Spooner House in Shelton to hold open house, walk kick-off

Sunset over Housatonic River seen from Derby side

I took this photo Thursday evening from the Derby Greenway and thought I would share.

Pedal for PCRC slated Sunday in Shelton

Griffin Hospital in Derby awarded top grade for patient safety

DERBY - Griffin Hospital was again ranked among the leading hospitals in Connecticut for providing safe care to its patients.

The Leapfrog Group awarded Griffin Hospital an “A” grade for its Spring 2016 Hospital Safety Score survey. 

This is the hospital’s fifth “A” in three years and Griffin was one of just four hospitals in the state to receive the top score.

“We are extremely proud to be recognized for our commitment to safety. We make it our priority to put patients first and that mission starts with keeping our patients safe,” said Kathleen Martin, Vice President for Patient Safety and Care Improvement. 
“Every single member of the Griffin Hospital family is a caregiver and that means we work together to prevent harm to our patients and provide them with the best hospital experience possible.”

The Leapfrog Group is an independent hospital safety rating organization whose Hospital Safety Score is the gold standard rating for patient safety. 
The score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading patient safety experts, rating hospitals on errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the Hospital Safety Score is published widely to give consumers information they can use to protect themselves and their families when choosing a hospital stay.

“Griffin Hospital’s A grade is a powerful reminder of its commitment to putting patient safety above all else, and we are pleased to recognize the persistent efforts of your clinicians and staff to protect your patients,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, which administers the Hospital Safety Score.

Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single A, B, C, D, or F score, representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm. 

More than 2,500 U.S. general hospitals were assigned scores in October 2015, with Griffin Hospital among only four Connecticut hospitals in the select group of 773 hospitals nationwide receiving an A grade.

The Hospital Safety Score is fully transparent, offering a full analysis of the data and methodology used in determining grades on the website. 
Patients can also review their hospital’s past safety performance alongside its current grade on the Hospital Safety Score site, allowing them to determine which local hospitals have the best track record in patient safety and which have demonstrated consistent improvement.

To see Griffin’s full score, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Hospital Safety Score mobile app for Apple and Android devices. 

About The Leapfrog Group 

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. 
The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. Hospital Safety Score, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.


This is a press release from Griffin Hospital. 

Valley United Way elects chair of board of directors

Jennifer S. Bull

SHELTON - Jennifer S. Bull, an Accounting and Audit Principal of DHL&S in Shelton was elected Chair of the Board of Directors at Valley United Way’s at the 48th Annual meeting April 26. She succeeds Janice Sheehy of Webster Bank who  served two terms as president and will remain on the Board. 

Ms. Bull has served as the Vice Chair of the Board and has also been a member of the Executive, Finance and Audit Committees. 

She has also been a member of the Campaign Task Force. At DHL&S, she also coordinated the very successful United Way employee campaigns.

In her work at DHL&S, she is responsible for the planning, supervision and evaluation of engagements in various industries comprising manufacturing, financial services, charter schools, retail and not-for-profit, including college foundations.

Ms. Bull graduated Cum Laude in 1994 from Sacred Heart University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting. She has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1997. As part of her annual continuing education, Ms. Bull attends all relevant updates sponsored by the State Board of Accountancy, and is an active participant in the Firm’s training programs for new accounting staff.

She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants, and is active in many community activities.

Ms. Bull serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce as their Treasurer and the Vice-Chairwoman, and the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Red Cross. 

She is actively involved with The Leads Group Women in Networking, sponsored by the Valley Chamber of Commerce, and is a twice past President, during which time she was instrumental in the establishment of the Women in Networking Entrepreneurial Grant with the Valley Community Foundation. 

This grant provides financial assistance to women in the Naugatuck Valley area who own their own businesses or are trying to start their own businesses.

An avid runner, she is also a frequent participant in road races that benefit various charities. Ms. Bull resides in Milford with her husband, Michael Simon, and their two sons, Tyler and Matthew.

In addition to the election of the Chair, Michael Wilson, Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Ansonia was elected to the Board and Freeman Burr (retired Shelton Superintendent of Schools), John DeGray (Point Energy Solutions), Bill Purcell (Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce), Janice Sheehy (Webster Bank), Dominick Thomas (Cohen & Thomas), Mary Ann Miskowicz (Better Packages) and Joe Pagliaro, Jr. (Riverview & Adzima Funeral Homes) were all re-elected to three year terms.

This is a press release from Valley United Way, the leading philanthropic resource for the Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton matching the needs of the community and the interests of donors to improve the quality of life in the community. 

United Way supports and creates initiatives addressing youth, families and people in crisis. 

Each year Valley United Way funds programs and organizations that make a measurable difference in the lives of people living and working in the Valley.