chi ld ren’s hea lt h.”

The legislation seeks to address child wellness in the following areas: Requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to report on efforts to improve the foster care system in the Commonwealth, including steps it is taking to provide increased coverage, share relevant medical history with foster parents, and provide access to mental health supports and timely information on children in DCF custody who have died from abuse or neglect.

Requires insurance compa nies to m a i nt a i n accurate and accessible provider directories for health plans. The provision directs companies to make the directories available without requiring users to create a new online account or profile. The directory must be

updated frequently to ensure the information is correct.

R e qu i r e s t he He a t h Po l i c y Commission to conduct analysis of children with medical complexity to analyze costs and population characteristics in order to develop recommendations about how to serve this unique population.

Establishes a task force to study pediatric behavioral h e a lt h screening tools.

Creates a special commission to exa mine t he ped iatric workforce to address pediatric

prov ider ava i l a bi l it y a nd adequac y. The Commission would recommend strategies for increasing the pipeline of pediatric providers and expanding access to practicing providers.

Cha rge s a 17-member special commission to review the Department of Public Health’s School-Based Health Center Program for the purpose of strengthening, improving, and considering ways to replicate best practices across the state.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019 THE PRINT EDITION

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