asiangrandmaThe Coalition to Improve Advanced Care (CIAC) was created by local Arlington organizations committed to transforming advanced illness care by changing the culture around illness, dying, and healthcare. It is directed by Kathleen Garces-Foley.

There are 7 member organizations in the Coalition, which are listed here with their current representative on the CIAC Steering Committee.

• Marymount University, Kathleen Garces-Foley

Arlington Area Agency on Aging, Helen King

Virginia Hospital Center, Kristin Nannetti

• Arlington Commission on Aging, Joan McDermott

• Capital Caring, tbd

• Goodwin House, Elizabeth Klint

Members-at-large: Marcia Taylor & Carolyn Richar & Cynthia Carney

young-girl-without-hairOur History

The Coalition to Improve Advanced Care, or CIAC, was formed through the leadership of Dr. Kathleen Garces–Foley, Professor of Religious Studies at Marymount University, and Anne Vor der Bruegge, Director of the Arlington Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Center. CIAC was officially launched on April 9, 2016.

In the summer of 2015, Kathleen approached Anne for assistance in bringing together Marymount faculty and Arlington nonprofit and community agencies concerned with aging and end-of-life issues. Guided by the Institute of Medicine’s Report, Dying in America, which identifies widespread deficiencies in current approaches and best practices to improve advanced illness care, Kathleen and Anne met with local leaders over nine months to consider existing models in other regions of the country that could be replicated and modified to best meet the needs in Arlington.

Representatives from 9 Arlington organizations worked collaboratively to develop the mission, goals, and beliefs that guide the work of CIAC. The founding organizations and founding representatives were: Capital Caring (Carolyn Richar), Virginia Hospital Center (Merry Byrd), Goodwin House (Cynthia Carney), Commission on Aging (Joan McDermott), Arlington Neighborhood Village (Carol Paquette), Arlington County Agency on Aging (Rachel Sparico), Commission on Long-Term Care Residences (Cynthia Schneider), Marymount University (Kathleen Garces-Foley), and Arlington Community Foundation (Anne Vor der Bruegge).

The Coalition to Improve Advanced Care (CIAC) was launched on April 9, 2016, with a community-wide workshop on normalizing end-of-life conversations using The Conversation Project toolkit. Numerous workshops have since been held to better equip those serving seniors in community centers and faith communities with skills to help people make informed decisions. The Interchurch Community Health Initiative joined CIAC in fall 2016.

CIAC is supported by the following organizations:

Marymount University * Virginia Hospital Center * Capital Caring * Goodwin House
 Arlington Area Agency on Aging * Arlington Commission on Aging