TRANSFORMING THE HEALTHCARE MINISTRY

OF SAN VICENTE DE PAÚL IN THE SOUTH BRONX

Since 1992, ArchCare at San Vicente de Paúl has served as an anchor of its South Bronx neighborhood. For nearly two decades, its mission has remained unchanged: fulfilling the healthcare and other needs of local seniors as effectively as possible by delivering the highest quality programs and services based on the most up-to-date approaches to continuing care.

Today, San Vicente de Paúl is in the midst of a transformation that will enable it to serve more seniors and offer a wider and more up-to-date array of services than ever. The transformation will also align San Vicente de Paúl’s healthcare ministry with the realities of today’s government reimbursement system and increased demand from consumers for home- and community-based alternatives to traditional nursing home care.

The transformation plan includes four major elements:

A state-of-the-art PACE center offering a full spectrum of healthcare and other vital services for nursing home-eligible seniors.  PACE – Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly – makes it possible for seniors to keep their independence by delivering the healthcare and other services they need at home or in the community instead of in a more restrictive nursing home setting. Phase I construction of the PACE day center at San Vicente de Paúl is on schedule for completion in late spring 2011. Phase II construction of the PACE healthcare clinic is set to begin shortly.

A reduced number of traditional skilled nursing beds for seniors whose individual needs cannot be met through home and community based services. While the number of nursing home beds moving forward has not yet been finalized, the goal is for all current residents who wish to remain at San Vicente de Paúl to be able to do so.

ArchCare is studying the feasibility of offering an Assisted Living Program (ALP) at San Vicente de Paúl. An application for an ALP at San Vicente de Paúl is currently pending with the New York State Department of Health. The number of ALP beds, if any, will depend on several factors, including government approvals, the number of nursing home beds and the availability of space in the facility.

Future plans include the possibility of low-income supportive housing for seniors on the San Vicente de Paúl campus. This is a longer-term initiative, and will depend largely on the timing and availability of government funding. Preliminary discussions with the Southeast Bronx Community Organization about a possible collaboration have been positive.