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Astor Through the Years: 1980's

1940's & 50's | 1960's | 1970's | 1980's | 1990's | 2000's | 2010's

1980

  • 10th Anniversary of the Beacon Child Guidance Clinic.
  • New York City Board of Education Program for RTC terminated. The New York State Board of Regents issued a charter to establish The Astor Learning Center, the special education component of the Residential Program, Rhinebeck, and Day Treatment Program, Dutchess County.
  • The Parent Skills Unit, approved and partially funded by the New York State Department of Social Services, Special Services for Children and a matching grant from the New York Community Trust established in the Bronx.
  • The Astor Home for Children became a member agency of the United Way of Dutchess County and received an annual grant to support day care services (Beacon, Dover Plains and Millerton).
  • Astor assumed full administration of the Millerton Head Start/Day Care Center.
  • NIMH awarded a grant to institute a training program in Social Work in conjunction with Fordham University.
  • Fourth JCAH accreditation (two years). The Mary-Brooke Pool, Rhinebeck, dedicated July 15, 1980.
  • The Poughkeepsie Day Treatment Program relocated to Smith School, Poughkeepsie.

1981

  • 15th Anniversary of the Rhinebeck Child Guidance Clinic.
  • In April the new School Drop-Out Prevention Program, funded through the Dutchess County Youth Bureau, began to assist the Pine Plains and Red Hook School Districts with youngsters who indicate the intent to discontinue formal educational programs.
  • In the spring/summer, 20 beds at Astor’s Residential Treatment Center, Rhinebeck, were approved for an intensification of program by DSS and designated “critical care.”
  • Construction began on the new Astor Child Guidance Center at 750 Tilden Street, Bronx, in September.

1982

  • United Way of Dutchess County approved a new grant to subsidize clinical services for children of low-income families served through the Astor Child Guidance Clinics.
  • The Developmental Screening Program in the Bronx expanded the screening program for preschool children through a grant from the New York Community Trust. New Astor Child Guidance Center occupied in August.
  • RTC enrollment increased to 75 children on September 21, 1982.
  • Fifth JCAH accreditation received; extended to three years.

1983

  • The Astor Home for Children celebrated its 30th anniversary.
  • 10th Anniversary of the Bronx and Dutchess Day Treatment Programs.
  • 5th Anniversary of the Head Start Program.
  • In February, The Astor Child Guidance Clinic, Bronx, received notification of an increase in contract with the New York City Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services, Inc. to expand services.
  • In February, The Astor Learning Center was approved by the New York State Education Department as a non-public, Special Education Program under Chapter 853 of the New York State Education Law enabling it to enroll children from the community on a day basis, and to accept referrals for residential treatment from Committees on the Handicapped.
  • In March, the Foster Home Program developed into a Family Treatment Program to provide a home-based treatment program for children who could benefit from being in a homelike setting in the community rather than the larger Residential Treatment Center.
  • On June 10, 1983, The Astor Home for Children dedicated the new Astor Child Guidance Center in the Bronx, with Terence Cardinal Cooke officiating.
  • In September, The Astor Head Start Program in Dutchess County expanded by 51 youngsters; and on December 1, the Parent Skills Unit, Bronx became the Intensive Parenting Program and expanded prevention services to 65 families.
  • On October 1, 1983, The Astor Home for Children was certified by the New York State Office of Mental Health for operation of a Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) – which replaced the “critical level” program – to serve mentally ill children in a more intensive program of child development, clinical and recreational services.

1984

  • 10th Anniversary of the Bronx Child Guidance Clinic.
  • 15th Anniversary of the Poughkeepsie Child Guidance Clinic.
  • A new program of preventive services to families at risk of child abuse, located at the Millerton Head Start Center, began in January serving the eastern section of Dutchess County.
  • In January, the School Drop-Out Program expanded to the Rombout Junior High School, Beacon; the Arlington Middle School, Town of Poughkeepsie; and the LaGrange Elementary School in September, 1984.
  • Committees of Special Education of local school districts began referring children to the RTC Program.
  • Cardinal Cooke Memorial Field at the Residential Center, Rhinebeck, was dedicated on May 10, 1984.
  • The new RTF units of The Astor Home for Children (serving 20 children) were dedicated on February 2, 1984 with Bishop Anthony F. Mestice officiating. RTC enrollment remains at 55 children.
  • The Astor Learning Center was granted a permanent charter by the New York State Board of Regents on May 25, 1984.
  • Camp Astor, an enriched summer program at the Residential Center, Rhinebeck, began in the summer of 1984.
  • The new Maternity and Early Childhood Program, administered through the Head Start Program, began serving the urban areas of Beacon and Poughkeepsie to provide educational/training services to low income parents, with priority given to unwed teenage mothers in September 1984.
  • After-school Day Care Program for elementary age children began at the Hyde Park Head Start Center in September 1984.
  • Foundation grants provided funds for improvements in the Residential Cottage, Rhinebeck and some new windows in the main building.

