The History of Cardinal McCloskey Services

John Cardinal McCloskey who is remembered for his apostolate on behalf of needy children as well as for directing the construction of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

The Cardinal McCloskey School and Home for Children was formerly located on an 18 acre site on the corner of Mamaroneck Avenue and Ridgeway, next to Archbishop Stepinac High School where Gedney Commons condominium complex now stands.

The four-story red Georgian brick building included a "Tower Building" attached to the East Wing. As many as 244 children resided in the Home at any one time, living in the two wings and Tower Building. Each wing had dormitories with adjoining bath rooms, dining rooms, recreation rooms and outside porches. Each of the floors in the Tower Building housed several groups of younger children Each group had a living and dining area encircled by their dormitory and bathrooms. In addition to the main building, the campus included a three-story social work/staff building, frame cottage, power house, paint shop, two garages, a greenhouse, a swimming pool and a baseball field.

In 1980, the institution was sold. Administrative offices relocated in White Plains, satellite offices were expanded in the Bronx and Hayden House, an emergency residence for maltreated Westchester children was opened in Ossining, NY.

The Cardinal McCloskey School and Home for Children, often locally referred to as the "White Plains Orphanage," provided safe shelter and education for 240 children at any given time. Children ranged from ages 2 to 9 years and came from New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area.

For the next 20 years, Cardinal McCloskey was a home to thousands of children. Through the years, the average age of children in care increased until the institution served teenagers as well as toddlers and young children. Cardinal McCloskey was successful in reuniting many families through the efforts of the nuns and social workers, but some children arrived as infants and stayed until age 19. For many of the staff, there was a strong feeling that the youngest children would be better served spending their formative years with a loving and caring family.

1966 - CMS Initiates Foster Boarding Home Program

In 1966, Cardinal McCloskey launched a foster boarding home program by placing several of the youngest children in carefully screened surrogate families. A storefront was rented on Cortlandt Avenue in the Bronx to serve as a local office used for recruiting families, helping birth families and providing a community presence.

The social worker that placed
Cardinal McCloskey's first child
in a foster boarding home was
Marjorie McLoughlin. Mrs.
McLoughlin is now Cardinal
McCloskey's Executive Director.

This was the beginning of Cardinal McCloskey's Foster Boarding Home Program and the beginning of a new era of child welfare programs. During the next fifteen years, Cardinal McCloskey was successful in placing many children in foster homes or with adoptive families.

1972 - First Group Homes for Children Established

It quickly became evident that children adjusted better in family settings and the Foster Boarding Home Program grew accordingly. Over the years, as more space was needed, a larger office on149th Street was rented. (Many expansions later, this office continues to serve children and families in the Bronx.)

Unfortunately it was often difficult to find placement in family homes for older children and yet, these youth often did not need the structure of the institutional setting. In response, in 1972, CMS made arrangements for two groups of teenagers to live off the institution's campus in near-by supervised group homes. With the opening of these homes, CMS became one of the first child welfare agencies to launch a Group Home Program for adolescents.

1972 - Adoption Program Brings Permanent Homes

Driven by the desire to help every child in our care achieve contented, productive lives in a permanent family placement, Cardinal McCloskey staff began facilitating adoptions in1972. In the past 30 years, over 1,100 children have been adopted. For the past 10 consecutive years the CMS Adoption Unit has received special recognition from New York City for its "Outstanding Performance," often receiving "preferential agency" status.

1973 - Day Care Program Launched to Meet Family Needs

In the early 70s, many families were struggling to adjust to financial and social demands for mothers to join the workforce. To help support those families, on July 1, 1973, CMS launched a small Family Day Care Program at the 149th Street NYC office. Through the program, families were matched with a carefully screened day care providers in their neighborhoods who would care for their children while they were at work. Today, the program provides subsidized day care services to some of New York's neediest families, often assisting mothers as they transition from welfare to work. Today, the program is the largest program in New York City - providing care for over 825 children and jobs for over 215 day care providers.

1978 - CMS Accepts More Group Homes

Financial hardships in the late 1970s forced many not-for-profit agencies to close their doors. CMS was fiscally sound however, and the Foster Boarding Home Program grew significantly as more and more children were placed with CMS as other agencies closed. In several instances, CMS was also asked to assume responsibility for group homes and by the late 1970s, the Group Home Program had grown to 15 homes serving over 125 children throughout Westchester, Rockland and Bronx Counties.

