Astor Through the Years: 2000's

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2000

• 30th Anniversary of the Beacon Child Guidance Clinic.
• Two surveyors for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) reviewed all applicable programs and the agency from March 20-24, 2000. Agency reaccredited for 3 years.
• Two Counseling Centers relocated to more appropriate space — Rhinebeck Clinic relocated to Red Hook and the Dover Clinic relocated to Bell School Building.
• Satellite for Bronx Day Treatment established at Bronx School for Career Development, PS 754.
• Strategic Plan 2000-2003 developed and approved by the Board of Directors.
• Services at Pius XII, Rhinecliff discontinued.
• Home-based model of Early Head Start initiated in Wappingers Falls. Contract signed to construct a center at Mt. Alvernia.
• “Transitions” classes established in Day Treatment Programs (Bronx & Poughkeepsie).

2001

• 35th Anniversary of the Red Hook Child Guidance Clinic.
• 45th Anniversary of the Psychology Training Program.
• Astor Learning Center has been designated a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence for a third time by the U.S. of Education for the 2000-2001 award cycle.
• June 2001 — The Children’s Fund of the Astor Home, Inc., purchased a building located at 46 Lincoln Avenue, Poughkeepsie. Once renovations are complete, the building will house the Poughkeepsie Counseling Center and other Dutchess Community based programs.
• September 2001 — Red Hook Early Childhood Center relocated to DC Boces facility at Salt Point.
• September 2001 — Astor’s Community based behavioral care program played an active role in the local response to September 11th events.
• Dr. David Crenshaw, Clinical Director, retired after 23 years.

2002

• May 2002 — JCAHO made an unannounced visit. Results from review were positive.
• June 30, 2002 — Sister Rose Logan, the 9th Daughter of Charity appointed Executive Director of the Astor Home for Children, resigns from the agency.
• July 1, 2002 — On June 24, 2002, the Board of Directors appointed James McGuirk, Ph.D., Executive Director. Dr. McGuirk is Astor’s 10th Executive Director and the first layperson appointed in the history of the Astor Home for Children.
• June 2002 — Board approved the acceptance of the 2002-2004 Strategic Plan update.
• July 2002 — After 50 years of service, the Daughter’s of Charity end their stewardship at the Astor Home for Children.
• Funding cuts result in the elimination of the following services: on-site counseling for adolescents @ Dutchess County Probation; and aids related counseling supported by Ryan White Funding.
• August 2002 — Beacon Early Childhood Center relocated to the former St. John’s School.
• Fall 2002 — Astor Head Start classroom now located in Pine Plains district (Seymour Smith Elementary School).
• October 2002 — The Daughter’s of Charity are awarded the 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award for the Hudson River Region by the New York State Office of Mental Health. The award ceremony was held at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel.

2003

• January 5, 2003 was the 50th Anniversary of the admission of children to The Astor Home Residence.
• 30th Anniversary of the Bronx and Dutchess Day Treatment Programs.
• 25th Anniversary of the Head Start Program.
• Two surveyors for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) reviewed all applicable programs and the agency from March 10-14, 2003. Reaccredited for 3 years.
• April 2003 — Poughkeepsie Counseling Center and other Dutchess Community based programs relocate to new office at 46 Lincoln Avenue in Poughkeepsie.
• April 8, 2003 — Poughkeepsie Head Start dedicates a new reading room to longtime Head Start volunteer and
  friend of Astor, Ceal Sommer.
• May 1 & 2, 2003 — In celebration of Astor’s 50th Anniversary, a professional conference, “50 Years of Creating
  Hope for Children & Families” was held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center located in Fishkill.
• May 22, 2003 — a 50th Anniversary dinner was held at the Belvedere in Rhinebeck. The dinner honored three individuals for their work with the agency. Honorees included: John J. Gartland, Jr., who received the Sister Serena Branson Award for his contributions to the agency’s early development; Senator Stephen Saland received the Louis Marilac Award for Public Service; and board member, Madeleine Sanchez Post received the Rose Logan Award for her years serving the agency as a board member.
• June 14, 2003 — Astor’s 50th Anniversary Reunion Picnic. Over 400 people attended the picnic. Attendees included former residents, former staff, friends of Astor as well as current residents and staff.
• June 23, 2003 — 5th Annual Stenberg Cup held at Carvel Country Club honoring former employees, Ron and Shirley Stenberg.
• September 28, 2003 — 1st Annual Cycling Event.
• Astor is awarded a five-year grant to provide assessment and intervention services to adolescents and their families in an effort to avoid residential placement. The program, the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Project, is a collaboration with the Dutchess County Departments of Mental Hygiene and Probation and Community Corrections.
• The Beacon Head Start Center moved from Catherine Street to St. John’s School. In addition, a new Head Start classroom opened at the Seymour Smith School in Pine Plains.
• Astor receives full accreditation from The American Psychological Association on both the Dutchess and Bronx Internship programs. We are fully accredited until 2011.

