The Revere Commission on Disabilities (COD) held its regular monthly meeting last Tuesday evening, October 13, via Zoom. On hand for the session were chair Ralph DeCicco, vice-chair Pauline Perno, Jason Barone-Cichocki, and Mario Grimanis.
The guest speaker for the meeting was Lauren Buck, the City of Revere’s Chief of Health and Human Services and Director of Public Health.
Buck, who has spoken to the board for the past few years, said that the biggest news from her department is the expansion of the in-home vaccine program for home-bound residents.
“We offer fall respiratory vaccines for those who have trouble leaving their homes, administered by our three nurses,” said Buck, who noted that the selection of vaccines now includes the flu, high-dose flu, COVID, RSV, and pneumonia vaccines.
Individuals who wish to use the in-home service can schedule their appointments by calling the Board of Health office at 781-485-8486. Caregivers also are eligible to receive the vaccines.
In response to a question from Barone-Cichocki, Buck said that the flu season has begun earlier than normal.
Buck added that her department offers free boxes of food on Fridays throughout the year with a special pick-up time from 11-12 for persons operating a motor vehicle with a handicapped placard. She noted however, that boxes typically run out quickly.
The members next discussed the onset of the shorter days that will impact pedestrian safety concerns at Revere Beach. Perno said she has contacted the office of State Rep. Jeff Turco, but has not heard back.
DeCicco presented a summary of the recent meeting of CODA (Commissions on Disabilities Alliance) that he attended that was held on October 7. The highlights were:
• Discussion of COD members in attendance regarding Municipal ADA Coordinators and what their role is and should be. Also, what is the difference between Title I and Title II when it comes to ADA Coordinators; and
• The Disability Policy Consortium (DPC), which is the agency that holds the monthly CODA meetings, announced that they are celebrating their 30th anniversary as an agency.
DeCicco also clarified a few matters for the public: Handicapped placards must be obtained from the Registry of Motor Vehicles; the city’s Traffic Commission makes the final determination about handicapped parking signs in front of a person’s home; and anyone (not just the homeowner) with a handicapped placard may park in those spots.
Perno recited the COD’s monthly reminder to conclude the meeting:
The Commission on Disabilities office number is 781-286-8267. Residents can also call Revere 311 directly and speak to their staff Monday through Friday. They will answer most questions, but if they can’t assist you or you prefer to speak with the commission directly, please ask to be transferred to the Commission on Disability direct number. Please leave a detailed message, and we will respond to you shortly. Please remember we do not have a physical Commission on Disabilities office.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss or add something to our monthly meeting agenda. You can also let us know if you have any concerns you’d like to discuss. The commission is here to help and assist all residents with disabilities and their families in Revere.
The next meeting of the COD (via Zoom) will be on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 6.