'Step Up For Kids' Event Marks Child Abuse Prevention Month

Suzin Bartley of the Children's Trust also recognized local legislators for their continued support for efforts to reduce child abuse.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Sixty pairs of children's shoes were placed on the MCLA quad steps on Friday signified the average number of abuse cases in the county.

They also signified progress in reducing child abuse.

"They represent the number of substantial cases of child abuse and neglect in the Berkshires in one month," Suzin Bartley executive director of the Children's Trust, said. "I'll tell you that two years ago, it was 70, and I think progress has been made, but what of those 60 children and the other kids that are at risk or who have parents that are struggling?"

The Children's Trust, Massachusetts' leading family support organization, welcomed various guests to the Step Up For Kids event held at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts to encourage family support and prevent child abuse in acknowledgment of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Among those making remarks were state Sen. Benjamin Downing and Reps. Gailanne Cariddi and Tricia Farley-Bouvier, who were all honored for their continued support of children, families, and support programs.

Downing accepted the award on behalf of everyone involved in supporting the various program that aid children and struggling families.

"Our shared goals are making sure that every kid in every corner of the county and commonwealth has the opportunity to make the most of their God-given talents," Downing said.  

Cariddi, who represents North Adams, accepted her award and thanked all those who help support families in children in the county.

"The Children's Trust and everyone here in your programs strengthen our places in Berkshire County," Cariddi said. "It's your action and your dedication and events like this that help put these shoes on the map."

Farley-Bouvier accepted her award and said people often forget about child abuse unless it is written in a headline. She said it remains a constant and urged everyone to acknowledge that.

"Every four, five, or six years some crisis happens that gets us to pay attention again to the ongoing issue," the Pittsfield Democrat said. "It's not that these issues have gone away we just tend not to pay attention unless it is the headlines.

She advocated for early prevention before tragedy happens and supporting foster families.

Sixty children's shoes set out on the steps at MCLA represented the number of monthly child abuse cases dealt with through the district attorney's office and local support programs.

Mayor Richard Alcombright asked people to do what they can to support families and report any suspected abuse.

"Child abuse to me is one of those ugly, very sad, unfortunate, and many times silent things that happens right in many of our communities," Alcombright said. "These 60 shoes are both frightening and encouraging … encouraging because they are confirmed frightening because they are confirmed. It begs the question, what is the real number and who is not being attended to?"

District Attorney David Capeless advocated focusing on prevention and helping kids before it is too late.

"We are determined in our commitment to fight against child abuse," Capeless said. "The work that we do is dealing with situations that have already gone terribly wrong and if we are to reduce in the future the number of shoes here, it is about prevention."

Other speakers such as MCLA interim President Cynthia Brown, Executive Director of Child Care of the Berkshires Anne Nemetz-Carlson, and President and CEO of Berkshire Children and Families Carlyn Mower Burns discussed their programs and support.

Parent Christina Embry also spoke and explained how local support programs have helped her overcome and disabilities, find work, find support, and support her family. She has been very involved in United Cerebral Palsy and was honored last year for her progress and commitment.

"We are now expecting our second son and because we need more space, I am happy to say a week from today that our dreams of owning our home will come true," Embry said.

2024 Year in Review: North Adams' Year of New Life to Old Institutions

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:42AM / Thursday, January 02, 2025

President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz poses in one of the new patient rooms on 2 North at North Adams Regional Hospital.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On March 28, 2014, the last of the 500 employees at North Adams Regional Hospital walked out the doors with little hope it would reopen. 

 

But in 2024, exactly 10 years to the day, North Adams Regional was revived through the efforts of local officials, BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz, and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who was able to get the U.S. Health and Human Services to tweak regulations that had prevented NARH from gaining "rural critical access" status.

 

It was something of a miracle for North Adams and the North Berkshire region.

 

Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and abruptly closed in 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 

 

BMC had renovated the building and added in other services, including an emergency satellite facility, over the decade. But it took one small revision to allow the hospital — and its name — to be restored: the federal government's new definition of a connecting highway made Route 7 a "secondary road" and dropped the distance maximum between hospitals for "mountainous" roads to 15 miles. 

 

"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years," Rodowicz said. "It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated countywide system of care." 

 

The public got to tour the fully refurbished 2 North, which had been sectioned off for nearly a decade in hopes of restoring patient beds; the official critical hospital designation came in August.