Timeline

Haven Hospice has deep roots as one of Florida’s pioneer hospices—predating the passage and implementation of Florida’s landmark hospice licensing legislation. Following are key events in the growth and development of Haven:

2025

Haven Women of Philanthropy group established in Jacksonville (January)
Haven Women of Philanthropy group established in Orange Park (March)
The Haven Foundation funds the creation of all-volunteer Garden Clubs to beautify and improve landscaping at Haven’s five Hospice Care Centers. (April)
Haven Director of Clinical Operations Kristal Goodwin is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Barbara Janosko Excellence in Leadership Award. (May)
Haven’s Tri-Counties Hospice Care Center team in Chiefland is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Synergy Award—which recognizes a group of people that has consistently demonstrated the ideals of collaboration and teamwork in working toward a goal or mission—for their outstanding service in the wake of widespread hurricane destruction. (May)
Haven launches its Transitional Care Management program (based on parent Adoration Health Partners’ House Calls program) to provide care in the home. It serves acute care patients who are being discharged from the hospital, rehab, or a nursing home and who normally would qualify for admission to or continued stay in a skilled nursing facility. (June)
Haven launches two-hour grief workshops in Gainesville for children and teens to build upon the success of Camp Safe Haven, using art, music, storytelling, and movement to help children and teens explore and express their feelings of loss. (June)
Haven Women of Philanthropy group established in Chiefland (August)

Haven launches a volunteer-led Genealogy Program that traces a patient’s family tree, presents an artistic representation of the family tree, and helps capture life stories. (September)

Haven opens a Food Pantry in Palatka as a collaboration between the hospice care team and Attic Resale Store, along with numerous community partners. (September)

2024

Haven Lead Social Worker Jennie Lyons is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Barbara Janosko Excellence in Leadership Award. (May)
Haven Clinical Educator Sarah Murnahan is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Catalyst Award, which recognizes a hospice and Palliative Care employee who consistently demonstrates leadership in forging the collaboration that makes hospice unique. (May)
Haven Bereavement Coordinator Nooriel Nolan is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Rising Leader Award, which recognizes an individual who has been working in hospice for less than five years and exhibits exemplary professional accomplishments and a commitment to hospice. (May)
BrightSpring Health Services closes its acquisition of Haven, adding Haven to its growing family of hospice and home health providers across the nation. BrightSpring Health Services is the parent company of leading service lines that provide complementary and integrated home- and community-based pharmacy and health solutions for complex populations in need of specialized and/or chronic care. Through the company’s service lines, including pharmacy, primary care, home health and hospice care, and rehabilitation and behavioral health, BrightSpring provides comprehensive care and clinical solutions in all 50 states to more than 400,000 customers, clients, and patients daily. (September)
Haven expands the capabilities of its Palliative Care Program to cover its entire service area with a larger team of nurse practitioners who are focused on the program. (September)
Haven earns a 4-star rating in Medicare’s Family Caregiver Survey (November)

2023

The Haven Foundation receives an anonymous $100,000 donation to establish an endowment that will benefit the educational needs of Haven team members at the Roberts Hospice Care Center in Palatka. The new endowment will function as a scholarship, paying for educational opportunities for employees. (February)
Haven Director of Access Claudia Beureuse is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Catalyst Award, which recognizes a hospice and Palliative Care employee who consistently demonstrates leadership in forging the collaboration that makes hospice unique. (May)
Haven earns four rings in the Quality Connections program of the National Alliance for Care at Home (formerly the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization). Quality Connections is structured around four fundamental pillars, which are represented by four rings: Education, Application, Measurement, and Innovation. (May)
Haven launches its Dementia Care Program, adding an extra level of care and support for patients and families. (October)

2022

Haven Women of Philanthropy group established in Lake City. (February)
The Haven Foundation receives a $300,000 gift from long-time Palatka business leader and resident Dan Martinez to establish the Dan & Katie Martinez Endowment for Palliative Care in Putnam County. An additional anonymous donation of $250,000 brought the total endowment to $550,000. (March)
Haven Patient Care Manager Jennifer Davis is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Barbara Janosko Excellence in Leadership Award. (June)

2021

The Haven Foundation is formed as an independent 501(c)(3) committed to supporting the Haven Mision of “Honoring life by providing comfort, care and compassion to individuals and families we serve.” (August)

2020

The COVID-19 National Health Emergency is declared. At a time when many local nursing homes were overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, Haven was able to quickly and efficiently admit patients to its Care Centers. Haven allowed family members to visit COVID patients, often reuniting loved ones who had been separated for weeks or months. (January)
Pauline Taylor, RN, MHA, is named President of Haven. She serves in that role until 2024 when Haven is acquired by BrightSpring Health Services. (March)
Haven achieves Level 4 status in the national We Honor Veterans program. (March)

