The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB) will be conducting a series of listening sessions across the Commonwealth between October 2015 and March 2016. These listening sessions will seek to solicit consumer, provider and community perspectives on a range of services provided by MCB, as well as allow for input and feedback on other topics of importance.

MCB is inviting consumers, families, and all key stakeholders to attend sessions nearest them. MCB Commissioner Paul Saner will be on hand to hear your insights.

For those who cannot attend in person, comments may be submitted in writing to the Office of the Commissioner, MCB, 600 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111 or email to [email protected]

Monday, January 25th 2016
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Carroll Center for the Blind
Wednesday, January 27th 2016
770 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02458
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Association of Massachusetts Educators of Students with Visual Impairments: South Shore
Thursday, January 28th 2016
Plymouth North High School
41 Obery Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Subject:  Overtime and Intra-Day Travel Time for Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) under the MassHealth PCA Program.

Purpose:  The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) will host a series of public statewide listening sessions on recent changes to federal regulations implementing the Fair Labor Standards Act   (FLSA) and the MassHealth PCA Program's implementation of these requirements. The purpose of these listening sessions will be to gather information from PCA consumers, PCAs, interested stakeholders and the general public on how to improve the PCA program in a way that ensures consumers receive all of their authorized PCA services while minimizing the need for PCAs to work overtime. These listening sessions will be an opportunity for MassHealth to obtain input on ways to enhance the health care experience of PCA consumers and to gather ideas on how to make the MassHealth PCA program more sustainable. We welcome all members of the public who wish to share their ideas with MassHealth and help us work through design challenges related to the recent changes under the FLSA.

Background:  The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a Final Rule revising DOL regulations that implement the FLSA. The result of this new rule is that PCAs may receive overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per  week for one o r more consumers cumulatively and pay for intra-day travel time when traveling between one consumer employer's home and another consumer employer's home on the same day to provide PCA services.

What MassHealth is Doing:  Beginning on January 1, 2016, PCAs will automatically receive overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week for one or more consumers combined and pay for intra-day travel time in which a PCA travels between one consumer employer's home and another consumer employer's home on the s ame day to prov ide PCA services. To facilitate this, MassHealth's contracted fiscal intermediaries will track the cumulative hours worked by PCAs each week, even if they work for more than one consumer, and will automatically calculate any intra-day travel time.

Prior to January 1, 2016, if a consumer needs to schedule a PCA to work more than 40 hours per week, the consumer must contact his/her designated personal care management agency to make a request for prior authorization for premium pay for overtime, as described under MassHealth PCA regulations at 130 CMR 422.420(A)(13).

Listening Sessions:  Information on the three public listening sessions is below. Please note that these sessions are open to all members of the public.

Disability-Related Accommodations:  Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) services and ASL Interpretation will be available. If disability-related accommodations are required for you to attend, or you need materials in other formats, please contact:  [email protected] .

Comments:  Can be sent to:  [email protected].

When:  Wednesday, January 27, 2016, 1:00 - 3:00 P.M.

Where:  Community Room, Mason Square Branch, Springfield Public Library, 765 State Street, Springfield, Springfield, MA 01109

Call In Information: 866-565-6580
Participant code:  9593452 (note correction)

When:  January 25, 2016 to February 11, 2016 

Where:  Around Eastern Massachusetts

* Written comments about the MBTA Fare Proposal will be accepted through Friday, February 12, 2016, and can be mailed to: MBTA, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Fare Proposal Committee. You may also submit your comments on the MBTA website, mbta.com, by email at fareproposal@mbta .com, or by phone at (617) 222-3200, TTY (617) 222-5146.

* Written comments about the Commuter Rail schedule changes will be accepted through Friday, February 12, 2016, and can be mailed to: MBTA, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Commuter Rail Schedule Committee. You may also submit your comments on the MBTA website, mbta.com, by email at [email protected], or by phone at  (617) 222-3200, TTY (617) 222-5146.

* All locations are accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact Trish Foley at (857) 368-8907 or ([email protected]. ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting. For more difficult to arrange services, including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten (10) business days before the meeting.

* In case of inclement weather, meeting cancellation announcements will be posted at www.mbta.com .

A 

roster of the hearings can be found here .

Save the date for these upcoming workshops.

1. A Day of Science

• Initial meeting of new trust participants to explain the trust and use of trust funds, assess participants' living arrangements, strengths and weaknesses, and ability to access funds, and to develop a spending or life plan.
• Ongoing contact with trust participants
• Prompt review of participant requests, and weekly decisions on disbursements
• Resource development with the goal of giving participants ideas for using their funds
• Maintain current knowledge of public benefits, such as Medicaid, disability benefits and housing.
• Assist with program development and innovation
• Participation in appropriate network / professional groups, conferences and workshops.

• BSW or MSW degree
• Experience working with elders and people with disabilities and their families
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to communicate effectively and openly with a broad range of individuals and organizations
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and interdependently
• Ability to grow from supervision and direction
• Familiarity with computers and computer programs, such as Microsoft Office and SalesForce
• Integrity, positive attitude and self-direction
• An understanding and commitment to PLAN's mission and programs
• Experience with / knowledge of special needs trusts

Fast-paced legal services office seeks full-time Staff Attorney to represent low-wage workers and laborers predominantly in wage and hour cases. Duties include representing clients in administrative and court actions against employers. Responsibilities also include community outreach and education and close collaboration with local community partners. Fluency in Spanish required. 

Applicants should have a demonstrated experience working in the public interest or legal aid environment, be passionate about achieving justice and overcoming barriers facing low-income immigrants, and be a creative team-player committed to securing lasting results for clients and low-income communities. Only recent law graduates or attorneys with 0-2 years' experience will be considered. Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include health and dental insurance, 403(b) plan, generous time off as well as training and professional development opportunities. Send resume by February 19, 2016 to:

Bart Gordon Fellow Search
c/o Executive Director
MetroWest Legal Services, Inc.
63 Fountain Street, Suite 304
Framingham, MA 01702

An Equal Opportunity Employer

South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS), a non-profit legal services program providing free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income and elderly clients in Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands, seeks an attorney, admitted to practice in Massachusetts, to provide quality representation to clients in immigration and other matters. 

The attorney will serve clients in Plymouth and Bristol Counties and work from our subsidiary, the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts. The attorney will manage a substantial number of individual cases, along with special projects, and engage in impact advocacy. Fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole or other language spoken by our diverse immigrant community required.
To apply, send resume and cover letter to: [email protected]

South Coastal Counties Legal Services and its subsidiary, the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts is an Equal Opportunity Employer.