Sparks of HOPE Event

Learning from the Past

1900 - 1960s

White House Conference on Children

1909

1960s

1900

1924

Cleveland Christian Home transitions from orphanage to residential treatment home

Today's brick building completed

Cleveland Christian Home is Founded

Social Security Act

1935

1905

CCH moves from Bosworth farm to Lorain Ave.

Progress in the Present

1990s - Present

The Child Abuse Prevention & Treatment Act

2019

2023

T-Suites opens forat-risk youth

The Americans with Disabilities Act

1990

2017

2022

Circle Health Services combines with The Centers for Families & Children

Cleveland Christian Home joins The Centers

Focused on the Future

By the Numbers

9%

$1,302,486

GAP

As of 9/12/25

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

8%

$1,120,00

PENDING

83%

$11,577,514

COMMITTED

Ways to Engage

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Learn More ABOUT

INTEGRATED HEALTH & WELLNESS

EL BARRIO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

EARLY LEARNING & FAMILY SUPPORT

First White House Conference of the Care of Dependent Children

Bringing Children to the Forefront

The First White House Conference on the Care of Dependent Children was designed to raise awareness and address the needs of children in homes and orphanages. It emphasized the harmful effects of institutionalizing children who have been neglected and/or abandoned. As a result of the conference, a foster care system was created, as well as the Children's Bureau.

Credit: Children's Welfare League of America

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Progress towards equity

While the fight for equity for the disabled community had been going on for the better part of 20 years, The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990. This new law had provisions for adults and children with disabilities, like behavioral health disorders, that required companies, schools, and organizations to give them reasonable accommodations and certain protections.

Credit: ADA.gov

Staffing Model

Residential Treatment Specialists, Supervisors, Case Managers, Clinical and Medical staff, and support services (nutrition and administration) work together to deliver comprehensive care.

KNOW SOMEONE LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER OPPORTUNITY?

Goals

Access

Quality Care

Building Skills

Provide consistent, high-quality care for youth in residential, community, and therapeutic settings.

Guarantee youth access to education, recreation, health, and stabilization services.

Equip youth with the resilience, life skills, and competencies needed to achieve independence and long-term self-sufficiency.

CAPTA 2019

Putting Guidelines in Place

Starting back in 1974, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) put many requirements in place for the states to follow, including mandated reporting, guardians ad litem to represent the best needs of children, early intervention for substance use and neglect cases, and plans for safe care. CAPTA has been amended several times to add more policies and federal funding to organizations working to support the prevention, assessment, investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse.

Credit: Pregnancy Justice

Specialized Programs

24/7 Child Wellness Welcome CenterA central entry point, co-operated with Cuyahoga DCFS, providing immediate support for children entering care. Rapid Reunification Team Social workers, counselors, and case managers intervene within 72 hours to reunite families or prevent separation, with seamless connections to ongoing support.

The Centers' Solution

The Centers is partnering with Cuyahoga County on an ambitious capital campaign to create lasting solutions for vulnerable youth.

The Centers' H.O.P.E. Campus™ is a model for coordinated, compassionate care. By investing in youth today, we strengthen families, build stable futures, and create a healthier community for all.

More on Children's Mental Health

• The percentage of Ohio children diagnosed with anxiety or depression jumped higher than most other states at the onset of the pandemic, per a new report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Why does it matter? The mental health crisis among children and teens is considered a national emergency by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Nearly 1 in 8 Ohio kids received a diagnosis in 2020, up 42% from 2016 — the 10th-highest increase nationwide.
• Ohio ranks 31st for overall child well-being based on economic, education, health and community measurements.
• Alongside the report, the Children's Defense Fund of Ohio also released county and regional data on the underlying challenges children face — including poverty, abuse, school absenteeism and a lack of health insurance.
• What they found: Of the more than 300,000 children living in Franklin County, 1 in 5 live in poverty, a rate higher than most other Ohio counties. Statewide poverty rates are highest among Black and Hispanic children.

• According to a white paper, written by the Ohio Council on Behavioral Health and Family Service Providers, the lack of therapists in Ohio has created “a perfect storm that jeopardizes behavioral health care providers' ability to respond.” The report raised serious concerns about the rates of child suicide in Ohio. “In Ohio, there was a 27.4% increase in the number of suicide deaths between 2010 and 2019. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among Ohioans between the ages of 10 and 34 years and the 11th leading cause of death overall.”

WHAT IS THE CENTERS' ASSOCIATE BOARD COMMUNITY?

A $20 ANNUAL DONATION

As a member of the Associate Board Community, you’ll not only expand your professional network but also develop valuable leadership skills—all while supporting a cause you care about. This is your chance to get involved with a group that’s making waves and creating positive change.

• Exclusive Access to The Centers’ Associate Board fundraisers
• Invitations to volunteer events, networking mixers, and leadership development sessions
• Opportunities to Connect with Cleveland’s top changemakers and industry leaders

• A Direct Path to Philanthropy—learn, grow, and make a lasting impact
• A Fun and Engaging Community of passionate individuals who are ready to give back and have fun doing it!

Social Security Act of 1935

Protecting the Vulnerable

In January 1935, the Committee of Economic Security (CES) presented its research to President Roosevelt on the needs of the more vulnerable populations in the United States. By June 1935, Congress overwhelmingly voted in favor of the Social Security Act of 1935, which provided "Old-Age Benefits," as well as grants to the states to establish aid to dependent children, maternal and child welfare, public health benefits, pensions, unemployment compensation, and more.The Social Security Act of 1935 was signed into law on August 14, 1935.

Credit: SSA.gov

Continuum of Care

The Centers’ H.O.P.E. Campus™ offers an integrated community of care designed to meet a broad range of needs for children and families. Services span prevention, treatment, stabilization, and long-term healing, and include:

Clinical Services & Programming

Transportation

Education & Life Readiness

Family-Centered Support

Enrichment & Wellness

Health Services