2019

Haven receives grant from the Thomas A. Plein Foundation to help fund Veteran and First Responder programs (January)
Haven President Gayle Mattson resigns to assume leadership of Hospice of Cincinnati. (May)

2018

Haven ends its affiliation with the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Florida Keys in Monroe County. (February)
Haven’s Legacy Project is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Excellence in Program Innovation Award, which recognizes services and programs provided by a hospice organization that demonstrate the power of creativity and ingenuity to impact the practice and the community. (May)
Haven and Volunteer Elizabeth Lowe, PhD., are awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Hospice Story Award, which is presented to the person or organization that best captures his or her most meaningful hospice experience with an original creative work. Dr. Lowe worked with a young mother who was a hospice patient to write a story that explained her advanced illness to her seven-year-old son. (May)
Haven Chaplain Rev. Donna Carlile, M.Div., is awarded the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s Excellence in Clinical Practice Award, which recognized her work as an advocate for patients and families, as a resource to multiple community organizations, and for promoting excellence in hospice and Palliative Care. (May)
Haven Women of Philanthropy group established in Gainesville (October)

2017

The Orange Park Attic Resale Store relocates to a more prominent location on Blanding Boulevard, closer to the Haven Custead Care Center. (February)
Haven celebrates the grand opening of the expansion on the E.T. York Care Center in Gainesville. The Care Center expands from 18 beds to 30. (March)
Jen Malko joins Haven as Vice President of Business Development. (July)
Haven joins the national We Honor Veterans program. Developed by the National Alliance for Care at Home (formerly the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, We Honor Veterans aims to provide hospice and Palliative Care services to Veterans that emphasize respectful inquiry, compassionate listening, and grateful acknowledgment of Veterans’ service and sacrifices.
Haven formalizes its No One Dies Alone (NODA) program. NODA volunteers are specially trained to accompany patients in the last days and hours of life, sitting at the bedside, being present.

2016

Haven and Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Florida Keys announce the appointment of Gayle Mattson as President. (June)

2015

Haven breaks ground on a 4,495 square foot community center on the Chiefland campus of the Tri-Counties Care Center. (January)
Haven President Tim Bowen resigns after 15 years to return home to Colorado to assume the leadership of The Denver Hospice and Care Synergy. (February)
Haven is selected to participate in the Medicare Care Choices Model. (July)
Haven begins the first phase of construction on the 12-room expansion of the E.T. York Care Center in Gainesville. (October)
Haven forms an affiliation with the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Florida Keys in Monroe County. (October)

2014

Haven celebrates the opening of the new St. Augustine administrative offices, community room, and Attic Resale Store. (March)
Haven Ambassadors are presented with the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association’s 2014 Synergy Award for their work with Grahamstown Hospice in Makhanda, South Africa. (May)
Haven celebrates the opening of the new administrative offices on Woodland Boulevard in DeLand. (December)
Haven’s accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) is renewed.

2013

Haven opens a new office in New Smyrna Beach. (March)
The Attic Resale Store in Lake City completes a significant renovation, almost doubling in size from 2,800 square feet to 5,600 square feet. (September)
Haven breaks ground to expand the Roberts Care Center in Palatka after receiving a generous donation from Doris Satterwhite. (May)
Five Haven Ambassadors visit Haven’s sister hospice, Grahamstown Hospice in Makhanda, South Africa. (September).
The Satterwhite Campus for Care and Compassion opens. It houses Haven’s Palatka offices and expands the Roberts Care Center to 18 private patient rooms. (December)
The architectural design of Haven’s Orange Park Custead Care Center by AG Architecture of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, was honored throughout the year with awards from national and international healthcare and architectural organizations for breaking from traditional approaches to hospice care.

2012

The Attic Resale Store in Chiefland celebrates its grand opening. (March)
The Homer J. Sr. & Fern O. Custead Care Center opens in Orange Park, providing 18 hospice inpatient beds. (September)
Haven sponsors three staff members of Grahamstown Hospice, Makhanda, South Africa, to travel to North Central Florida to learn more about Haven and end-of-life care in America. (November)

2011

The Orange Park Attic Resale Store opens. (March)
Haven is granted a Certificate of Need to establish an 18-bed freestanding Hospice Care Center in Orange Park/Clay County. (August)
Haven breaks ground on The Custead Care Center. (September)
Haven receives a $1.3 million gift from the Custead family to name the Orange Park/Clay County Hospice Care Center: The Custead Care Center.
Haven receives accreditation as a hospice organization from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).

