The Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA), led by its Chief Executive Officer, Larry Gross, has read the writing on the wall, recognizing that traditional government and foundational funding sources for community-based organizations (CBOs) are stagnating at a time of increased client demand, constraining service delivery and organizational sustainability. To respond to this changing environment, SMAA, an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) serving about 20,000 older adults and their caregivers in Maine, is diving head-first into the new integrated care waters, beefing up its business acumen capabilities and embracing innovation in pursuit of the opportunities presented by partnerships with health care entities.

This Success Story, produced by the American Society on Aging (ASA) as part of its work with the Aging and Disability Business Institute, and featured in its January-February 2017 edition of Aging Today, highlights SMAA’s bold move into health care collaborations, including its embrace of evidence-based health promotion programs, and its robust relationship with a large regional accountable care organization. This work earned SMAA the very first The John A. Hartford Business Innovation Award, which recognizes a social services agency that has made significant strides to partner with health care entities to improve the quality of life for older adults and people with disabilities. Gross, SMAA’s CEO, discusses the challenges faced and lessons learned from this pivot to greater health care integration. Despite its initial unfamiliarity, Gross and SMAA are fully embracing the new work, acknowledging its financial and capacity-building benefits for the agency.

Check out the full Success Story at the link below, and find out how your organization can learn from innovators like SMAA!

The Southern Maine Agency on Aging: a Patient Approach Nets Multiple Contracts