1. Who is iCare Health Network?

   iCare Health Network is a Connecticut-based skilled nursing and long-term care provider with ten locations in Connecticut and one in western Massachusetts. iCare Health Network serves about 1,400 residents with more than 2,500 employees. 2024 is iCare’s 25^th anniversary in operation.

   iCare specializes in caring for residents with complex medical and behavioral conditions. This includes many individuals where there are difficulties in finding long term placement and who are chronically underserved due diagnoses such as substance use or behavioral health or

   

   social factors such as homelessness or involvement with the justice system. iCare has eight secure behavioral health units, six secure memory care units as well as specialty programs in substance use disorder, HIV, movement disorder, heart failure, limbs loss, veteran’s care and more.

   Although iCare specializes in complex and challenging cases throughout its care centers, it also operates two care centers that are the same model as the center to be operated in Vermont. The first, 60 West in Rocky Hill, CT was the first such center of its kind nationally, is award winning and celebrated ten years in operation in 2023. The second, MissionCare at Holyoke, in Holyoke, MA has been in operation for three years. 

   The Vermont location will be known as MissionCare at Bennington and will be operated by a new entity that is affiliated with iCare Health Network. Link to news and events at MissionCare and iCare Health Network locations

2. What services will MissionCare at Bennington provide in Vermont?

   iCare responded to a Request for Proposal (RFP) that was created by the State of Vermont in search of providers of “Specialized Care in Licensed Long Term Care Facilities.” Due to our extensive experience in this area, iCare was selected as the provider. Link to Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) News Release on Nursing Home for Specialized Care. 

   As a result, MissionCare at Bennington will provide long term care services for Vermont residents who meet the Federal requirements to reside in a nursing home but who have been difficult to place in a traditional nursing home. These individuals are typically residing in a more restrictive and more costly location awaiting transition to where they will reside over the long term.

   Potential MissionCare residents may presently be receiving care in an acute care or mental health hospital, some type of correctional healthcare

   

   environment like an infirmary, out of state (but a Vermont resident) or another type setting. They may be difficult to place due to a behavioral health diagnosis, involvement in the judicial/correctional system (presently or in their past), presence on the sex offender registry or some other issue in their background or history that causes a stigma, a concern for the ability to care for them in a traditional nursing home and/or an unwillingness for other nursing homes to consider admitting them.

   The Vermont facility will be a Medicare and Medicaid certified, state inspected and licensed nursing home with no exceptions or waivers and will only admit residents that meet the federal requirements for placement in a nursing home. All of the above means the Vermont center will be subject to all of the same requirements as any other nursing home including protecting resident’s rights, creating a homelike environment and a series of others.  Link to Executive Summary on MissionCare Health. 

3. Why is a specialized nursing facility service needed in VT?

   This specialized program and facility was in response to a dire and immediate need for this service within the State of Vermont. A scan for such residents by the state found that there are potentially over 100 individuals receiving care in an environment that is more costly and more restrictive than necessary and/or they are receiving long term care or other services out of state due to a lack of resources at a higher cost. 

   This care center will give the State the ability to transition these residents to a more appropriate location where they can

   

   receive quality, stigma-free care in a setting that has been designed for and tailored to their care and needs. The facility will be a home-like, secure, humane, and safe environment that offers them behavioral health and clinical supports, activities and socialization at a lower cost to the State. Link to ‘Vermont Public’ Article: “Vermont hospitals stuck caring for patients who can’t get into nursing homes, costing millions”.

4. Where is MissionCare at Bennington located?
   The center is located in Bennington at a nursing home that was previously known as Bennington Health & Rehabilitation. This was previously a functioning, licensed nursing home that was currently around 50-60% occupied at the time of purchase.
5. Why Bennington?
   Many factors were considered when searching for and selecting a location. A statewide scan was completed in search of a functioning, licensed nursing home in an accessible location, close to healthcare services and resources and a large enough population from which to hire staff. It was also important to be close in proximity to many of the referral sources from which residents would typically admit. More information on overall nursing home beds available in the Bennington area can be found below. 
6. What can Bennington residents expect?

   Bennington residents can expect MissionCare at Bennington to continue to be an operating nursing home within the community as well as an employer of local residents and a taxpayer in town.

   Otherwise, the only noticeable change Bennington residents should expect is a change to the signs on the building. iCare centers such as these use public safety, such as police and EMS response, and emergency department services less often than a traditional nursing home. And, an active relationship with Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and other local and regional healthcare services will be fostered and maintained.

   Residents of the center will live and participate in recreation and meals inside the care center and may have access to a secure, supervised courtyard area when safe, appropriate, and according to their individual capability. Residents will not be walking or traveling in neighborhoods or in town. For any scheduled medical services that residents need to receive outside of the facility, they will be accompanied by a staff member at all times.

7. What can Vermonters expect?

   Over the long term, MissionCare at Bennington should be a resource to hospitals and healthcare providers across the State for this population. Transitioning residents out of other sites such as hospitals should free up those much-needed hospital beds.