2010

Haven purchases a warehouse and renovates it to provide a permanent home for Haven Medical Equipment.
The Haven Board of Directors appoints Dr. E.T. York Director Emeritus for his years of service and dedication to the organization.
Chris Russell, RN, BSN, MSN, CHA, joins Haven as an RN Case Manager. After subsequently serving as Patient Care Manager, Administrator of the Jacksonville program, Director of Haven’s East Region, and Executive Director of Clinical Operations, Chris was promoted to Vice President of Operations in 2019 and continues to serve in that role.

2009

Haven partners with researchers from the University of Virginia on a research grant to identify patterns of concerns unique to minority populations and patients who live below the poverty line who are served by hospices.
Haven is named one of the “Top 25 Companies that Care” by Jacksonville Magazine.
Haven is named Non-Profit Organization of the Year by the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Haven serves its 50,000^th individual and their family.
Haven’s accreditation is renewed by the Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP).

2008

Haven receives the prestigious Circle of Life Award by the American Hospital Association for its excellence and innovation in end-of-life and Palliative Care, becoming one of the first Florida hospices to achieve this honor. The Circle of Life Award is the highest honor an organization can receive in the field of end-of-life and Palliative Care. (August)
Haven opens an office in DeLand. (December)
Haven is named the Civic Organization of the Year by the Gilchrist County Chamber of Commerce.
Haven is granted a Certificate of Need to establish a hospice program in Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Service Area 4B: Flagler and Volusia counties.

2007

Haven receives a Circle of Life Certificate from the American Hospital Association for its excellence and innovation in end-of-life and Palliative Care. (August)
Haven is recognized with the Business of the Year Award from the Chiefland Chamber of Commerce.
Haven is recognized by the Palatka Elks Club BPOE No. 1232 with its Civic Betterment Award for Haven’s Roberts Hospice Care Center in Palatka.
Haven opens an office in St. Augustine under the leadership of one of its longest serving nurses, Marsha Davis-Flowers, RN.
Haven’s 16-bed Suwannee Valley Care Center opens in Lake City.

2006

The Attic Resale Store in Gainesville moves to a new location—the former Combs Lumber Building—providing 10,000 square feet of retail space.
The renovation of the Combs Lumber Building into the Attic Resale Store earns Haven a community project award from Keep Alachua Beautiful.
Three members of the Haven Board of Directors are appointed Directors Emeriti for their years of dedication and service: Judy Boles, Portia Taylor, and Laura Carmichael.
Haven breaks ground for the Lake City administrative building and Hospice Care Center.
Haven’s accreditation is renewed by the Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP).
Haven is selected as one of two hospices nationally to receive a Rural Demonstration Grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association recognizes Haven for outstanding contributions to end-of-life and Palliative Care.

2005

The Hospice of North Central Florida Board of Directors votes to change the organization’s name to Haven Hospice. (October)
Haven is granted a Certificate of Need for a 16-bed freestanding Hospice Care Center in the Suwannee Valley/Lake City Service Area.
Haven joins with the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa (FHSSA) to partner with and support Grahamstown Hospice, located in Grahamstown (now Makhanda), South Africa.
VIVA! A Bayou Bash is launched as Haven’s signature annual fundraising event.

2004

The Tri-Counties Hospice Care Center and administrative building open in Chiefland. The Care Center provides 16 hospice inpatient beds. (November)
Hospice of North Central Florida celebrates its 25^th anniversary.
Hospice of North Central Florida is named the Non-Profit Organization of the Year by the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce.

2003

The Roberts Hospice Care Center in Palatka opens with 12 beds. It eventually expands to offer 18 inpatient hospice beds. (February)
Hospice of North Central Florida is granted a Certificate of Need to establish a 16-bed freestanding Hospice Care Center in Chiefland.
Hospice of North Central Florida purchases an assisted living facility in Chiefland, Country Oaks, and begins the renovation to a 16-bed freestanding Hospice Care Center and administrative office.

2002

Hospice of North Central Florida’s Hospice of Jacksonville officially opens and begins providing care in the Jacksonville/Duval County area.
The Hospice of North Central Florida Network is awarded accreditation by the Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP).
Hospice of North Central Florida opens a new administrative office building in Palatka.
Hospice of North Central Florida is granted a Certificate of Need to establish a 12-bed freestanding Hospice Care Center in Palatka. Construction begins on the Roberts Care Center, a 12-bed freestanding Hospice Care Center.
Hospice of North Central Florida establishes a pediatric specialty program called Pegasus.

