Personal Care
Latest Personal Care News
Staying Flexible, Whatever the Challenge—Meet Our 2026 Nurse of the Year!
May 5, 2026–As part of this year’s Nurses Month celebration, we are delighted to announce that the 2026 VNS Health Nurse of the Year is… Jane Reilly, Clinical Care Manager in Personal Care! This year, there were 47 nurses nominated for the Nurse of the Year Award, from which 8 finalists were selected. Please click here to see a list of all the nominees. The finalists are: With over forty years’ experience in home care nursing—the last seven of them at VNS Health—Jane Reilly combines the skills of active listening, agile problem-solving, and deep collaboration as she manages the care of vulnerable New Yorkers who want to live safely and independently in their homes. In her role as Clinical Care Manager, Jane is responsible for Queens and Long Island Personal Care clients as well as for approving all of the agency’s Private Care cases that involve clients receiving skilled nursing services. While
“This Level of Care Means So Much”—Watch HHA Cecilia Santos in Action!
May 5, 2026–In this short one-minute video, the daughter of a Total Health Plan Member reads a thank-you letter about the exceptional care her mother received both from our plan and from HHA team member Cecilia Santos. Want to feel inspired? Click here below to watch the video!
Happy Nurses Month!
May 1, 2026–Dear Colleagues, May is Nurses Month — a time to honor and celebrate the many contributions of nurses here at VNS Health and everywhere. This year’s theme, “The Power of Nurses,” truly captures the impact you have every day on the lives of those we serve. Your compassion, expertise, and unwavering commitment play an essential role in helping New Yorkers live their best lives in their homes and communities. Across VNS Health, more than 1,300 nurses bring “The Power of Nurses” to life in countless ways. Whether delivering care to patients directly, supporting members over the phone, or working behind the scenes to make that care possible, you not only provide solutions, but you empower the people you’re helping. And that gets to the heart of the power you bring: When patients feel heard and engaged, outcomes improve and experiences are transformed. Thank you for that, and for all you
135 VNS Health Kids Enjoy “Bring Your Child to Work Day”—See the Photos!
April 28, 2026–On Thursday, April 23rd, team members from across the organization invited their children to 220 East 42nd Street to participate in “Bring Your Child to Work Day,” organized by our Human Resources team! 135 kids spent the day learning all about health care, with activities that included participating in care demonstrations, creative workshops, Mobile Crisis “Mission Possible” exercises, a history tour, and career explorations on what builds a brand. To top it all off, there was pizza and BINGO! Many thanks to the 45+ team members and volunteers who helped make the day a resounding success! See the photos here below!
See How Advocacy Powers Our Mission—Watch “Up Close with Dan!”
April 27, 2026–In his latest episode, CEO Dan Savitt highlights how VNS Health advocacy efforts directly benefit the vulnerable New Yorkers we serve. Also, Dan sits down with Supervisor Keshia Lewis and a family from the Promise Zone program. Plus, a special musical inspiration at the end to get you on your feet! Click here below to watch! On-the-Go Segments Part One: Dan’s Intro and VNS Health Team Members on the Importance of Advocating for Vulnerable New Yorkers Part Two: Dan Sits Down with Keshia Lewis and a Family from Behavioral Health’s Promise Zone Part Three: A Musical Inspiration That Will Get Your on Your Feet!
Our Most Vulnerable Health Plan Members Need Us More Than Ever! Here’s What You Can Do.
April 14, 2026–The New York State budget is being finalized—and funding for our Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) Health Plan that allows low-income Medicaid older New Yorkers and people living with disabilities to receive care at home is at serious risk. Here’s what you can do: First, contact your elected officials. It is easy to do—just click here and put in your name and address. It will automatically populate with your elected officials and then you tap “send.” Please take a few minutes to help our vulnerable health plan members. Then tune in to Dan’s CEO Zoom on Tuesday. On Tuesday, April 21, at 8:30 a.m. Dan will cover this and other organizational updates. And finally, catch up on what’s going on. over the past few months, CEO Dan Savitt, our Government Affairs team, as well as other team members from across the organization have ramped up our VNS Health advocacy efforts in Albany.
The 2026 VNS Health Social Work Month Celebration Photos and Video Are Here!
March 31, 2026–March is National Social Work Month. On March 24th, to honor this special occasion, over 120 Social Services Professionals gathered at our 220 East 42nd Street location for a fun breakfast celebration. The morning’s proceedings included presentations by CEO Dan Savitt and SVP for Behavioral Health Jessica Fear, a salute to Gender Affirmation Program’s Asha Lyons as the 2026 winner of the VNS Health Social Services Professional of the Year Award, and a raffle. A continuing education unit (CEU) followed. For those Social Services Professionals who were unable to make the event, a similar virtual celebration occured two days later that included a presentation by Chief of Provider Services David Rosales. And don’t miss the video of Asha accepting her award below! To see photos of the in-person event, click on the slideshow below. Asha Lyons, the 2026 Social Services Professional of the Year, accepting her award.
A Delivery Driver Starts Yelling at You. What Should You Do?
March 23, 2026–New York City is a place where millions of people live in close proximity to one another. With so many people, situations can sometimes arise that may threaten your safety. Here are three real-life incidents that actually happened to VNS Health team members. With that in mind, VNS Health has a team member whose job it is to help keep us all safe. Her name is Lauren Campbell, and she’s our Emergency Management and Employee Safety Director. For the past eight-plus years, Lauren has been working with teams across the organization to implement and maintain safety policies and procedures that are designed to keep both team members who work in the field and those who work in our offices as safe as possible. The following three incidents really happened to VNS Health team members. See how each team member responded. Then read Lauren’s recommended response to see how best to respond if you should
Our Social Service Professionals Share What They Like Best About Social Work
March 16, 2026–Happy Social Work Month! In honor of National Social Work Month, Frontline asked some of VNS Health’s nearly 600 social service professionals, “What do you like best about social work?” Here’s what they said: “Working together as a team to support people from all different backgrounds and circumstances—and witnessing the intimate moments during the last days of life when you see the best of humanity—are truly gifts. I never take them for granted.” Bianca Davies, LSW, Manhattan, Hospice Care “What I love about social work is being the voice for those who don’t believe they have a voice. The impoverished communities can be overlooked, and we make sure they are seen and heard.” –Debra Thomas, Associate Director, Children’s Mobile Crisis Team, Behavioral Health “My favorite part of this work is seeing the person behind the problem. I really believe in people’s possibilities, even when others only see their limitations. At its core, social