   We often hear from families and patient representatives with appreciation for these locations and their dedicated staff caring for individuals who may not have ever received stigma-free, humane care before in their lives.

   Frankly, Vermonters should be proud to have had the foresight to invest in such a program as it is both more humane and more cost effective than the alternative of status quo. It also puts Vermont ahead of other states who are just starting to explore this option (other than Connecticut and Massachusetts who have MissionCare locations).

   Other than having a resource that many states want and need but do not yet have, Vermonters should not expect any other change.

8. How does someone apply for admission?

   A well-designed and conducted admission process is a key to success with this program. The process will be highly person-centered, well-planned, and consistent.  

   

   The admission process includes a submission of a referral form from the referral source to MissionCare at Bennington and the Vermont Department of Disability, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) accompanied by their clinical, social and demographic information. A collaborative workgroup of MissionCare at Bennington and state officials will review for appropriateness and readiness for this level of care.

   MissionCare at Bennington will complete a comprehensive review or this information for appropriateness, risk mitigation, safety and that the resident will benefit from the program and transition well. MissionCare at Bennington will interview and meet each resident, at the very least, via video teleconference. Once a referral and all of the required information has been received and reviewed, a decision on admission will be made and shared with the referring entity and the Vermonter.

9. Where can I find out more about iCare and the work they do in other states?

   The main website for iCare Health Network is www.icarehn.com. Within that site is a link to the company blog www.icarehn.com/blog which shows many events, milestones and achievements from iCare’s staff and residents.

   Also within the main site is a link to www.missioncarehealth.com which is specific to this type of program and care center. There are links there to the two existing programs in CT and MA including resident testimonials and additional links to virtual tours, pictures, and videos. The MissionCare Health page describes the origin of the flagship program, has links to stories and studies, details iCare’s qualifications and specialties.

   For specific questions or concerns, please email moc.nheraci@ofni or call 860-250-3075.

10. How will MissionCare ensure adequate staffing of the center?
    As with any nursing facility that operates specialized care, finding the right staff for the job is critical. To do this, the MissionCare team will institute multiple recruitment strategies that have proved effective in other MissionCare and iCare centers in similar staffing positions, including:
     

    Multi-town job fair and recruitment events on an ongoing basis. Relocation packages. Digital, social and other targeted hiring ads. Partnering with nursing schools and other programs to recruit new graduates for training in specialized long term care. Mailers to every licensed provider in the State and beyond. Targeted recruitment of providers in local areas of Massachusetts and New York. Transition of agency staff over to direct employment where able and appropriate. Highly competitive wages for specialized care.

    In addition to the above, MissionCare intends to ensure adequate staffing by admitting residents and increasing the center’s census at the same pace as hiring.

11. How will this project affect access to nursing facility beds for Bennington residents?
    The project will not have a significant effect on the number of nursing facility beds available in Bennington County for older Vermonters.
    
    The table below shows that Bennington County has the most nursing facility beds per person for people over the age of 60 who live in the county. That remains unchanged with Bennington Health & Rehab’s conversion to different mission as MissionCare at Bennington.
     

    Counties *Population # age 60+ % of pop that is age 60+ # of SNF Beds # people 60+ per SNF bed # of SNF beds per person age 60+ Addison 36973 10722 29% 98 109 0.01 Bennington 35631 11402 32% 441 26 0.04 Caledonia 30302 9091 30% 159 57 0.02 Chittenden 164572 37852 23% 505 75 0.01 Essex 6250 2250 36% 0 0 0.00 Franklin 49421 11861 24% 187 63 0.02 Grand Isle 7090 2269 32% 0 0 0.00 Lamoille 25300 6578 26% 72 91 0.01 Orange 28999 9280 32% 30 309 0.00 Orleans 26907 8341 31% 203 41 0.02 Rutland 58672 18775 32% 386 49 0.02 Washington 58140 16279 28% 414 39 0.03 Windham 42756 14537 34% 183 79 0.01 Windsor 55286 18244 33% 195 94 0.01 Totals 626299 175364 28% 2873 61 0.02 *Source – VT Department of Health Population Estimates Vermont Population Estimates | Vermont Department of Health (healthvermont.gov)

    
    Summary:

    Bennington County is the 7th largest population out of 14 counties. Bennington County is the 8th largest for people aged 60 and older.  Bennington has the 2nd largest number of licensed nursing facility beds. Bennington has the largest number of nursing facility beds per person aged 60 and older. Bennington has more than double the average number of nursing facility beds per person age 60+.

Contact Us with Questions, Concerns or for More Information

If you are a member of the public, a Bennington resident or represent a State agency or other public entity and you are interested in learning more about MissionCare at Bennington, MissionCare Health, iCare Health Network and/or skilled nursing programs for individuals that are difficult to place or in state care, please contact David Skoczulek, Spokesperson, Vice President of Business Development and Communications at (860) 250-3075 or email at moc.nheraci@ofni.

Or use our Contact Us page to send a message by clicking here…