1953

Eastman building is dedicated at Hillside Children’s Center. The building – a combination chapel, school, assembly hall and student union – grew out of the rubble left by a 1946 dormitory fire.

1958

By the end of World War II, the polio vaccine and penicillin have cured many childhood diseases so the Board of Directors of the Convalescent Hospital for Children (Crestwood Children’s Center) pursues a new area of service. The greatest children's need identified is residential care and treatment for emotionally disturbed children. On November 4, the first child is admitted into Convalescent Hospital's Residential Treatment Center located in two remodeled wards in the hospital on Beach Avenue.

  • Various photographs of Convalescent Hospital for Children - 1, 2, 3

  • The Bulletin - 1944,  photograph of Convalescent Hospital for Children

1959

The Scottsville Road property of Convalescent Hospital for Children (Crestwood Children’s Center) is donated by Mr. John Wehle and construction of the new facility begins. John Wehle became a board member in 1951 and continued to serve Crestwood Children's Center for 29 years.

1960

Convalescent Hospital for Children’s (Crestwood Children’s Center) Scottsville Road campus opens.

1963

In April, Convalescent Hospital for Children (Crestwood Children’s Center) opens its first outpatient program providing consultation services, community education, long and short-term treatment, group therapy, and family counseling.

1965

Adelaide Kaiser begins plans for group homes in the community. It is a three-year experimental project approved by the Community Chest and begins with four to six boys between the ages of 14 and 18 years old.

1967

The day treatment program (Koret Educational Center) of Convalescent Hospital for Children (Crestwood Children’s Center) officially opens after piloting the program as a day care center for several years. Convalescent Hospital for Children becomes the country's first community mental health center.

1969

Abe Rock Summer Day Camp of Convalescent Hospital for Children (Crestwood Children’s Center) is established to provide a therapeutic camping experience, psychotherapy, casework, family and group therapy, and tutoring.

1970

The residential program at Hillside Children’s Center gradually evolves from a treatment-oriented institution that provides care for moderately disturbed children to a fully staffed and programmed residential treatment center that is equipped to provide group care and treatment for seriously disturbed school-age children.

Hillside Children’s Center’s Intramural Special Education School is established. The specific purpose of the campus school is to recondition and reeducate attitudes and feelings towards the learning situation, to provide remedial and intensified instruction for the slow and academically challenged child whose achievement is not up to a level commensurate with his age and learning aptitude, and to reorient him to the classroom structure.

1971

A group home program begins at Hillside Children’s Center with the purchase of two homes. Six boys from Hillside Children’s Center’s residential program inaugurate Hillside’s group home program when they are placed in the agency’s first group home. This family dwelling is located in the southeast area of Rochester. It is the forerunner of four community-based group care facilities that are to be established within the next 18 months.

1973

A twenty-four acre gift of land in Henrietta is given to Hillside Children’s Center by Dr. Frank Lovejoy. The rolling hills and woodland in Henrietta will be used initially for outdoor recreation and eventually for undetermined activities that will meet community-wide needs. At the time of the donation, Dr. Lovejoy has been associated with Hillside for 10 years. He is a former board president.

At a cost of $33,000 the first cottage designed to house 10 boys is completed at Snell Farm (Snell Farm Children’s Center). Snell Farm is then a division of Area Youth for Christ, a part of Family Life Ministries. The property was donated to Family Life Ministries by George Snell and his niece, Mrs. Bill Sick, for the ministry of serving youth. Those served at Snell Farm at this time varied widely and included juvenile delinquents, persons in need of supervision, and neglected and troubled youth.

1975

A day treatment program starts at Hillside Children’s Center. It is designed to help boys and girls ages 5 to 14 years that have educational or emotional challenges but are able to remain in their family home. They will attend the campus school, participate in casework sessions, and take part in the after-school group activities. At the same time, Hillside Children's Center will provide supportive services to the child’s family through counseling and family therapy.

A second cottage is erected at a cost of $40,000 at Snell Farm to house male youth in services at the campus. A steel vocational building and a new barn are also built and renovations made to the old farmhouse existing from the time of the property donation in 1973.