The Children's Center Of Hamden

The Children's Center of Hamden is a private nonprofit multi-service agency whose mission focuses on providing quality treatment and education for children and their families.

Description:
The Children's Center of Hamden offers a full array of services ranging from outpatient therapy to after school treatment programs, special education and residential programs addressing a variety of conditions and circumstances. While each program provides its own specialty, generally speaking the children suffer from one or more of a variety of problems; psychological and social problems; physical and/or sexual abuse; learning disabilities; substance abuse; and family trauma. Approximately 200 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 18 are served on a daily basis.

History:
Founded in 1833 as "The New Haven Orphan Asylum," The Children's Center of Hamden is Connecticut's oldest child-caring agency. Its mission then was described as "relieving, supporting and educating children who are friendless and destitute" and served as a major adoption agency for much of its existence. In 1925 The Children's Center moved to its present location in Hamden. It proved to be a model institution for its time, introducing the concept of small home like residential "cottages" for group living, instead of large dormitory-style institutional buildings.

Throughout its history, the agency evolved in the services it offered to meet the changing needs of children. In the late 1930s it served as a convalescent home for children with polio and rheumatic fever. In the early 1940s it served as a refuge for 125 children and 19 mothers from Oxford, England, who were sent to America to escape the Nazi bombing raids. In the 1950s the Children's Center of Hamden evolved into a Residential Treatment facility for children identified with social or emotional problems and at risk of abuse and neglect.

Contact people:

Diane Surprenant, Director Of Personnel & Development, (phone), (email) Anthony Del Mastro, Chief Executive Officer, (phone), (email) Dan Lyga, Chief Operating Officer, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (203) 248-9339

Address:

1400 Whitney Avenue Hamden, CT 06443 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.childrenscenterhamden.org

Directions:

FROM I-95 TAKE I-95 TO I-91 NORTH. GET OFF EXIT 6 (LEFT HAND EXIT) WILLOW STREET. AT END OF RAMP TAKE A RIGHT. CONTINUE ON WILLOW STREET UNTIL YOU CANNOT GO ANY FARTHER. AT END OF ROAD TAKE A RIGHT ONTO WHITNEY. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: N/A   Nearest Bus Stop: Directly outside the agency, 2 minutes minute walk

Last updated on September 11, 2009