1985

  • 15th Anniversary of the Beacon Child Guidance Clinic.
  • JCAH accreditation site visit held on April 15-18, 1985. Accreditation received for three-year period contingent on focused survey scheduled for 1986.
  • A new group home was opened in Goshen, NY on July 8, 1985 to provide a less restrictive, yet therapeutic program for 8-10 disturbed children from the Hudson Valley Counties, with preference given to children from Orange County. The Group Home was dedicated on October 15, 1985 and named the Marian Group Home.
  • Spellman Group Home in the Bronx closed August 1985.
  • A Special Education Preschool Program began at Dover Plains Center, October 1985, for ten children with mild to moderate handicapping conditions.
  • Standardized Behavior Modification Program put into effect in The Astor Learning Center.
  • Foundation grants provided funds to install a new blacktopped playground at The Astor Child Guidance Center, Bronx, in July 1985.

1985/86

  • In 1985/1986 grants completed improvements in the Group Homes, Bronx, plus new roofs on the school/connecting wing, windows and playground equipment in Rhinebeck.

1986

  • 20th Anniversary of the Rhinebeck Child Guidance Clinic.
  • An additional classroom was opened in January 1986 at The Astor Learning Center, Rhinebeck, to bring number to ten classrooms.
  • JCAHO conducted a focused survey, February 18, 1986, contingency removed and accreditation for three-year period continued.
  • Effective April 1, 1986, 15 additional children were enrolled in the Day Treatment Program, Bronx. Renovations were completed at the Byron Avenue satellite center to accommodate the additional children.
  • New brochure series for The Astor Home for Children published spring 1986.
  • Family Treatment Program offices moved to the third floor of the Residence Cottage, Rhinebeck, in July 1986.
  • Beacon Child Guidance Clinic moved from 88 Sargent Avenue to a temporary location at 372 Main Street, Beacon in July 1986.
  • Hyde Park Head Start/Day Care Center was moved to St. Christopher’s School, Red Hook, July 1986. Head Start and Day Care services began September 29, 1986 at the new location.
  • School-wide reading program began in The Astor Learning Center, Rhinebeck, September 1986.
  • In September 1986 the Dutchess County Department of Social Services contracted with The Astor Child Guidance Clinics to establish a separate team within the clinic structure to treat children who have been identified by DSS as sexually abused.
  • New schools were added to the School Drop-Out Program in September 1986 – Beacon School District (Forrestal), Dover Plains School District and the Red Hook School District reentered the Program.
  • On November 12, 1986, The Astor Capital Campaign began to raise $225,000 to complete major buildings and grounds improvements at the Main Building, Rhinebeck.
  • Eastern Dutchess Prevention Program, Millerton, discontinued on December 31, 1986.

