West Baltimore PACE Community Coalition is Selected to Build West Baltimore’s First PACE Program
Edenbridge Health, Element Care, Catholic Charities, and Keswick Lead Winning Application Process; Working with MDH, Coalition Will Help Expand PACE in Maryland after More than 20 Years.
BALTIMORE (April 13, 2022) — A coalition of healthcare and aging service advocates, leaders and community organizations has been selected by the Maryland Department of Health to proceed to the next step in bringing the first PACE program to West Baltimore.
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE®) provides community-based services to frail individuals who qualify for nursing facility placement. PACE uses a comprehensive care approach, providing integrated clinical and non-clinical services at a cost lower than nursing facility care.
The coalition led by Edenbridge Health, Element Care, Catholic Charities, and Keswick was one of several groups that participated in the competitive application process managed by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) for a new PACE serving older adults of West Baltimore. Edenbridge and Element Care bring a wealth of PACE expertise to complement the local, long-standing strengths of Catholic Charities and Keswick in aging services in Baltimore.
The West Baltimore PACE Community Coalition (WBPCC) includes neighborhood associations, older adult advocates, large health systems, elected officials, aging service providers, and people who are passionate about helping older adults age with dignity in the community.
In the coming months, WBPCC will be working with MDH as they request additional information on the coalition’s program plans as part of the federal approval process with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
West Baltimore is one of four regions included in MDH’s PACE expansion, along with Allegany, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
“We are honored to have been selected, along with our committed community partners, to bring PACE to West Baltimore,” said Stephen Gordon, MD, MBA, Founder and CEO of Edenbridge Health. “Edenbridge’s mission is to enable frail older adults to remain living at home, where they can lead happier, more meaningful and connected lives. We are grateful to have the opportunity to bring positive change to West Baltimore.”
“We are thrilled to be a partner in bringing the community together to ensure that our older neighbors can continue to live vibrant, healthy engaging lives at home, in their neighborhood and community, in West Baltimore,” said Catholic Charities Executive Director William J. McCarthy Jr.
“The West Baltimore PACE Community Coalition has the experience and values to build and operate a successful PACE program to serve the community in ways that transcend tradition,” said Aileen McShea Tinney, President and CEO of Keswick. “Keswick is pleased to serve as investor and service provider with the WBPCC to further innovation in Maryland’s health and long-term care landscape.”
About PACE
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE®) is a comprehensive, fully integrated, provider-based health plan for the frailest and costliest members of our society – those who require a nursing home level of care. The PACE philosophy is centered on the belief that it is better for frail individuals and their families to be served in the community whenever possible. Although all PACE participants are eligible for nursing home care, 95 percent continue to live at home.
