"The Astor family feels very fortunate to have Jim as our new board chairman. He brings not only a wealth of knowledge and leadership experience to this position, but his dedication to, and compassion for the children and families we serve are at the core of all his hard work on our behalf, and for this we are especially grateful,"
said Jim McGuirk, Ph.D., CEO, Astor Services for Children & Families.
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New York Non Profit Press' coverage of Jim Raimo as Astor's new board chair.
Upon his appointment, Raimo said, “It’s an honor to work with my fellow Board members to support the dedicated staff at Astor. The wonderful, life-changing work that Astor does with children and families helps make our communities stronger. I am honored to be able to serve as Board Chair for this organization that is changing so many lives.”
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New York Non Profit Press' coverage of Dr. Fillette joining Astor as our first COO.
Upon her appointment, Fillette said she is “looking forward to having the opportunity to apply and build on lessons learned from my previous appointments, and bringing that experience to Astor, an organization that for over 60 years has been dedicated to the well-being of children and families in our community.”
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Poughkeepsie Journal reports Renee Fillette will be joining Astor as our new COO.
"What I'm really looking forward to is the opportunity to bring the unique lessons learned from working in the field of domestic violence ... into an organization that serves such a diverse array of children and families in our community," she said.
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New York Nonprofit Press' coverage of Astor being one of 29 agencies to participate in the National Council for Behavioral Health's "Reducing Adolescent Substance Abuse Initiative."
At the end of the initiative, provider staff in participating Astor programs will have fine-tuned their ability to screen middle school and high school youth in their care, provide brief intervention when youth screen positively for substance use, and build strong referral relationships to specialty substance abuse treatment providers for youth who require more intensive intervention.
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"We feel privileged to do the work we do on behalf of vulnerable children and families, carrying on Eleanor Roosevelt's life's work to educate and care for the well-being of children and families and to ensure that all children have a childhood,"
said James McGuirk, executive director/CEO.
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Poughkeepsie Journal's pre-coverage of The Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal Awards.
Astor lives up to the promise of Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which provides that "everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family."
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"On behalf of the children, board and staff of Astor, we are honored to be the recipient of the 2014 Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal Award along with the other distinguished award recipients. We feel privileged to do the work we do on behalf of vulnerable children and families, carrying on Eleanor Roosevelt’s life’s work to educate and care for the well-being of children and families and to ensure that all children have a childhood,"
said Jim McGuirk, executive director/CEO, Astor Services for Children & Families.
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Astor Services, Nobel laureate, former ambassador among winners of 2014 Val-Kill Medals. The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill will present the awards Oct. 19 during a ceremony and luncheon at the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park.
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Poughkeepsie Journal's briefing of Astor's upcoming Development Screenings at the Dutchess County Fair.
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Hudson Valley Insider's coverage of Children's Awards Day.
The Harlem Valley News' pre-coverage of Children's Awards Day.
Santos Wainwright can now hold a five-minute conversation at a Christmas party with his son Jayden in his arms, but about a year ago, that would not have been possible.
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Astor Services for Children & Families holds a linedance in Rhinebeck. Video by Darryl Bautista
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"Many of these children would typically not have access to mental health screening (though there is a need as our data has shown) for many reasons, the primary being the stigma that is associated with going to an outpatient mental health facility," said Konstantinos (Gus) Tsoubris, Ph.D., associate executive director, Astor's Community-Based Behavioral Health and Prevention Services.
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Center Director Elizabeth Strelchun said the center provides children a warm, nurturing environment, in addition to health services — such as checkups and eyesight tests — and hot meals."If we have budget cuts, (the children) miss out," Strelchun said.
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The Bronx Free Press' coverage of Astor's upcoming Cabaret event on April 26, 2014.
"The seeds for Cabaret for a Cause were sown when Hickey, always a fan of music and theater, decided to overcome her fear of performing in public by taking a singing class."
The Alfred E. Smith grant will support the integration of physical and behavioral health screening for low-income children, ages 2 – 21, in Dutchess County.
