STUART — Space Coast-based St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care and Treasure Coast-based Treasure Health announced on Oct. 7 that the two organizations have finalized their partnership agreement. Together, the two non-profit hospice and palliative care providers serve more than 7,000 patients annually and employ more than 600 clinical and administrative staff in Brevard, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties.

Since announcing their intent to partner last year, St. Francis Reflections and Treasure Health, and its flagship program Treasure Coast Hospice, have been working collaboratively to align their shared mission of providing compassionate end-of-life care to patients and families in their respective communities.

“By bringing together our mission-driven organizations, St. Francis Reflections and Treasure Health will be able to capitalize on our unique strengths and create synergies so that we can continue to provide the highest quality end-of-life care and grief support services that our communities have grown to expect,” said St. Francis Reflections President and CEO Joseph Killian, CHPCA.

“This strategic alliance is an opportunity to strengthen each organization’s ability to expand services and advance care innovation so that we can continue to meet the growing needs of our communities and build upon the legacies of caring that our organizations’ founders established years ago,” said Treasure Health President and CEO Jackie Kendrick, CHPCA.

Each legacy hospice – St. Francis Reflections and Treasure Coast Hospice – will maintain their names in their established markets. All funds raised by each organization’s Foundation will remain in their respective communities. As legacy brands founded by volunteers in the 1980s, each organization has delivered compassionate care to generations of families for more than 40 years.

Among the initiatives that St. Francis Reflections will be prioritizing is the development of a PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) model for Brevard County. The PACE model of care is designed to help the frail, elderly population live safely at home, enhancing their overall health and quality of life by providing a range of senior care services, preventive and primary care to acute and long-term care.

To ensure the highest-quality patient care, Treasure Coast Hospice is developing an on-site simulation lab that will allow small group and one-on-one training opportunities. The simulation lab will promote a hands-on orientation and skill development program for nurses and nursing aides as well as targeted educational opportunities for experienced clinicians.