1980 - Institution Closes, Westchester Emergency Residence & School Opens

In 1979, with the growth of the Foster Boarding Home Program, success of the Group Home Program and the increasing expense of operating a large institution, the Board of Directors voted to close the Home. Administrative offices were moved to their present location on Holland Avenue in White Plains. To continue to serve the needs of maltreated adolescents in Westchester County, Hayden House, an emergency "safe house" residence and on-site school, opened on October 7, 1980 in the old St. Augustine's convent in Ossining. For children removed from their homes due to maltreatment, Hayden House provides comprehensive care including safe shelter, diagnostic evaluation, therapeutic counseling and medical care. Classroom education is provided to children in residence at the on-site school.

1982 - Day Care Services Expand to Include South Bronx Child Care Center

By 1982, CMS's small day care program had grown considerably. In recognition of the program's success, New York City asked CMS to take over sponsorship of a child care center in the East Tremont -West Farm Square community of the South Bronx. Today, the CMS Child Care Center serves 109 children, providing both pre-school, after-school and summer programs.

1984 - CMS Launches Preventive Services at Family Outreach Center

By the early 1980s, Cardinal McCloskey was experiencing first hand the results of the national substance abuse epidemic. Hundreds of children were in coming into foster care placement due to the abuse or neglect they were experiencing as addicted parents or caretakers could not adequately provide care. To protect the children and help stabilize the families, Cardinal McCloskey took a leadership role in working directly with families before foster care placement was needed. Believing that families could be stabilized and the disruption and pain of separation avoided, in June 1984, CMS opened its Family Outreach Center in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. CMS began providing in-depth counseling and case management services to families where there was a potential risk of children being placed in foster care.

CMS was one of the first agencies in NYC to provide these types of services to families and has become a respected leader in the City's Preventive Services network. CMS is noted for its sensitive response to meeting the needs of the children and families served with quality, caring services.

1989 - Independent Living Skills Program Established for Foster Care Teens

From the early days of preparing teenagers for life after leaving the institution, CMS has had a special focus on helping youths in foster care transition into capable, independent adults. On July 1, 1989, the Independent Living Skills Program was formally established to serve teens in foster care. The program is designed to empower these adolescents to take charge of their own lives by providing the knowledge and skills to make them self-sufficient once they age-out of the foster care system at age 21. Through case management, intensive workshops and weekend retreats the program serves over 100 teenagers each year.

1990 - CMS School Receives Absolute Charter

On February 16, 1990, the Board of Regents of The University of the State of New York, on behalf of the State Education Department granted CMS an absolute charter for the operation of the Cardinal McCloskey School located on the lower level of the Hayden House emergency residence in Ossining. The School serves the children in residence at Hayden House teaching NYS Regents curriculum for grades 4th through 12th.

1990 - Intensive Preventive Services Program Initiated

With the explosion of the crack epidemic of the late 1980's and the flooding of the foster care system with children, especially babies, born to crack addicted mothers, there was a need to provide families with more intensive rehabilitative programs in conjunction with drug rehabilitation services. In response, in 1990, CMS's began its Family Rehabilitation Program which provided rehabilitative services that included both intensive preventive and drug rehabilitation services. The program was offered at the Family Outreach Center and was designed to maintain family unity while at the same time ensuring the safety and well being of children.

1991 - CMS Becomes a Leader in Therapeutic Foster Care

In the early 1990's hundreds of emotionally disturbed, behaviorally-disordered children were coming into the foster care system with histories of extreme deprivation, neglect and abuse. These children were being placed in Residential Treatment Centers after having experienced numerous placement disruptions and psychiatric hospitalizations, but many in the child welfare field believed these children to be capable of community life with the assistance of intensive services. In 1991, CMS became one of the first agencies to initiate therapeutic foster care, a specialized foster care placement in which foster parents are specially trained and provided intensive support services to meet the special therapeutic needs of the children in their care.