Robin Hood’s support over the past several years has helped children with serious emotional problems transition from Astor's Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development and its Early Childhood Day Treatment Program to public school as well as allowed them to capture data that shows the impact Astor is making on the lives of these children and their families. Robin Hood’s continued support will allow Astor to continue this very important work.
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150 teachers, child-care professionals and other educators from Ulster, Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties will attend the daylong conference to explore ways to help children get ready for kindergarten.
Generous donations from individuals, schools, youth groups, churches and businesses helped to make the holidays warmer and merrier for more than 1,500 children and parents through the 2013 Adopt-A-Family Program run by Astor Services for Children & Families in Rhinebeck.
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Dutchess Day School Brings the Holidays to Astor Families
Poughkeepsie Jourmal - December 17, 2013
Astor Services for Children and Familes, Rhinebeck, provides support for childen and their families throughout the mid-Hudson Valley. The agency is seeking donors for its annual Adopt-A-Family program to ensure these children have an enjoyable holiday season. Last year, Adopt-A-Family served more than 1,000 individuals.
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Astor Hosts St. Nick's Holiday Fair
Daily Freeman - November 29, 2013
Specialty crafts, raffles, gift baskets, baked goods and other hand-made items will be on sale Dec. 8 at Astor Services for Children & Families’ annual St. Nick’s Holiday Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 6339 Mill St.
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Adopt-A-Family Program Underway
Poughkeepsie Jourmal - November 25, 2013
Astor Services for Children and Familes, Rhinebeck, provides support for childen and their families throughout the mid-Hudson Valley. The agency is seeking donors for its annual Adopt-A-Family program to ensure these children have an enjoyable holiday season. Last year, Adopt-A-Family served more than 1,000 individuals.
Click here to read a PDF version of this story.
The Hudson Valley Press Online coverage of Astor's Family Fun Day event held on September 14, 2013.
"It’s remarkable how many lives are affected by mental illness and because of the stigma, it’s not really discussed until there is a full-blown crisis." said Trish Luchnick, Director for Family Driven Care at Astor Services for Children & Families.
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Astor Services for Children & Families will host a free Family Fun Day with interactive games and live entertainment Saturday in the City of Poughkeepsie, the organization said.
The event will be held at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is part of a nationwide mental health anti-stigma campaign, said Sonia Barnes Moorhead, a spokeswoman for Astor, a Rhinebeck-based non-profit organization that provides mental health and child welfare services, and early childhood development programs.
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Astor Highlights Sequestrations Cuts to Head Start
New York Nonprofit Press - September 9, 2013
Astor Services for Children and Families displayed 118 empty seats outside their Head Start program in Poughkeepsie yesterday. They represented the 86 Dutchess County children who lost opportunities to participate Head Start and Early Head Start this year – and the 22 employees who lost their jobs -- as a result of Federal "Sequestration" budget cuts.
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According to Mary Sontheimer, assistant executive director, budget cuts were enacted when a deadline for adopting the federal budget passed last April, which triggered sequester reductions for various federal programs. In Dutchess, the cut resulted in a $340,000 reduction in funding, which meant that 86 children would lose monetary support, Sontheimer said.
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Astor Hold Event To Support Head Start Programs
Poughkeepsie Jourmal - September 9, 2013
Eighty-six empty chairs were displayed outside of the Poughkeepsie Head Start Center of Astor Services For Children & Families today to symbolize the number of Dutchess County children who have lost their positions in the Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
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Kingston Daily Freeman coverage of Astor's $150,000 Grant from the Dyson Foundation.
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The Poughkeepsie Journal covers the appointment of Astor's Assistant Executive Director Edward Pruitt to the board of Northern Dutchess Hospital.
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The Poughkeepsie Journal reports on Astor's Grant award from the Dyson Foundation.
"Dyson's support of the bilingual PIE supplements this county program by enhancing much needed services to a specific group of the community"
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Astor Early Head Start Honored
New York Nonprofit Press - June 2013
The New York Nonprofit Press reports that Astor Services for Children & Familes' Early Head Start Program was honored with an award from the New York State National Alliance on Mental Illness.
