Who We Are

Adult Foster Care of the North Shore provides exceptional support and solutions for caregivers, clients and professionals including:

Financial Support – AFCNS is a MassHealth-funded program that provides a monthly payment to the caregiver. Caregivers can receive up to $1,500 per month, per client.

Health & Social Support - Our staff members become an extension to the clients' and caregivers' families. Clients and caregivers are assigned a nurse and care manager who visit the homes regularly. Staff members can answer questions about health issues and serve as a resource for medical training, education and needed interventions. We provide on-call support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Family Support - At AFCNS, we provide a foundation to maintain and improve existing relationships. We help our clients and their families navigate the complexities of living with a disability or illness.

General Resource Support - Seasoned nurses and care managers work to identify vital resources for the client. These can include:

Adult Day Health Programs
Specialized work and community support programs
Mental health counseling
Guardianship and health care proxy information
Transportation services
Information about other adult foster care programs outside our area

"I had to quit my job so I could dedicate all of my time to working with our disabled son. It was so much to coordinate and manage I felt like I was spinning out of control. Things changed when we found AFC. They provided us with an incredible support team of people we trust. A team who is on the forefront of all health regulations and program options. Because of AFC, we were finally able to go to a friend’s house without our son.
It sounds small - but it’s a big deal for us. We are so thankful for AFC."
~ Tom and Eva, Caregivers to Son

Adult Foster Care of the North Shore was founded in 2001 by Cynthia Bjorlie, MD to provide financial, emotional and clinical support solutions for families who are in need of care for a disabled or chronically ill loved one. We are a single-focused agency that is dedicated to keeping clients happy, healthy and engaged in the community.

Originally focused in Gloucester and neighboring North Shore towns, AFCNS now serves over 350 families throughout Essex County. For over 15 years, our committed team has been working closely with clients, caregivers and professionals to maintain safe and stable housing placements and enable our clients to remain a vital part of their community.

Our passion, commitment and dedication can be seen in every one of our employees. When a client and/or caregiver works with Adult Foster Care, they become part of our family and acquire a true support system.

Cynthia Bjorlie, MD
Executive Director

Cynthia is board certified in internal medicine and was a primary care doctor for many years before starting Adult Foster Care of the North Shore in 2001.
Joseph Woodbury
Managing Director

After 15 years as a case manager with the Department of Developmental Services, Joe joined AFCNS in 2006. As Managing Director, he is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the agency. When he’s not working diligently to help his talented team make a difference in the lives of their clients, Joe can be found camping, kayaking and enjoying the outdoors.
Janet Dunsky
RN, Director of Nurses

As Director of Nurses, Janet is responsible for managing our team of nurses and overseeing client and caregiver education.
Joanna Adrien
RN, Nursing Supervisor

Joanna came to AFCNS after working as a case manager and nursing manager at a hospice. As our RN Nursing Supervisor, she enjoys working with our diverse nursing staff and ensuring they have the tools and information they need to serve our clients. In her off time, Joanne spends quality time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Bonnie Griffith
Care Manager Supervisor

Bonnie has worked for AFCNS since 2009. Prior to AFCNS, she was employed by the Department of Developmental Services for 29 years. Bonnie is an active board member for the Massachusetts Council of Adult Foster Care and involved with the local cultural council. Working for AFCNS has given Bonnie the opportunity to learn about and understand the wide range of services available to disabled people and values the opportunity to share this information with those who need it.
Marcia Lindquist
RN

Marcia joined AFCNS in 2009 with nearly 30 years of work-related experience under her belt. As an RN, her main responsibility is managing social and medical cases of individual clients and caregivers. She enjoys the ongoing relationships that are formed, preventing clients and caregivers from feeling like they are alone. When Marcia isn’t busy at work, she enjoys cooking, reading and participating in activities at her church.
Maureen O’Brien-Hidalgo
LPN

When Maureen joined AFCNS eight years ago, she brought more than two decades of experience working in long-term care, sub-acute rehab and mental health environments. Being able to provide support for her clients and caregivers has been an extremely rewarding experience. When Maureen is not busy with her work at AFCNS, you can find her working with her husband at their kettle corn business, Kettle Masters of New England.
Deanna Benjamin
Office Manager

As AFCNS’ Office Manager, Deanna runs the day-to-day operations and oversees the office staff. In her time off, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three beautiful daughters.
Tom Hoang
Care Manager

As a Care Manager, Tom specializes in case management, conducting monthly visits with clients and providing assistance with navigating available social services. He came to AFCNS with previous experience at CDF, CCD and residential day programs. Always up for an adventure when he’s not working with his clients, he can be found riding motorcycles, boating, camping and traveling.
Ronna Resnick
Care Manager

Ronna is dedicated to providing comfort, support and knowledge to her clients and their caregivers. From finding appropriate resources, to bridging the gap between the home settings, day programs and work environments, she thrives on finding solutions to make their lives better. An avid reader, Ronna also enjoys being active and staying connected with old friends.
Katia Cuevas, M.A.
Care Manager

Katia joined AFCNS in 2011 with a strong background in residential case management, social service advocacy and as a Shelter Plus Care Manager. She appreciates the dedication of her fellow team members and the care and compassion they show for their clients through their work. In her off time, Katia enjoys baking, reading, boxing and spending time with her family.
Shirley Tarr
RN

Shirley came to AFCNS with over 20 years of experience working with the developmentally disabled. She appreciates the ability to work one-on-one with her caregivers and clients in their home settings. Outside of work, she is an active volunteer working with the elderly, and enjoys traveling and discussing good books with her book club.
Geoffrey Small
Care Manager

After receiving his Bachelor’s degree at UMass Lowell, Geoffrey knew he wanted a career where he could be involved in the community and provide resources to families in need. Joining AFCNS has given him the opportunity to carry out this goal every day. Since 2012, Geoffrey has helped provide support and supervision to families and households that are part of the AFCNS organization. Aside from his work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter.
GerryAnne Brown
LCSW, Care Manager

After retiring from Action, Inc. as the Director of HomeCare Services with 38 years experience, GerryAnne joined AFCNS to provide assistance and support to their many clients and caregivers. Her biggest reward is being able to utilize her life-learned skills for organization, making her clients’ needs a top priority. In her off time, GerryAnne loves spending time in the mountains of New Hampshire. Whether it’s kayaking, golfing or just soaking up the fresh air, she just can’t get enough of the great outdoors.
Karen Bell
Billing Coordinator

Karen began working for AFCNS in November of 2012. She enjoys working for a great organization and thinks the world of her fellow employees. In addition to her role at AFCNS, Karen is also the
Co-Director of Adaptive Lacrosse as well as a Cub Scout Den Leader. Some of her favorite things to do when she’s off the clock include reading, crafting and spending time with her three boys.
Jailyn Youngblood
Care Manager

Jailyn describes AFCNS as an excellent and supportive agency that succeeds with teamwork. As a Care Manager, she makes her contribution by providing case management and support to many caregivers and clients. In addition to helping others, Jailyn enjoys participating in 5Ks and spending time with her family.
Cathy Siegal
Care Manager

Before joining AFCNS, Cathy spent ten years in a school setting as a reading specialist/special education teacher. Prior to that she worked in human services, providing support to families who had disabled family members residing with them. In her current role as Care Manager, she works hard to ensure that all clients are provided a safe and positive atmosphere, and that any medical, social and emotional needs are being met. Outside of work, Cathy enjoys reading, playing scrabble, being a “beach bum” and working in her organic garden
Olivier Che
RN

Olivier’s past nursing experiences in rehab, med surge, home care and cardiac telemetry make him more than qualified for his RN position at AFCNS. He enjoys working with a great team of professionals and providing the best possible services to the community. When he isn’t busy assisting his clients and caregivers, Oliver loves playing soccer and spending time with his family.
Bomi Cozzens
RN

Bomi Cozzens, RN, joined AFCNS in 2013. Her previous experience has been in med-surg and psychiatric areas in hospital settings. Fluent in both English and Korean, she lives in Haverhill with her husband and daughter.
Noella Kloppenburg
LCSW, Intake Care Manager