1987

  • Effective January 1, 1987, United Way of Dutchess County doubled its funding base to provide professional services for low-income families through The Astor Child Guidance Clinics.
  • An IBM System 36 computer was installed in January 1987 to upgrade the computer system for the eventual electronic linking of all major agency sites.
  • The Marillac Group Home for girls, Bronx, was converted to a transition Group Home for boys from the Residential Program, Rhinebeck, during the week of April 20, 1987.
  • On May 20, 1987, the New York State Education Department selected The Astor Learning Center as a Model School to receive an award of excellence in the State’s first annual recognition of elementary schools. Twenty-one schools statewide were selected for honors, from 241 applicants, and the Learning Center was the only Special Education Program honored. Presentation of the award was made at a Recognition Luncheon in Albany, on June 12, 1987.
  • On June 19, 1987, the final report meeting of the Astor Capital Campaign was held at The Astor Home in Rhinebeck at an early evening reception. Madeleine Post, Board Member, and Chairperson of the Campaign, reported that $226,330 had been raised toward the $225,000 goal. (Report as of 10/30/87 – $237,950.)
  • The Astor Residential Treatment Center, Rhinebeck, opened a Transitional Program in the Cottage on grounds on June 24, 1987, to fill a need for more intensive preparation of the children prior to discharge to their own home, foster home, group home or adoptive home.
  • In June 1987, The Astor Day Treatment Program, Dutchess County, vacated the Smith School on Church Street, Poughkeepsie, and moved to temporary quarters in BOCES for the summer. In September 1987, Day Treatment was housed in two locations in Poughkeepsie: 55 Wilbur Boulevard (St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church) and 70 Hooker Avenue (Dutch Reformed Church).
  • On September 14, 1987, the new Therapeutic Nursery Program opened under the administration of The Astor Day Treatment Program, Bronx. This new Program, based at the Byron Avenue site, was made possible by a grant of $20,000 from the Louis Calder Foundation for start-up funds. The new Program will provide intensive psychotherapeutic services to preschool children who have been identified through Astor’s diagnostic summer screening program for children entering school or day care centers for the first time.
  • On September 21, 1987, the Mother and Child Outreach Program of Astor Head Start began through a matching grant from the Cardinal’s Fund for Children ($7,753) to provide parenting training to rural low-income families in northeastern Dutchess County.
  • The Astor Family Treatment Program offices moved from the Residential Cottage, Rhinebeck to 30 Benner Road, Red Hook on November 1, 1987.
  • The Astor Child Guidance Clinics, Dutchess County, received funds for participation in a countywide interagency assessment team as part of the County’s PINS diversion program.

1988

  • The agency commemorated its 35th anniversary and The Astor Head Start Program marked its 10th anniversary under the administration of The Astor Home for Children.
  • 5th Anniversary of the Residential Treatment Facility.
  • 15th Anniversary of the Bronx and Dutchess Day Treatment Programs.
  • 10th Anniversary of the Head Start Program.
  • In February 1988, the KISS (Kids in Safety Seats) project began as a joint venture of The Astor Early Childhood Programs and the Dutchess County Traffic Safety Board. Car seats, for a small fee, are made available to families in the Head Start Program, Dutchess County.
  • The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations accredited The Astor Home for Children for a three-year period.
  • In May 1988, The Astor Learning Center of The Astor Home for Children was selected by the United States Department of Education as an Exemplary Elementary School, one of three private special education schools recognized nationwide. The award was presented by the Secretary of Education on September 15, 1988 in Washington, DC. A Formal Flag Raising Ceremony was held in Rhinebeck on October 26th.
  • The Therapeutic Nursery Program in the Bronx closed in the fall of 1988.
  • Poughkeepsie Head Start Center moved from Church Street to three locations in September: Poughkeepsie Housing Authority, Delafield Street and Charles Street (Community Rooms) and HVOIC, Delafield Street.
  • George Mora, M.D., retired as Medical Director of The Astor Home for Children on September 1, 1988. Dr. Mora served as Medical Director from 1971-1988.
  • Renovations were completed at the Residential Center, Rhinebeck, through proceeds of The Astor Capital Campaign.
  • The Day Treatment Program, Dutchess County, moved to its new 7,000 square foot renovated facility at 99 Todd Hill Road, LaGrangeville, during the Thanksgiving holidays.

1989

  • 15th Anniversary of the Bronx Child Guidance Clinic.
  • 20th Anniversary of the Poughkeepsie Child Guidance Clinic.
  • In March 1989, the Beacon Child Guidance Clinic moved to new quarters at 223 Main Street, Beacon, into a facility shared by the Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene and other county services.
  • In contract with the Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene, The Astor Mental Health Programs, Dutchess County, was approved for NYS Office of Mental Health funds in April 1989 to develop a Home-Based Crisis Intervention Program based on the Homebuilder’s Program in Tacoma, Washington. The Program provides in-home services to children in imminent danger of psychiatric hospitalization and their families, to stabilize the family’s functioning and avert the child’s hospitalization. The first client was served in September.
  • On May 18, 1989, The Astor Day Treatment Center on Todd Hill Road, LaGrangeville, was formally dedicated.
  • On June 30, 1989, The Astor Home for Children transferred it’s five Group Homes in the Bronx to The Leake and Watts Children’s Home, Inc., Yonkers. The Goshen Group Home continues to operate serving upstate children.
  • The Astor Early Childhood Programs, Dutchess County, combined the Maternity & Early Childhood Program and the Early Childhood Outreach Program into the Maternity & Early Childhood Program in September 1989. This outreach program serves Hyde Park and the northeastern section of Dutchess County including Millerton and Pine Plains.