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The Notre Dame choir will also perform a benefit concert Friday at 7 p.m. at the Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Roman Catholic Church in LaGrangeville. Proceeds will benefit the Notre Dame Club of the Mid-Hudson Valley, a service organization, Astor Services for Children and Families, and Catholic Charities.
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Astor Service for Children and Families has appointed Rod DiMotta, Ph.D., Assistant Executive Director, Bronx Behavioral Health & Prevention Programs; Sheila Doherty, PsyD., Assistant Executive Director, Residential Programs; and Ed Pruitt, Assistant Executive Director, Public Policy and Organizational Development. These appointments are a result of retirements.
Fishbowl NY interviewed Magee Hickey about her upcoming participation in our Third Annual Cabaret. She, as well as her collegues, will perform live in New York City on Saturday, February 8, 2013.
“Because we’re all used to live shots and anchoring newscasts, we know how to ad lib,” Hickey says. “We know how to be on stage. We know the point of it isn’t to be the most perfect singer. It’s just to have a good time and raise money for a good cause."
Click here to read about the Third Annual Cabaret.
The Poughkeepsie Journal covered the amazing volunteer work John Jay High School Seniors did to bring joy to the children in our Residential Treatment Program. We are incredibly thankful for all the work they put in to make the holiday season special for everyone!
“The event went better than expected. We had twice the number of children to buy for this year so we were worried about getting enough gifts for all, but we were able to get all of their requested gifts and then some,” said senior-class co-adviser Alyson Dodge.
Brigetta Barrett, former student at Astor's Head Start Program in Beacon, NY, currently in her senior year at Arizona State University won the silver medal in the High Jump event at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Barrett’s medal is the first for anyone to spend 10 or more years in Dutchess or Ulster county since Hyde Park’s Patrick Manning won a silver medal in rowing in 1992 in Barcelona. Four others share that distinction.
“I’m not going to lie; I kind of blacked out” attempting 6-8, Barrett said. “I was very scared. I know this is what we do, and people don’t really expect us to be afraid of a bar. There’s a moment between step seven and eight where I have to decide if I’m really going to go for this jump or not. I was just like go for it and trust yourself and trust God. I put my foot down and closed my eyes and when I hit that mat without hitting the bar, I was like, ‘Thank you Jesus.” - Brigetta Barret
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Suzanne Button, PhD, assistant executive director at Astor Services for Children and Families, described how her agency employed evidence-based practices (EBPs) to improve outcomes and change the culture.
All of Astor’s clinical sites are now using practices that have evidence of success in scientific literature behind them.
They also have seen an increase in employee satisfaction, according to Button.
“People now ask for research, they ask for outcomes, they ask for a practice that works,” Button said.
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Magee Hickey and the Astor Cabaret get coverage on Good News Planet. You can read the coverage HERE.
More photos here: View photos from the Cabaret event.
Coverage of Astor's 2nd Annual Come to the Cabaret Event on PIX 11 News at Six.
View the WPIX video here!
Click here for more PHOTOS from the Cabaret!
On April 14, Magee Hickey will host another annual event in her father's honor, a cabaret featuring nearly two dozen New York television reporters and personalities singing, dancing and generally trying to trip the light fantastic for a good cause.
In this Daily News article, Magee speaks about her father Lawrence F. Hickey, and the legacy he left behind.
Lawrence Hickey was "a great father, a great husband, a great son, a great nephew," who didn't even start volunteering until he was 57 years old.
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Get complete event details and order tickets here!
Bronx social worker and ‘lifetime learner’ Joan DiBlasi has no plans to retire soon:
"Keeping children at home with their families becomes a major goal. When I first started, the whole philosophy of care was to relocate people from urban areas into suburban areas. Now, we’re really looking at the community to provide the resources to keep the family together."
said DiBlasi, Astor's Assistant Executive Director for Bronx Community-Based Mental Health & Prevention Programs.
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The Daily Freeman features a young man's story and Astor's own Dr. Button on suicide prevention with young people.
"What we were finding was that suicide rates were starting to uptick nationally and regionally as well,"
Button said Wednesday at her home in Red Hook.
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Astor Services for Children & Families has been named winner of the Business Excellence Award for nonprofits by the Dutchess County Economic Development Corp.
