VNSW History

Rooted in many communities in Westchester and New York City, Visiting Nurse Services began in 1893 with a vision of Lillian Wald for the Henry Street Settlement in Manhattan. Nurses began traveling north to Westchester County in the late 1800's to care for immigrant German, Irish and Italian railroad workers and their families. The Westchester Historical Society has documented the role of concerned women, summer residents of the Long Island Shore area, as pioneers who launched badly-required social welfare programs. Volunteer supporters of the Henry Street Settlement, the Rye Needlework Guild, and, later, the Junior League, began raising community consciousness about the need for home nursing. 1901 marked the beginnings of several official and voluntary agencies providing visiting nurse services to Westchester residents.

In 1936, the Westchester Nursing Council was formed to facilitate contact between all these Visiting Nurse Associations (VNA's) and to help strengthen volunteer efforts. By the 1960s, there were four official and 17 volunteer nursing agencies serving the region, and many historic events unfolded. The passage of the Metcalf-McCloskey Act amended the Social Security act to provide a federally assisted medical aid program for the elderly. Standards were established and certified for all agencies rendering services to these patients. Public Health law was amended to permit official tax-supported agencies to collect fees for nursing services. Medicare was established in 1966 and agencies were required to be licensed by the federal government and certified by the New York State Health Department as Home Health Agencies. In 1969, representatives of numerous Westchester-based organizations consolidated into one free-standing nursing service, the Association of Visiting Nurse Services. It was joined in 1980 by several additional communities, changed its name to Visiting Nurse Services in Westchester, Inc., and moved into its current White Plains headquarters in 1984.

The 1990s have seen the creation of a sister agency, Westchester Care At Home, the "Ask The Visiting Nurse" program and numerous other Community Education programs.