Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Thursday reintroduced legislation that would take on the affordable housing crisis and what they call the “existential threat of climate change.” The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act spends up to $234 billion over ten years to transition the entire public housing stock in the United States into zero-carbon, highly energy-efficient homes. The legislation also creates up to 280,000 good-paying, union jobs per year, while reducing annual carbon emissions by roughly 5.7 million metric tons – the equivalent of taking over 1.26 million cars off the road.

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are joined on the legislation by 55 members in the House of Representatives and 7 senators including Peter Welch (D-VT).

“America’s Favorite Doctor” disciplined in Vermont – Celebrity family medicine physician Dr. Laura Purdy was reprimanded by the Vermont Board of Medical Practice March 6 for inadequate telemedicine practices. The action stems from information about her Vermont patients that surfaced during a Mississippi investigation into her improperly dispensing diet pills via telemedicine. Purdy “failed to establish a physician-patient relationship with her Vermont patients and prescribed them medication in response to their answers to an online questionnaire.” She will still be allowed to practice in Vermont. 

New commish for disabled, aging – Dr. Jill Bowen – author, podcaster, and health care organization leader – as commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) within the Agency of Human Services (AHS).

Bowen comes to Vermont from Philadelphia where she has served as commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS) for more than three years. In her career, Dr. Bowen has managed large budgets and quality improvement efforts. Drawing on her training as a clinical psychologist and her gold level Lean training, she combined clinical, fiscal and operational experience to implement system improvements. Those improvements include the transformation of Philadelphia’s mental health crisis system into a true community response approach that addresses social determinants and drivers of health (SDOH). 

Prior to her work in Philadelphia, Bowen held positions in New York City, including as senior adviser for mental health with the Office of the Mayor, chief transformation officer for NYC Health + Hospitals, and as associate executive director for organizational innovation and excellence at Kings County Hospital Center.

Bowen is co-editor and co-author of the first book exclusively devoted to mental health and lean healthcare, Lean Behavioral Health. She has taught at academic institutions, presented at professional conferences and co-authored several articles over the years. She currently hosts a podcast: “Community Conversations with Dr. Jill Bowen.”

Age Well seeking volunteers – Vermont’s aging population is growing, and more volunteers to help them are needed. Age Well is seeking volunteers to provide regular social interaction and assistance to seniors in their homes Mon- Fri between 8am-4pm. Volunteers visit with someone with shared interests, go grocery shopping, run errands, assist with medical appointments, do organizing, bill paying, and more. Call 802-662-5249 or volunteer@agewellvt.org. Age Well is been part of Vermont’s Area Agencies on Aging, coordinating services and care for older adults throughout Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties.