Visiting Health Services-New Jersey history

Our organization began with a meeting of volunteers on June 24, 1912, at Brookdale Farm in Lincroft, NJ. The young organization set out to improve prison conditions and achieve a more humane approach to public assistance.

By 1918, the agency adopted the name Monmouth County Organization for Social Service (MCOSS).

Community Visiting Nurse Association (CVNA) was established in 1948 by a group of community-minded citizens as Somerset Valley Visiting Nurse Association (SVVNA) and certified by the State of New Jersey as a non-profit social welfare corporation.

On September 1, 1949 Marie G. Gemeroy was appointed Director of Somerset Valley VNA. She was a graduate of Cornell University New York Hospital School of Nursing and earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Nursing at Teacher’s College, Columbia University.

In the fall of 1950, a homemaker service specifically designed to meet the needs of long-term patients was begun in Essex County under the sponsorship of the Essex County Medical Society, and it became the model for other agencies.

In 1951, our office moved to 204 West Cliff Street, Somerville.

As a result of the work of this Committee, the Prevention of Chronic Illness Act was enacted in April 1952, the Prevention of Chronic Illness Act (Section 26: 1A-94) “established within the Department of Health.

The first meeting of this ten-member volunteer committee was held on February 2 1953 in the offices of the Division of Chronic Illness Control of the New Jersey State Department of Health.

The Certificate of Incorporation for Passaic County Homemaker Service was signed on September 27, 1954.

The first training class was held in May of 1955.

By 1956, the staff had grown to six nurses, including the director, plus two part-time clerks.

An active Southern Monmouth Auxiliary opened the doors of the Thrift Shop in Manasquan in 1960.

In May of 1961, the Agency changed its name to Visiting Homemaker Service of Passaic County and has done business as HomeCare Options shortly thereafter.

The Federal Medicare program was created in 1965 and SVVNA received Medicare certification.

Caroline E. Krajewski Manney, who served the agency for over 20 years, became Director in 1968.

In 1985, Marilyn Zuchowski became the new Director, bringing an extensive background in home health care and nursing management.

By 1987, SVVNA had 16 Registered Nurses, five Physical Therapists, two Occupational Therapists, two Speech Therapists, one Social Worker, one Registered Dietitian and five office staff.

In 1988, the agency expanded to serve the people of Middlesex County through acquisition of the Visiting Nurse Association in Middlesex.

It was certified by Medicare in May, 1990, and began providing care and support to terminally ill patients and their families.

In an effort to make the organization’s identity clear in both Middlesex County and Monmouth County, the agency’s trustees voted in December, 1993 to adopt the name Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey (VNACJ).

The Hospice program’s annual fund raiser, “Light Up A Life,” began in 1995.

To demonstrate the high quality of care and services provided, SVVNA earned Accreditation With Commendation from the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) in 1997.

In 2000, the Board of Trustees adopted our present name, Community Visiting Nurse Association.

The Somerset County Office on Aging awarded its Chronic Disease Care Management Program grant to Community Home Care in 2004.

In 2008, VNA of Central Jersey joined with Visiting Nurse and Hospice Services and partnered with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital to enhance and expand home and community care options for the residents of Mercer, Somerset, Union, Burlington, Gloucester, and Camden counties.

In 2009, Essex Valley Visiting Nurse Association, serving residents in Essex and Hudson counties, joined the VNACJ family.