News & Updates
- Sec. Bigby's blog: A great step forward for healthier eating and living in the Commonwealth
- First Human Cases of EEE and West Nile Virus Confirmed
- Human Service Achievement in Urban Youth Collaborative Honored
- Second case of EEE in a horse
- First human case of EEE this summer announced
- Reduction in mosquito numbers following aerial spraying
Back to School
Learn more about preparing for your child’s return to school >> |
Beware of Bedbugs
Adult bedbugs are reddish-brown, flattened, oval, and wingless and are most active at night — biting any exposed areas of skin while an individual is sleeping. They can thrive in a wide range of temperatures. Bedbugs can live in any area of the home but tend to be in areas where people sleep and generally concentrate in beds, including mattresses, box springs and bed frames. Keep in mind that bedbugs can live in any home, even if it is very clean! |
Key Resources
- Follow us on Twitter - Mass_HHS
- MassHealth (Medicaid) 800-841-2900
- Health Insurance Connector
- Office of the Child Advocate
- Elder Abuse Hotline 1-800-922-2275 (V/TDD)
- Child-At-Risk Hotline Report Abuse or Neglect
800-792-5200 - Baby Safe Haven Hotline 866-814-SAFE (7233)
- National Health Care Reform
- Request Emergency Interpreter 800-249-9949 (V/TTY)
- Disabled Persons Protection Commission Hotline 800-426-9009






Yes, the beginning of a new school year can mean stocking up on school supplies, coordinating drop-offs and pick-ups from school, lining up a babysitter, providing lunch money, and lots and lots of homework assignments — plus a much quieter house during the daytime. Parents, please remember that the new school year also means fulfilling requirements for your child's school — such as physical exams, vaccinations, health records and medication administration. Now is a great time to make sure aren’t caught off guard by new requirements!
Many cities and towns across Massachusetts are reporting an increase in bedbugs, not just in places like hotels but also in dormitories, apartments and houses in the suburbs. Why the increase? Several factors could explain the increase, including the fact that more and more people are traveling to and from foreign countries where bedbugs are a problem. In addition, bedbugs have become resistant to bug sprays that have been used to keep them under control in the past.