In 2013, Noella joined AFCNS with 40 years of experience in needs assessment, community relations, group work and individual counseling. As Intake Care Manager, she is responsible for administering potential client/caregiver assessments and inspecting homes to ensure that they are safe and suitable for both. When Noella isn’t working she loves to explore her creative side and dabble in arts and crafts. She also enjoys reading and spending time with her family, friends and cats, Madeleine and Munroe.
Winnie Thuo
RN

Winnie came to us with a wealth of experience in nursing, specifically with clients dealing with mental illness and addiction. During her free time, she loves most outdoor activities like bike riding. She usually rides the 50 mile Boston Hub on Wheels to support Boston public schools. She has participated in the two-day 39.9 mile Avon Breast Cancer Walk. She loves to travel and resides in Malden.
Jaynie Cavanaugh
RN/BSN

Jaynie joined AFCNS in 2015 and was quickly inspired by many of the clients and caregivers she works with. She says that hearing their life stories, struggles, accomplishments and how they got to where they are now is truly admirable. Outside of work, Jaynie’s life revolves around her children. As a family, they enjoy weekend tours through New England and visiting family every year in Florida.
Glenny Lora
Care Manager

After graduating with a bachelor’s of science in 2007, Glenny worked in community case management with different organizations providing services to adults and elderly living in their homes. She earned her LSW in 2014 and has since managed large caseloads with as many as 70 clients. Outside of work, Glenny is part of the Latino Caregiver Event Committee and enjoys reading spiritual, inspirational books.
Maridalia Mendez
RN

Mari joined AFCNS in 2016 as the RN Intake Coordinator. Her responsibilities include educating families about AFCNS services and assessing whether they qualify for the program. She also provides support, information and resources to families while developing a relationship and rapport. In her off time, Mari enjoys arts and crafts, sewing, cooking and doing Zumba.
Kelly Beer
RN

Kelly’s favorite part about working for AFCNS is collaborating with clients and caregivers and accessing resources to improve quality of life. As she likes to put it, Together Everyone Achieves More= TEAM! When Kelly isn’t busy working with her team at AFCNS, she loves to be outdoors. Some of her favorite outdoor activities are paddleboarding and hiking with her little dogs, Carmen and Betty.
Kristine Saltonstall
Office Assistant

Kristine began working at AFCNS in November 2017. She enjoys working in an environment that has such a positive impact on the lives of others. Outside of work, she can be found with her husband walking, hiking and biking the Rail Trails throughout New England.
Lori-ann Giamanco
Care Manager

Lori-ann joined AFCNS after working several years as a residential group home director. As the mother of a child with disabilities, she was inspired to pursue a career in social work after having gained a personal understanding of the challenges associated with obtaining relevant services. She is passionate about helping others navigate their way through the social services system. She has a strong focus on working with the family unit to ensure that the client and his/her loved one obtains the highest quality of care. A lifelong resident of Gloucester, Lori-ann loves to spend time at the beach. She enjoys traveling, learning new things and spending time with her beloved family.
Eduvina Hernandez
RN

As an RN and Certified Diabetes Educator, Eduvina visits regularly with clients to monitor their care and ensure documentation, medications and appointments are up to date. When she isn’t working, Eduvina enjoys long distance running, cooking and reading.

Adult Foster Care of the North Shore (AFCNS) has received a Three-Year Accreditation from CARF International.

By pursuing and achieving accreditation, AFCNS has demonstrated that it meets international standards for quality and is committed to pursuing excellence.

This decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be given to an organization and reflects our substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated its commitment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality.

AFCNS has been providing and supporting home placements for adults with disabilities and chronic illnesses in Essex County since 2001.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process and continuous improvement of services that center on enhancing the lives of people served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF International, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.

We welcome the opportunity to further acquaint you with our services and respond to your questions. AFCNS is a valuable asset and our CARF accreditation underscores our commitment to the community we serve.

Please contact us for more information or to discuss how we can work with your organizations and clients.

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