Vice-Presidents and Directors of Southcoast Health met at the UMass CIE on April 28, 2017 for one of a series of sessions designed to keep the hospital system personnel up-to-date on organizational and community issues. At the start of each meeting, a different community leader is invited to open the two-hour meeting with a brief report on a community resource or issue. This month, Partners for a Healthier Community Executive Director David S. Weed, Psy.D. was asked to give a brief summary of the health challenge in the South Coast with a focus on Fall River where Dr. Weed is based. Following the fifteen-minute presentation, Dr. Weed was surprised to learn that he had been selected as the recipient of the 2017 Hero for Health Award for his work over the past decade. Dr. Weed announced his retirement from the position as of the end of June. The award was presented by Southcoast Health President and CEO Keith Hovan who noted that past recipients included Congressmen Barney Frank and William Keating as well as State Representative Patricia Haddad. Click here for a 15-minute video of a similar presentation given recently at a Leadership SouthCoast meeting.. For more information, contact Kerry Mello at 508-973-5273. (Bottom six photos by Kerry Mello) 

(Top row) Vice-president of Care Continuum and Risk Services Stephen Pires talks with Director of Government Affairs Bill Burns while Director of Major Gifts and Capital Campaigns Bridget Flynn greets Community Benefits Manager Kerry Mello before the meeting. (Rows two and three) Senior Vice-president of Human Resources David DeJesus welcomes the group and turns to Southcoast Health President and CEO Keith Hovan to introduce Dr. Weed who gives a fifteen-minute summary of the health challenges on the South Coast. (Bottom row) Mr. Hovan congratulates Dr. Weed on his selection for the 2017 Hero for Health Award who thanks those assembled for their contribution to health.