Mission & History

From 1940 through 1995, Public Health Nursing Organization provided both public and private health care for Westchester County. The main concern of the public health care side of the agency was preventive services, while the private side of the agency focused on services to the chronically ill or homebound. In reality, these services were often provided together.

By the mid-1960s, as the population of the U.S. began to age, the need for assistance on a national level for medical care for the elderly became apparent. In 1965, Congress enacted two amendments to the Social Security Act – Medicare, to provide assistance to the elderly, and Medicaid, to provide assistance to the needy (jointly with the individual states).

With the advent of these programs, home nursing services that were for the rehabilitation of persons recovering were now to be paid for by the government. This was a huge change for the organization, both with regard to funding and to the new regulations for licensing established for the compliance of a Certified Home Health Agency (a CHHA).

1967 was the first full year of Medicare reimbursement for services. It was also the first year that the expense of home health aides was covered. The availability of federal funding allowed PHNO to increase its size and services, which also allowed the agency to serve many more people.

In 1981, sponsors of a local hospice program approached Public Health Nursing Organization with a proposal to act as their lead agency and technical licensee. The PHNO board agreed to this proposal and, in January of 1984, Jansen Memorial Hospice opened its doors as part of PHNO at 69 Main Street in Tuckahoe.

In 1989, at the annual meeting of PHNO, the organization’s name was formally changed to Home Nursing Association of Westchester, Inc. (HNAW) to reflect the shift in focus to rehabilitative and palliative home care from the original public health and preventive care.

In 1995, Jansen Memorial Hospice started the Bereavement Center of Westchester (now BCW Treehouse) to offer bereavement services above and beyond what the hospice bereavement program could offer, especially for children and families.

In November of 1996, discussions began between HNAW and Lawrence Care, Inc., the holding company for Lawrence Hospital (today known as NewYork-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital), about a possible merger. After numerous board discussions and meetings, the HNAW board voted unanimously to approve the merger, making HNAW, Inc. a subsidiary of Lawrence Care, Inc.

In 2001, HNAW, Inc. formerly changed its name to Lawrence Community Health Services (LCHS) and became the umbrella agency comprising the three, now distinct, agencies of Jansen Memorial Hospice (now Jansen Hospice and Palliative Care), the Bereavement Center of Westchester (now BCW Treehouse), and HNAW (which also formerly changed its name to Lawrence Home Care of Westchester (LHCW).