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Astor Presses Teen Suicide Prevention Awareness Issue
Finding Out With Pete and Ellen - June 13, 2011
Astor has been unrelenting in speaking out on the issue of teen suicide prevention. In this "Speaking Out" radio program, Dr. Suzanne Button continues to advocate for greater awareness, while sharing important information that everyone should learn.
"Astor's mission is to make people realize that emotional struggles are not to be judged; families and kids are to be helped and supported — just walk in."
Listen to the interview and read a summary on our website.
Article in The Poughkeepsie Journal written by Astor's Dr. Suzanne Button, Dr. Alice Linder and Dr. Paul Bulman on spreading youth suicide prevention awareness.
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Astor Experts Speak About Teen Suicide Prevention
CUNY TV - April 20, 2011
In this Segment of CUNY-TV's Independent Sources, Astor Services' Andrew Kuntz and William Murray are interviewed. They discuss Astor's approach to Teen Suicide Prevention, and the prevalence of Teen Suicide in the Latina population.
"Figures from the CDC show that one in six Latinas attempt suicide between the ages of 11 and 17."
View the segment and read about this story on our website
Astor's Child Abuse Prevention Programs in Spotlight
News 12 The Bronx TV - April 14, 2011
Astor's Andy Kuntz spoke with News 12 The Bronx TV on the subject of child abuse prevention in this piece spotlighting Astor during National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Read about this coverage and watch the video HERE.
Hudson Valley Radio Program on Teen Suicide
WAMC Radio - April 12, 2011
Greg Fry, Hudson Valley Bureau Chief of WAMC Northeast Public Radio reports on a teen suicide in Irvington, NY. Astor's Dr. Jim McGuirk supplies information on the prevalence of teen suicide in our country.
"One in seven kids have had serious suicidal ideation, one in ten kids have made a suicide plan, and one in fourteen kids have made a suicide attempt requiring medical attention."
Read this story about a Hudson Valley teen suicide and listen to the piece here.
Coverage of Rep. Hinchey's visit and lecture at Astor's Head Start Program.
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Astor Services for Children & Families and Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted the 8th Annual Public Policy Breakfast, on Teen and Youth Suicide Prevention with Speaker M. David Rudd, Ph.D., ABPP. Read P'kpsie Journal coverage of the event here.
Click here to read a PDF version of this article.
WABC-TV New York Features Astor Christmas Party
WABC-TV New York - December 27, 2010
Coverage of Astor's Christmas party for children and families served by the Lawrence F. Hickey Center for Child Development.
"When children have the opportunity to just be children ... cherished memories are created and lives can be transformed"
View the video and read about this event here
The Bronx-Times-Reporter coverage of the opening of Astor's new children's mental health center "Astor at Highbridge" at 1419 Shakespeare Avenue in the Bronx. The center now offers an outpatient clinic for children and adolescents ages 2 to 21. The range of services offered includes counseling, case management, and pyshciatric services.
Click to read a PDF version of this story.
Our full coverage also includes video from News 12 The Bronx
WWRL Radio Interview, Dr. James McGuirk
WWRL 1600 AM - August 1, 2010
Astor Service's Executive Director James McGuirk was interviewed on WWRL Radio's program "All Things New York" on Saturday, August 1, 2010. The program focused on the question of how Astor Services is dealing with the current difficult financial situation.
Listen to the interview and read a summary on our website.
Charities Expect Money Worries Into 2013 Due to State Shortfalls
The Chronicle of Philanthropy - August 7, 2010
Charities nationwide are facing financial strain because of state budget crises—and many states expect their woes to continue into 2012 and 2013. Astor is cited for its budget cutting efforts. "Having a diverse source of revenues allows you to absorb some cuts," according to James McGuirk, its executive director.
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New York Non Profit Press coverage of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant to Astor. This grant will support improvements to Astor's delivery of services to children aged 0-5 years and their families in Dutchess County.
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Astor's Jim McGuirk Is Interviewed
Finding Out With Pete And Ellen - April 4, 2010
Dr. McGuirk is the guest on this Poughkeepsie radio show, and discusses Astor's services in the Hudson Valley, including helpful information for families.
