DR. JUDYANN BIGBY, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES VISITS LIFESTREAM

November 2007

The Southcoast region hosted a visit from Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). Dr. Bigby visited one of LifeStream's residential programs to see first hand how the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) has responded to moving individuals from institutional settings to residential community living. The visit was a collaborative effort between the Southeast Regional & New Bedford area DMR offices, EOHHS, and LifeStream. Secretary Bigby oversees seventeen state agencies including DMR and serves in the Cabinet of Governor Deval Patrick. Her broad range of experience - as a physician, professor, researcher and health policy expert - gives her unique insights into how the state can best serve the people of the Commonwealth.

Dr. Bigby toured one of LifeStream's newest homes in Dartmouth and met with four individuals during her visit. The program was designed to be fully accessible and the residents moved to their new home from area nursing facilities. All support staff in the residential program are certified nursing assistants trained by Lifestream's Employment & Training Division. Secretary Bigby has published a number of studies and participated in conferences and forums across the country related to health care disparities and the needs of vulnerable populations. One of her top priorities is ensuring the state delivers high-quality services to all Massachusetts residents.

"We appreciate the opportunity to work with agencies across the Southcoast region to facilitate Dr. Bigby's visit. We share Secretary Bigby's commitment to providing the very best care available and the highest quality of life for all people-regardless of their developmental, socio-economic, or personal barriers. We will continue to work closely with the Department of Mental Retardation and other state agencies in providing a wide range of human services to enrich lives and promote independence for residents throughout Southeastern Massachusetts," said John A. Latawiec, President & CEO of LifeStream, Inc.

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