What Do You Think? Naugatuck Partners With Visiting Nurse Association of South Central CT, Inc.

The following information was written by Mayor Bob Mezzo regarding the new partnership with the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut, Inc. Here is what the Mayor wrote in its entirety.

"The Borough of Naugatuck and the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut, Inc. (“VNASCC”), are pleased to announce a partnership to continue the rich tradition of the Naugatuck Visiting Nurses Association (“NVNA”), and provide the highest quality, home health care services to the citizens of Naugatuck.  After months of discussions and negotiations with the parties, the Board of Mayor and Burgesses approved an agreement on Tuesday (6/17/2014), formalizing the arrangement.

VNASCC is a community-based, not-for-profit agency providing outstanding home health services to communities in South Central Connecticut.  Numerous Naugatuck citizens have already been served by VNASCC nurses in past years.  This past fall, Naugatuck resident and Naugatuck Education Foundation President Matthew Fortney was elected to the VNASCC board of directors and serves on its Finance Committee.

As many already know, the Borough has been working to transition the NVNA to another home health care provider for almost a year. While this has been a difficult process for many local officials and employees, the economic challenges of operating a home health care agency as a municipal department have proven costly. In addition to changes in federal and state health care laws, increased presence of large, for-profit providers has challenged the ability of municipal visiting nurses associations to compete in the marketplace.

VNASCC has a long history of incorporating local visiting nurses agencies into its organization. Former VNAs in Milford, the lower Naugatuck Valley and East Haven were incorporated into VNASCC in years past, joining the original New Haven visiting nurses group.

Over the past few weeks, VNASCC has been meeting with NVNA staff to coordinate a smooth transition.  NVNA staff will inform all new and existing patients of the changes occurring, and the opportunity to transition their care to VNASCC.  The NVNA will continue to provide care for existing patients and solicit new patients up until August 15, 2014.   Effective October 1, 2014, VNASCC will assume the long legacy of the NVNA and occupy the current offices located at 600 Rubber Avenue.  VNASCC staff has already begun to increase its presence in the area and build relationships with the referral networks in Greater Waterbury and the Valley.

Feel free to check-out the VNA of South Central CT website at www.vnascc.org for more information about their skilled nursing and rehab home care services and specialty programs.

VNASCC intends to continue the practices of the NVNA by being an active participant in community events and outreach programs.  The Borough will contribute funds and in-kind assistance to VNASCC to maintain quality home health care services in Naugatuck, but at a substantially less cost to taxpayers.  We look forward to this new partnership and expanding the capacity of home health care services in the Borough.

Patients and/or referral sources with any questions are encouraged to contact the NVNA directly at 203-720-7095."