Dorchester Reporter: PACE program at Harbor Health helps seniors ‘age in place’ at home
As seen in the Dorchester Reporter…
PACE program at Harbor Health helps seniors ‘age in place’ at home
Author: hhsinew
Elder Service Plan Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Harbor Health’s Elder Service Plan Celebrates 30 Years of Keeping Older Adults Healthy and Safe at Home
Harbor Health’s Elder Service Plan is celebrating 30 years of providing older adults in our community with healthcare, support at home, and community services. Harbor Health, a non-profit public health agency that also operates community health centers, opened the doors to Elder Service Plan in 1996 in response to the growing need in the community for more comprehensive healthcare options for low-and-moderate-income older adults.
Elder Service Plan is a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). PACE offers eligible older adults comprehensive healthcare services and social supports so they can remain living safely in their communities. The PACE model of care can be traced to the early 1970s when public health and community leaders in San Francisco collaborated to develop a community-based solution to the pressing need for long-term care services for elders with chronic health needs.
Harbor Health was one of the early organizations in Massachusetts to offer access to PACE.
“Thirty years ago, we embraced the PACE model and challenged the assumption that nursing home placement was inevitable for older adults with complex medical needs,” explained Gretchen Reynard, Senior Vice President, Elder Service Plan. “Today Elder Service Plan has grown into a vital regional resource, providing care that helps elders stay healthy while living in their communities.“
As the aging population in Massachusetts continues to grow, the PACE model remains especially relevant. “Our interdisciplinary care teams—geriatricians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, therapists, van drivers, and personal care aides—provide everything our participants need to improve and maintain their health and quality of life,” explains Dr. Ilona Kopits, Senior Medical Director, Elder Service Plan.
Harbor Health Elder Service Plan serves more than 500 participants in 38 communities in Greater Boston, Metro South, and Southeastern Massachusetts. With day centers in Mattapan and Brockton, we have expanded our service area to include more than 80 zip codes, ensuring that more older adults have access to health and social care. Recently, Harbor Health ESP also achieved recognition as an Age-Friendly Health System—Committed to Care Excellence from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
“As we celebrate 30 years, we feel an even deeper commitment to our founding vision: that older adults deserve to age with dignity, independence, and comprehensive support in the communities they call home,” said Reynard.
“We are grateful to our dedicated staff members, the participants and their families who have trusted us with their care, and to our community partners who make this work possible.”
For more information about Elder Service Plan, visit HHSI.US/ESP.
Harbor Health Announces Susan Yee as CEO
Interim CEO John O’Hara to transition leadership to Susan Yee in January 2026
Harbor Health’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce Susan Yee, DrPH, MHA, will join the organization as the new permanent CEO. John O’Hara has served as Harbor’s Interim CEO since December 2024. He will transition leadership to Yee on January 5, 2026.
“I am deeply honored to join Harbor Health and continue its strong tradition of caring for every member of our community in Greater Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod,” said Yee.
Yee brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in community health and healthcare administration across academic, hospital, government, and nonprofit sectors to the role. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Community Healthcare Network in New York City.
Harbor Health’s Board Chair Patrick Preston expressed the Board’s excitement about Yee: “The Board, Harbor’s 600 plus staff members, and our 30,000 plus health center patients and Elder Service Plan participants will benefit from Susan’s expertise providing exceptional care to everyone.”
Preston also expressed the organization’s deep appreciation for John O’Hara’s leadership and contributions over the past year as interim CEO. Said Preston: “John has provided clarity and direction while we conducted our nationwide search for a permanent CEO.”
As he works to ensure a smooth transition, O’Hara shared his commitment as a board member and as interim CEO to ensuring the important work of Harbor Health continues. Said O’Hara, “My goal has always been to provide the strongest foundation from which the next CEO can fuel innovation and growth.”
As Harbor’s CEO, Yee will guide the organization’s five community health centers and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in efforts to expand access to care and services.
Added Yee: “I am thankful to John O’Hara for his service and look forward to working with the board, staff, and community partners to build on the organization’s legacy and strengthen our impact.”
For more media inquires and more information about Susan, please contact:
Ami Bowen, Vice President, Marketing & Community Engagement
(617) 533-2358
[email protected]
Call For Art in Plymouth!
Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth Issues Call for Art for Newly Expanded Health Center
Local artists and community members invited to submit artwork for October 8 ribbon cutting event
Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth is excited to announce a Call for Art to celebrate the opening of our newly expanded community health center. Community health centers are part of the fabric of the communities we serve and strive to be a trusted resource for healthcare services and social support. We are inviting local artists and community members to showcase their work and support our efforts to create a welcoming, inclusive space for patients.
The health center expansion includes additional exam rooms, hallways, and patient check-in spaces. We would welcome the opportunity to display artwork from local artists and community members throughout the health center.