Listen to this interview and read a summary on our website.
Radio Show Features Astor Services
Hudson Valley Focus - March 6, 2010
Hudson Valley Focus host Jim Sipos and Astor's Jim McGuirk discuss Astor's mission, services, and innovative adaptation of cutting-edge business management techniques to a not-for-profit organization.
Listen to this interview and read a summary on our website.
Practical Advice For Families Seeking Help
WTBY Poughkeepsie, Joy In Our Town - January 19, 2010
This program provides practical information for families looking for help. Host Wendy Maragh-Taylor speaks with Astor's Jim McGuirk about many issues of concern to parents and families.
Watch this video and read the story on our website.
Astor Services for Children & Families was featured on a segment of the Fox 5 New York television program "Good Day New York Street Talk" which aired on December 5, 2009. (Astor's segment is the second video.)
"... Astor has been here through all of the problems I've had with my children ..."
Click here to view a PDF version of the story on MyFoxNY.com.
Click here to view the video and story on our website.
Astor Kids Aided by Helping Hands
Poughkeepsie Journal - November 29, 2009
Poughkeepsie Journal coverage of United Way's "Holiday Helping Hands" program and its postive effect on Astor's children and families.
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Astor Receives Stefan de Schill Award
Register-Star - October 27, 2009
Coverage of Astor's AMHF Stefan de Schill Award in the Register-Star, Hudson/Catskill NY.
"It was an evening that highlighted the need for the barriers to break down in society on the stigma around mental illness, which prevents many from talking openly about the realities of mental illness and the suffering families confront as they parent children with emotional and behavioral problems."
Click here to read a PDF version of this story.
At A Glance: Astor Services AMHF Award
New York Daily News - October 25, 2009
Coverage of Astor's AMHF Stefan de Schill Award in the Daily News.
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Coverage of Astor's use of the Lean/Six Sigma methodology for improving efficiency.
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Astor Learning Center Honors Student of the Year
Poughkeepsie Journal - July 2, 2009
Coverage of Student of the Year Ceremonies at the Astor Learning Center in Rhinebeck, NY
Click here to read a PDF version of this story.
As our city continues to move towards recovery from the pandemic, mental health support is available. That’s a commitment from the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health and all of our partners, including Astor Services for Children & Families.
More than $16,000 Raised to Benefit Astor Services for Children & Families 
For the third consecutive year, Astor Services for Children & Families announced that its Astor Learning Center, located in Rhinebeck, NY, was selected as a 2020-2021 National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) School of Excellence. Serving thousands of children and families throughout the Bronx and Hudson Valley, the nonprofit offers residential and early childhood programs, community-based behavioral health and prevention services.
Since March of 2020, COVID-19 has put up barriers to normal life for all of us. For many children and teenagers, the effects of isolation – lockdowns, social distancing, bans on gatherings, distance learning – have been devastating. We asked Todd Karlin, Psy.D., chief program officer of Astor Services (a Catholic Charities of New York–affiliated agency serving children and families in the mid Hudson Valley and the Bronx), to give us an overview of what young people are facing and what parents and community members can do to help.
Hudson Valley restaurants are stepping up in a big way for the month of May in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month and to show their support for Astor Services for Children & Families (Astor) and the mental/behavioral services the nonprofit provides to children and families throughout the Hudson Valley and the Bronx. Astor has provided over 155,000 tele-mental health sessions and has admitted over 3,800 new clients since the start of the pandemic.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has been extraordinarily difficult for families with young children. For families with youngsters dealing with mental health challenges, this period has been even more difficult.
My family and I were in Hannaford’s supermarket over the weekend and my daughter who is 7 has several issues, two are sensory and Autism. Your employee saw my husband and I struggling as my daughter was having a rough time. Not going to lie I was about to throw in the towel and leave my cart with all our food.
With generous donations of more than $120,000 from 430 individuals, corporations and groups across the Hudson Valley region and the Bronx, 2,300 children served by Astor received gifts during the 2020 holiday season. These generous donations allowed families to purchase every day needs, such as groceries, winter coats, hats and gloves, along with traditional holiday presents.