The forum will be held at Penn’s Grove Middle School in Oxford
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, CoatesvilleTimes.com
A third public meeting on June 12 has been announced to discuss the future of the Pocopson Home, the Chester County-run facility for care of the aged.
Chester County residents will have another opportunity to express opinions about the fate of the county-owned Pocopson Home on Tuesday, June 12, at Penn’s Grove Middle School in Oxford.
The forum, which will begin at 7 p.m., will be the third in a series of public meetings to discuss the findings of a strategic plan for the 275-bed long-term, health-care facility in Pocopson Township. Crowds of more than 200 people joined the three county commissioners at the last two sessions, which were held in West Chester and Downingtown.
Whether or not a fourth meeting will occur is open-ended, said county spokeswoman Rebecca Brain. She said the commissioners will likely determine whether the need exists, based on dialogue at the Oxford meeting.
The commissioners have explained that declining state and federal reimbursements and skyrocketing operating costs prompted them several months ago to contract Premier Healthcare Resources, a King of Prussia firm, to prepare a strategic plan and financial analysis. The results of that study have prompted spirited discussion, with the majority of citizens’ urging the commissioners not to make changes to a facility that is so beloved and well run — despite its red ink.
Without making a recommendation, the report focused on three changes that would enable the county to save money on the facility: converting it to a nonprofit 501c3, leasing it to a private operator, or selling it. The commissioners have repeatedly stressed that no decision on the home’s future has been made and that no residents would be displaced no matter what the outcome.
Videos of the previous meetings can be viewed on the county’s web site: www.chesco.org.
The Pocopson Home, which is located on Route 52 in Pocopson Township, offers care for adults of all ages as well as professional medical, nursing and rehabilitation services. It is certified by both the Medicare and Medicaid programs and also accepts private-paying residents for admission.
