Supports To Remain At Home Work Group

Kathleen M. McKeon, Supervisor, Catholic Social Services of RI

  • 40 year career in social service
    • 31 years at the State Department of Elderly Affairs retiring as Assistant Director
    • 12 years at the Diocese of Providence, Catholic Social Services of RI
  • A Suma Cum Laude 1972 graduate of Catholic University with a BA in Sociology and three semesters of graduate work at Boston College.

During her career at Elderly Affairs Kathy planned, developed and implemented community based services for elders throughout RI. She was instrumental in developing many of the Home and Community Based Programs offered through DEA today.

Recognition for Kathy’s achievements at Elderly Affairs have included the 2006 Bob Henry Distinguished Service Award (RI Assisted Living Association), 2004 Thomas A. Lamb Award for Advocacy in Home and Community Based Care (RI Partnership for Home Care), 2002 Social Worker of the Year in Aging (National Association of Social Workers, RI Chapter) the 2000 Thomas Perry, Jr. MD Distinguished Service Award (RI Council of Community Mental Health Organizations). She founded and served as chair of the Elder Mental Health Task Force and has served on and supported numerous boards and commissions.

In 2006 Kathy retired as Assistant Director at DEA and joined the staff of the Diocese of Providence, Catholic Social Services of RI. There she oversees programs including Immigration and Refugee Services, Child Care Scholarships, Chaplaincy Services, and Elder Services. In 2010 she received the Mt. Saint Rita Community Service Award, in 2013 the RI Council of Churches, Hero of Faith Award for Community and Faith Service and in 2015 The United Way/211 Innovation Award. She serves as Co-Chair for the Catholic Charities USA Section on Aging.

In her 12 years at Catholic Social Services Kathy and her staff have “reinvented” respite care in the CareBreaks program which is now an integral component in RI’s Long Term Care and Supports System. Under her leadership Catholic Social Services has added a full time Spanish speaking outreach worker to work with non-English speaking seniors. And in 2014 Kathy and her staff brought the evidenced based Powerful Tools for Caregivers program to RI, training over 40 class leaders and close to 400 caregivers.

Kathy serves on the Lt. Governor’s Alzheimer’s Executive Board where she chairs a subcommittee on caregiving. She co-chairs the Supports to Remain at Home committee of the Age Friendly RI Initiative and is a tireless advocate for caregivers caring for family members of any age.

In her spare time Kathy enjoys her large extended family, her small home in Cranston and traveling with her husband of two and one half years!

< Back to Workgroups