A journey of service to vulnerable children, individuals,

and families since 1852

Begun in 1852 by a group of civic-minded Auburn, NY women

We served orphans and children whose families were unable to care for them.

Cayuga Asylum for Destitute Children

Began to be called Cayuga Home for Children in 1913; name officially changed in 1938.

Extreme age of Owasco Street facility prompts 1953 move to 101 Hamilton Avenue.

A change in space and a change in philosophy

• In 1954 the Board of Trustees refocused the mission on serving youth in the Family Court system.

• We adopted the then-new “cottage” model of care.

1956 success of May Cottage leads to the opening of Emerson and Cowen Cottages on the

Hamilton Avenue campus in the 1960’s.

Franklin Street home purchased in 1990

May Cottage Cowen Cottage Emerson Cottage

Franklin Cottage

Family Resiliency – the beginning of Community-Based Interventions

• Intensive Family Preservation in 1991 leads to additional home- or school-based Family Resiliency programs

2000 – 2005 Expansion of

Community-Based Interventions

• Evidence-based programs added:

– FFT – Functional Family Therapy

• Short-term family therapy in the family’s home focusing on family interactions.

– MST – Multisystemic Therapy

• Short-term goal-oriented therapy in the family’s home that includes caregivers and other key figures in the youth’s life.

2004 – 2005Addition of Foster Care

• MTFC – Multi-Dimensional Treatment Foster Care in CNY and later NYC

– Now called TFFC – Treatment Family Foster Care

Foster Parents Gather for Support Group

SPwDD - Services for People with Developmental Disabilities

– Day Habilitation

– Respite Programs

• In Between – after school

• After 5 – weeknight evenings

• Weekend Respite

– Medicaid Service Coordination

– Early Intervention

No longer a home only serving children, we change our name in 2011.

2013

Trauma Systems Therapy is used across agency departments to more effectively help those we serve heal from trauma.

2014

We receive a $15 million federal grant to provide 300 foster care beds to serve unaccompanied children in NYC.

2015

We take a successful program –Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC) –out of state to Florida.

What’s Next for Cayuga Centers?

We’ve held Strategic Listening Forums with staff members and other stakeholders, in preparation for developing a Strategic Thinking Projection that will consider:

• Unmet needs in the environment

• Needs we have as a growing organization

• Future growth

Our Journey of Service Continues

www.cayugacenters.org