2004

• 30th Anniversary of the Bronx Child Guidance Clinic.
• 35th Anniversary of the Poughkeepsie Child Guidance Clinic.
• Astor was one of only 24 grantees in the country to receive the Early Head Start Enhanced Home Visiting Project grant.
• In partnership with the Poughkeepsie Area Chamber of Commerce Astor held its first annual Public Policy Breakfast at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. The breakfast was attended by over 100 elected officials and community leaders. Senator Stephan Saland and Dr. Kenneth Glatt welcomed the guests and spoke about the importance of Astor to the community.
• During the week of June 7, 2004, the Head Start/Early Head Start Program went through a triennial review by the Federal Head Start Monitoring Team.
• In September 2004, the Lawrence F. Hickey Fund was established.
• October 24, 2004 — Annual Board Meeting – Election of Stephen J. Kelly as President.

2005

• 35th Anniversary of the Beacon Child Guidance Clinic.
• In January 2005, the Board of Directors approved the Strategic Plan for 2005-2007.
• January 20, 2005 – A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of the Children’s Mental Health Clinic in the Highbridge area of the Bronx. The program had its first client intake in February 2005.
• On July 1, 2005 Astor assumes responsibility for three group care facilities, Non Secure Detention programs, previously operated by Pius XII.
• Astor is awarded an Legislative Member Item Award in the amount of $25,000 to be used to create additional clinical/family visiting space at the main residence in Rhinebeck.
• Astor held its 2nd Public Policy Breakfast, “Dutchess County Zero to Three Partnership” on Thursday, March 10, 2005. Leading expert, Dr. J. Ronald Lally spoke about the benefits of a public policy supporting early childhood development.
• October 2005 — Children’s Fund of the Astor Home for Children, Inc. is renamed to The Astor Home for Children Foundation, Inc.

2006

• 50th Anniversary of the Psychology Training Program.
• January 2006, the agency takes the lead to create a system of care for children birth to five and begins developing protocols for the new Early Childhood Coordinated Service Initiative (ECCSI). The program will target those families with babies and toddlers at risk of abuse and foster care placement. The program is expected to be fully operational beginning in July, 2006.
• February 21-24, 2006 — The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) conducted their “unannounced” survey. Different from previous surveys, the surveyors utilized a TRACER method where the surveyor spent time with staff that provides direct services to clients. Reaccredited for 3 years.
• March 23, 2006 — 3rd Annual Public Policy Breakfast at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Presenter, Dr. James Garbarino spoke about Youth Violence.
• April 25-26, 2006 — Over 120 administrators from all over the state attended the Early Head Start leadership forum held at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. The forum focused on ways localities can better serve children ages birth to three, with an emphasis on those young children with disabilities who in past have not been well served by the system.
• July 2006 — 1 year anniversary of the Non Secure Detention program.
• November 15, 2006 — NYC Event at the Penn Club honoring baseball great, Rusty Staub. Proceeds from the event to benefit the Astor’s Bronx programs.

2007

• February 21, 2007 — special board meeting – The Astor Home for Children Board of Directors and Astor Home for Children Foundation Trustees approved the consolidation of the two boards to one.
• March 8, 2007 — 4th Annual Public Policy Breakfast at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Presenter, Dr. Robert Brooks spoke about the resilience of children.
• During the week of June 4th, the Head Start/Early Head Start Program went through a triennial review by the Federal Head Start Monitoring Team.
• June 2007 — Astor was one of 20 Catholic Charities agencies in New York City and Hudson Valley to benefit from a $5 million grant, made possible by the Empire State Development Corporation. Astor received $150,000 from the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York for the replacement of roofs of the Rhinebeck & Little Red School House in the Bronx locations, and to purchase a new billing system.
• July 2007 — 2 year anniversary of the Non Secure Detention program.
• August 13, 2007 — Mrs. Brooke Astor, widow of Captain Vincent Astor, who originally started The Astor Home residence in Rhinebeck as a convalescent rest home for children, passed away.
• October 23, 2007 — ECCSI held a symposium entitled “Engaging Families of Young Children”. Dr. Mary McKay, Professor of Psychiatry and Community Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York presented.