2001

The Hospice of North Central Florida Network acquires a local home medical equipment company, Gresham’s Medical Equipment. It is renamed Horizon Health Services, a part of the Hospice of North Central Florida Network. It is now known as Haven Medical Equipment and continues to serve patients throughout Haven’s 18-county service area. (December)
Hospice of North Central Florida’s outlying offices undergo name changes to better reflect their regional roots: Hospice of the Lakes in Palatka, Hospice of the Tri-Counties in Chiefland, Hospice of the Suwannee Valley in Lake City, Hospice of North Central Florida in Gainesville, and the soon to be opened Hospice of Jacksonville in Jacksonville. The Hospice of North Central Florida Network is created.
Hospice of North Central Florida is presented the Community and Public Awareness Award from the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association for its bereavement program, “Journey Toward Healing.”
The first Attic Resale Store opens in Gainesville on 6th Street.

2000

Tim Bowen, MSW, joins the organization as Executive Director of Hospice of North Central Florida. (January)
Hospice of North Central Florida is granted a Certificate of Need to expand the number of beds in the E.T. York Care Center.
Hospice of North Central Florida is granted a Certificate of Need to serve Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Service Area 4A: Duval, Clay, Baker, Nassau, and St. John’s counties.

1998

Hospice of North Central Florida moves its office in the Tri-Counties from Trenton to Chiefland.

1997

Hospice of North Central Florida hires its first full time Medical Director, Bob McCollough, MD.

1996

Hospice of North Central Florida opens what would eventually be named the E.T. York Care Center in Gainesville. It is one of the first freestanding Hospice Care Centers in the State of Florida and the nation. The 18-bed Hospice Care Center served as the inspiration and template for numerous hospice Care Centers subsequently opened across the nation. (January)

1993

Hospice of North Central Florida opens an office in Trenton to serve the Tri-Counties area.
Hospice of North Central Florida conducts its first children’s grief camp. As the program grew, it was named Camp Safe Haven and continues to serve bereaved children and teens free of charge thanks to the support of the Haven Foundation.

1992

Hospice of North Central Florida Board Member Laura Carmichael. a long-time resident of Gainesville, through her generosity and encouragement, spearheaded the effort to develop a hospice Care Center in Gainesville.

1990

Hospice of North Central Florida earned accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO—now known as The Joint Commission).
Mary Aplin, MD, is named Medical Director of Hospice of North Central Florida.

1989

Hospice of North Central Florida opens an office in Lake City to serve the Suwanee Valley.

1985

Hospice of North Central Florida is Medicare certified and begins billing for its services. (February)
Hospice of North Central Florida expands its Service Area to include Suwannee, Hamilton, and Lafayette counties.
Hospice of North Central Florida opens an office in Palatka.
Bruce Stechmiller, MD, is named Medical Director. He will serve in that capacity until 1990.
Hospice of North Central Florida expands its services to the Melrose and Keystone Heights communities in Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Putnam counties, largely through the efforts of volunteer Bettye Zaworka.

1984

Hospice of North Central Florida holds its first Volunteer Recognition Luncheon.

1983

Patrice C. Moore, RN, MSN, joins Hospice of North Central Florida as Administrator and COO. She serves in that capacity until 1999.

1982

Hospice of North Central Florida is incorporated as a standalone entity. (November)

1980

The Alachua General Hospital Auxiliary makes it first contribution to support hospice: $10,000. (February)
The Florida Legislature approves the nation’s first hospice licensing legislation. That law later would be used as the framework for the federal Medicare Hospice Benefit. (April)
Hospice of North Central Florida receives a license and a Certificate of Need to serve Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Service Area 3A to serve Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Putnam, Suwannee, and Union counties.

1979

Following publication of an article about the new hospice in the Gainesville Sun, the Alachua General Hospital Auxiliary receives 15 telephone inquiries about volunteering. (July)
As a service of Alachua General Hospital, Hospice of North Central Florida begins caring for terminally ill patients. Initial care providers include Janice Allen, RN, as the first hospice clinical nurse specialist, and Fay Knight, RN, the first volunteer. Raymond Fitzpatrick, MD, is the first Medical Director. He serves as Medical Director in a volunteer capacity for the first six years of operation. The majority of care is provided by trained volunteers, many of whom are nurses.
Donna S. Hall, RN, MS, M.Ed., CHPN, is hired as the first Director of Hospice.

1978

Raymond Fitzpatrick, MD, a urologist and Chief of Staff of Alachua General Hospital, introduces the concept of hospice to the hospital’s leadership and the hospital’s auxiliary. Dr. Fitzpatrick’s interest was spurred upon learning of the compassionate end-of-life care provided to his brother by a hospice in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dr. Fitzpatrick, along with Ed Peddie, the Administrator of Alachua General Hospital, and Alice Sharpe, the President of the Alachua General Hospital Auxiliary, came together to lay the foundation to develop and launch a hospice program under the name Hospice of North Central Florida.