Physical Therapy Assistant Joins CHP

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Community Health Programs has expanded its physical therapy staff in Great Barrington with the addition of Jennifer Valente.

A licensed physical therapist assistant, Valente worked most recently at Berkshire Rehabilitation Skilled Care Center and the Farmington River School. She also works as a tutor and lab assistant in the physical therapist assistant program at Berkshire Community College.

She earned her associate degree in physical therapist assistant at Berkshire Community College, and received clinical training at Baystate Neurological Rehabilitation, Columbia Memorial Rehabilitation and Genesis Rehabilitation at Hillcrest Commons in Pittsfield.

Valente will work with CHP's physical therapy team at the CHP Great Barrington Health Center.

Community Health Programs is a healthcare network based in Great Barrington, Mass., serving more than 32,000 Berkshire region residents with whole-person, comprehensive medical and dental services at multiple practice locations. Through its Family Services program, CHP provides a range of support, parent education and resources to families. CHP accepts most forms of private and public health insurance and offers sliding fee scales for qualifying patients. CHP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.


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Berkshire Planning Commission Approves 'Conservative' FY25 Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has a "conservative" budget for fiscal year 2025 with a nearly 6 percent increase.

On Thursday, the commission approved a $6,640,005 budget for FY25, a $373,990 increase from the previous year.  The spending plan saw less growth from FY24 to FY25, as the FY23 to FY24 increase was more than $886,000, or over 16 percent.

Executive Director Thomas Matuszko said there aren't any dramatic changes.  

"This is very much different than a municipal budget in that it's not a controlling budget or a limiting budget," he said. "It is really just our best estimate of our ability to afford to operate."

The increase is largely due to new grants for public health programs, environmental and energy efforts, economic development, community planning, and the transportation program.

"We have a lot of grants and a lot of applications in. If any of those are awarded, which I'm sure there's going to be many of them, we would shift gears and if we have to add staff or direct expenses, we would," office manager Marianne Sniezek explained.

"But the budget that we have now is conservative and it covers all our expenses."

The budget was endorsed by the finance and executive committee before reaching the full planning commission.

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