2008

• 55th Anniversary of The Astor Home for Children.
• 35th Anniversary of the Bronx and Dutchess Day Treatment Programs.
• 30th Anniversary of the Head Start Program.
• 25th Anniversary of the Residential Treatment Facility.
• The Beacon Clinic satellite, located at 5 Givens Avenue in Wappingers Falls is closed on January 1, 2008.
• January 29, 2008 Board Meeting — AH/ALC and Foundation Bylaw revisions approved to reflect changes in governance structure.
• March 25, 2008 — 5th Annual Public Policy Breakfast at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Presenter, Dr. Donald Michaelbaum, one of the top psychologists in the country was the guest speaker for the event. Dr. Michaelbaum addressed “Creating a Safe Community”.
• Dutchess Early Childhood programs developed regional collaborations with local school districts to provide universal pre-kindergarten services to four-year-olds. Astor contracts with three school districts — Webutuck, Poughkeepsie, and Beacon; the contracts will represent $118,000 in increased revenue for Astor and entail the provision of enhanced pre-kindergarten services for over 100 children.
• June 24, 2008 — Board Meeting – Election of Lawrence Weisberg as Chairman of the Board.
• In June 2008, Astor engages Barfield Public Relations, Inc., a communications firm with experience in the field and working with social services organizations to do the following: review the corporate name; review the corporate logo; develop collateral materials; and launch a public awareness campaign.
• June 30, 2008 — Salt Point BOCES Head Start Center closed.
• July 2008 — 3 year anniversary of the Non Secure Detention program.
• July 25, 2008 — With renovations completed to the swimming pool at the Rhinebeck Residence a dedication ceremony was held. The pool was dedicated in honor of Michael C. Mazzarella, a long time board member and friend of Astor.
• November 18, 2008 — Astor dedicated a new bike path in honor of the late Jean Hickey at the Lawrence F. Hickey Center in the Bronx.
• In 2008, Astor was awarded funding by NYS to provide a social worker onsite at the Dutchess County Probation Department to provide Functional Family Therapy, an evidence based treatment, to JD and PINS youth on diversion and probation supervision who are identified as being at high risk of incarceration.

2009

• 35th Anniversary of the Bronx Child Guidance Clinic.
• 40th Anniversary of the Poughkeepsie Child Guidance Clinic.
• At the January 27, 2009 meeting of the Board, the Board of Directors approved to change the name of the agency to “Astor Services for Children & Families” pending approval from the Corporate Member.
• At the January 27 2009 meeting of the board, the Board of Directors approved the 2009-2012 Strategic Plan.
• January 2009, the Board of Directors approves revised agency Mission and Vision statements.
• January 26-30, 2009 — The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) conducted their “unannounced” survey; results were positive.
• January 2009 — The David and Robert Crenshaw Training Fund was created in honor of Dr. Crenshaw and his brother, Robert, who suffered from some of the challenges as the children of Astor. The purpose of the fund is to promote continued training for Astor’s employees and the wider community of service providers, all aimed to improve the lives of children & families.
• March 3, 2009 — 6th Annual Public Policy Breakfast at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. Presenter, Dr. Sandra Bloom, was the guest speaker for the event. The topic for the event was “Does Childhood Matter to Adults”. Dr. Bloom presented research that depicted the strong relationship between early childhood experiences and health outcomes in adulthood, including life expectancy.
• March 2009, the Corporate Member formally approves the agency name change to “Astor Services for Children & Families”.
• May 1, 2009, the new agency name is unveiled to the public at the Annual Spring Dinner.
• June 27, 2009 — In response to Federal laws and the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) requiring Medicaid providers to develop and implement compliance programs aimed at detecting fraud, waste and abuse, the Board of Directors adopts a Corporate Compliance Plan.
• September 2009, the School-age Day Treatment program moves into its new school at 15 Mt. Carmel Place in Poughkeepsie.
• September 17, 2009 — Agency name change ribbon cutting at the Rhinebeck Residence.
• October 21, 2009 — Astor received the first Stefan de Schill Award presented by the American Mental Health Foundation at an award ceremony hosted by the Edwin Gould Foundation.
• November 12, 2009 — Ribbon cutting for the School-age Day Treatment at their new site located at 15 Mt. Carmel Place.
• December 21, 2009 — Archbishop Timothy Dolan visits Astor’s Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development in the Bronx.