The health center will host a ribbon cutting event on October 8, 2025. We will feature artwork contributed by September 27 in our event promotions and event-day remarks. In addition, with the artist’s/community member’s permission, we will include a photo or video of the artwork on Harbor Health’s social media channels and a QR code next to the piece on display with information about purchase.
Located at 10 Cordage Park, Suite 115, in Plymouth, Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth first opened in 2014 and is the only Federally Qualified Health Center serving the Greater Plymouth area. We provide medical, dental, behavioral health, and support services to more than 5,300 patients. The majority of our patients receive public insurance including MassHealth or Medicare and we offer discounts based on income and family size.
The health center is part of Harbor Health and the organization’s mission is to help individuals achieve their full potential through access to local, affordable services that promote health. Learn more about Harbor Health at HHSI.US.
Theme: Caring for Our Community
Opening Event Date: October 8, 2025
Location: Harbor Health Plymouth, 10 Cordage Park Circle, Plymouth
We are seeking artwork that reflects themes of:
- Health & wellness
- Mental and emotional well-being
- Community connection
- Hope, resilience, and recovery
- Caring and compassion
Submission Deadline: Contributions will be accepted on Thursday, September 25, 5 pm – 7 pm, and Saturday, September 27, 10 am – 1 pm at Harbor Health in Cordage Park
Submission Guidelines:
- Open to artists of all backgrounds and mediums that can be hung (painting, photography, drawing)
- Maximum size: 24” x 36”
- Art should be framed and ready to hang
- Submit up to 2 pieces
- Please include your name, contact info, artwork titles, medium, dimensions, and a short artist statement
- Art will remain on our wall October 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026.
Help create a healing environment where art meets health. Let’s inspire caring, wellness, and health in our community—together.
For more info, contact:
Ami Bowen
Vice President, Marketing and Community Engagement
[email protected]
Help Spread the Word!
Please download and share our flyer to help spread the word in your community.
NOW OPEN! Medical Services at Geiger Gibson Welcoming New Patients
18th November 2024
Three new medical providers offer primary care for all ages at historic health center
We are excited to announce the opening of medical services at Geiger Gibson Community Health Center!
Three new medical providers will offer primary care for all ages. Dr. Caroline Mullin, Dr. John O’Brien, and Alice Mui, a nurse practitioner, are excited to be a part of bringing medical services back to the Columbia Point neighborhood. They are welcoming new patients and have same day appointments available now.
As Dr. Mullin told the Dorchester Reporter, ““I’ve been trained in a broad range of skills and the whole idea is that I can go into a community and be a little bit of a chameleon to provide the community what it needs.”
“It was a deliberate choice by Harbor Health to open a family medicine department. I see newborns, we see pediatric patients, we see their older siblings, cousins, uncles, all the way up to their grandparents. There is nobody in the community who should look here and say, ‘I can’t get my care there.’”
Click here to read more about the opening of medical services in the Dorchester Reporter.
Along with primary care, medical services also include pregnancy care and breastfeeding medicine. Geiger Gibson has a lab, a pharmacy, behavioral health, social support services, and dental services all in the same location.
Along with primary care, medical services also include pregnancy care and breastfeeding medicine. Geiger Gibson has a lab, a pharmacy, behavioral health, social support services, and dental services all in the same location.
If you are looking for a primary care provider, new patients are welcome! If you are already a patient at Harbor Health, please call to talk about transferring care to Geiger Gibson.
Please call (617) 288-1140 to make an appointment. You can also learn more about services by visiting hhsi.us/locations/geiger-gibson-community-health-center
The Geiger Gibson medical team is welcoming new patients! Pictured above from left to right, Dr. John O’Brien, Dr. Caroline Mullin, and NP Alice Mui, offer primary care to all ages.
History of Geiger Gibson
In 1965, Dr. Jack Geiger and Dr. Count Gibson opened the Columbia Point Health Center in Dorchester, Massachusetts. It was the first community health center in the nation.
Dr. Geiger believed a health center would provide much needed medical and social services to underserved communities. He also wanted to offer community members a path for empowerment and citizen action.
The health center operated humbly in the Columbia Point public housing development, moving to its current location at 250 Mt. Vernon Street in the 1990s. The Columbia Point Health Center was renamed Geiger Gibson in honor of its founders.
Start Healthy Saturday at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset
Start Healthy Saturday is November 2, 2024!
Join us for a FREE community health fair at Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center
Join us on Saturday, November 2, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm for Start Healthy Saturday, a free community health fair hosted by Harbor Health’s Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center!
This event is for all ages and takes place rain or shine. Look for tents, activities, fun giveaways, and information tables inside and in the parking lot behind the health center.
DATE & TIME
Saturday, November 2, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
LOCATION
Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center
398 Neponset Avenue, Dorchester
Look for our tents in the parking lot behind the health center and tables inside the health center!
ACTIVITIES
- Get your flu & COVID vaccination – Call (617) 282-3200 to pre-register for a vaccine. You do not have to be a patient at Harbor Health to make a vaccination appointment! All ages welcome!
- Check your blood pressure
- Get SNAP application assistance
- Check your height and weight with WIC
PLUS
- Pick up a Thanksgiving grocery bag (while supplies last)
- Wear your Halloween costume and get a special treat
- Get healthy holiday information from Boston Public Health Commission
- Grab a free health and safety kit & other giveaways (while supplies last)
Community Partners
- Boston Public Health Commission will host a table
- Boston Saves will host a resource table
- Harbor Health’s Elder Service Plan will host a table
- MA Behavioral Health Help Line will host a resource table
PARKING
Free parking is available in the lot at 770 Gallivan Boulevard (former Verizon store).
SPREAD THE WORD!
Download our flyer and share with friends and family!
QUESTIONS?
Please call Ami Bowen, (617) 533-2358.
If you are a local business, restaurant, or community organization, we would love to have you involved with our event! Please contact Ami for more information.
THANK YOU!
Thank you the Dorchester Reporter, Dorchester South/South Boston WIC, and the staff at Harbor Health and Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center for supporting this free community event!
Attention MassHealth Members!
ACT NOW, STAY COVERED! MassHealth needs to renew coverage for all members to make sure they are still eligible and receive the best benefit they qualify for!
Starting April 1, MassHealth needs to renew health insurance coverage for all members to make sure they still qualify for their current plan.
These renewals will take place over 12 months. This means you can get your renewal forms in the mail at any time between April 2023 and April 2024.
f MassHealth has enough information to confirm your eligibility, your coverage will renew automatically.
If MassHealth needs more information, you will get a renewal form in a blue envelope. You need to respond to before the deadline on the form.
Take three steps to renew your coverage
- Update your contact information with MassHealth. Make sure MassHealth has your most up to date address, phone number, and email so you do not miss important information and notices from MassHealth. Learn how to report changes by visiting mass.gov/how-to/report-changes-to-masshealth
- Read all your mail. MassHealth will be sending your renewal form in a blue envelope. Additional important notices or request for information may arrive in white envelopes.
- Respond to MassHealth before the deadline. Your notice will have a deadline. Make sure you fill out and send all needed information to MassHealth by the deadline.
When you get your blue envelope in the mail, you can renew online, via mail or fax, over the phone, or in-person. Visit www.mass.gov/masshealthrenew to learn more about how to renew.
If you think you might not be eligible for MassHealth, other health coverage options are available!
You may qualify for an affordable plan through the Massachusetts Health Connector, your employer, Medicare, or other sources.
Visit mahealthconnector.org or call customer service at 1-877- MA ENROLL (1-877-623-7773) to learn more or enroll in a plan.
If you lose your MassHealth coverage, it is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). This means you can enroll in a plan with the Health Connector outside of the regular Open Enrollment Period.
Need help with your renewal?
Resources are available to help make sure you stay covered.
Call MassHealth Customer Service at 800-841-2900 or (TTY: 711), Monday to Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm.
You can also visit masshealthrenew.org for more information.
Community health centers like Harbor Health and many community organizations have financial counselors who can help you. Please call the health center to ask for an appointment with a financial counselor.
Watch this video and scroll down to download an informational flyer for more information.
MassHealth Redeterminations Flyer (English, PDF 528.23 KB)
Service Update for March 14
Update for Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Please check your Harbor Health location below for weather-related updates to service hours on Tuesday, March 14. We will continue to monitor the weather and provide updates if there are any changes.
Thank you for your understanding!
SERVICE UPDATE: Please see updates to hours below
Please check our health center and Elder Service Plan locations for service changes below.
Community Health Centers
Daniel Driscoll – Neponset Health Center
Closing at 6:30 pm, Tuesday, March 14
Geiger Gibson Community Health Center
OPEN
Harbor Community Health Center – Plymouth
OPEN
Harbor Community Health Center – Hyannis
OPEN
Ellen Jones Community Dental Center – Dennis
OPEN
Elder Service Plan Day Centers
Elder Service Plan Day Center – Mattapan
OPEN
Elder Service Plan Day Center – Brockton
OPEN
Administrative Offices
OPEN
Take Our Community Health Needs Survey!
Tell us about the health needs in your community and enter to win $100 gift card
We want to hear from you! Harbor Health is conducting a health needs assessment. We want feedback from community members to learn more about the needs for healthcare and support services such as food and housing assistance in the cities and towns we serve.
Your answers will help us to better respond to the needs of our community!
Your participation is completely voluntary and all responses are confidential.
The survey takes less than 10 minutes and is available in Chinese (simplified), English, Haitian Creole, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Vietnamese.
As a thank you for your participation you can choose to be entered into a drawing for one of four $100 gift cards.
Click the link below to take the survey now:
Help Spread The Word!
Please share information about our survey! We welcome diverse opinions and experiences and hope to get as many responses as possible.