1993 - East Harlem Family Rehab Center Becomes CMS Program

In 1993, based upon the success of the Family Rehabilitation Program at the Family Outreach Center, CMS was asked to assume sponsorship of an existing Family Rehabilitation/Drug Treatment program in East Harlem. The Family Rehab Center became Cardinal McCloskey's third NYC office.

1995 - Funding Cuts Change Family Rehabilitation Program

For the first five years, the Family Rehabilitation Program provided both intensive preventive services and drug treatment services. In 1995, funding was no longer available to continue providing drug treatment services at the Family Outreach Center or Family Rehab Center so CMS developed collaborative relationships with other drug treatment providers. The Family Rehabilitation Program continues to provide intensive preventive services and works closely with collaborating agencies to maintain the program's success.

1995 - Group Homes for Developmentally Disabled Adults Added

In response to a growing community need, the Residential Services Program for developmentally disabled adults began in February 1995 with the opening of the Susan Lane Individual Residential Alternative (IRA) group home in Peekskill, NY. Planning and development of the program had taken over two years. The residence had previously been a group home for teenage boys who aged-out of the foster care program. Since opening, Susan Lane has been home to six mildly to moderately developmentally disabled women.

In April 1995, two IRA group homes were opened in apartments in Co-op City in the Bronx. In June 1995, two more IRA apartments opened. Sixteen moderately to profoundly developmentally disabled individuals live in the Co-op City IRAs.

In November 1995, the DeKalb Avenue IRA opened in White Plains, NY as home to six severe to profoundly developmentally disabled women.

1995 - Day Hab Program for Developmentally Disabled Established

To further serve consumers in the Cardinal McCloskey IRAs, in November 1995, CMS established a Day Habilitation Program. At the CMS Day Hab consumers who require assistance with basic life skills are provided with opportunities and activities to learn these skills in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment.

1996 - 2000 - Service Coordination and More IRAs for Developmentally Disabled Consumers

In early 1996, CMS began coordinating services for our developmentally disabled consumers. Our Service Coordinators assist individuals and their families in coordinating a broad range of services including access to governmental benefits and advocacy for services such as medical evaluations and appointments, vocational training and career opportunities, educational services, recreational resources and housing.

In February 1996, the Whitney Avenue IRA in White Plains, NY opened to serve 7 moderately developmentally disabled men.

In January 1997, the West Nyack IRA in Rockland County opened to serve 6 moderately to severely developmentally disabled male consumers.

In January 1998, the Deveau IRA in North Salem, NY opened to serve 4 severely to profoundly developmentally disabled women and 2 severely developmentally disabled men.

In July 1998, the Gunther Avenue IRA in the Bronx opened to serve 6 severely developmentally disabled men.

In March 2000, the Elmsford IRA opened in Westchester County to serve 4 men and 4 women who are mild to moderately developmentally disabled and dually diagnosed with mental illness.

In November 2000, the Truman Residence in Yonkers, NY opened to serve 5 mild to moderately developmentally disabled men.

2000 - Family Rehab Center Begins Providing Preventive Services to East Harlem

By 2000, CMS recognized there was a need for more than just intensive preventive services at the Family Rehab Center and expanded its general Preventive Services Program to East Harlem.

2001 - Cardinal McCloskey Ranked in Top Ten NYC Foster Care Agencies

In 2001, in the first citywide evaluation by New York City's Administration for Children's Services of its 45 contracted foster care providers, Cardinal McCloskey was ranked in the "Top Ten."

2001 - CMS Provided Trauma Counseling in 9-11 Aftermath

The close-knit East Harlem community surrounding CMS's Family Rehabilitation Center personally felt the horrific impact of the 9-11 terrorist attacks as more than a dozen firemen from the neighborhood lost their lives in the tragedy. In response, CMS opened its doors and provided group and individual grief and trauma counseling to community residents during the months following the attacks.

2001- CMS Asked to Care for More Children & Families

In the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, several social services agencies closed. At the request of NYC, CMS assumed responsibilities for children and families from two other agencies. CMS agreed and began providing services to additional foster children as well as a number of families participating in family rehabilitation services as well families in need of subsidized day care services.

2002 - Waterbury IRA Group Home Opens

In March 2002, the Waterbury Individual Residential Alternative group home opened in Peekskill to serve six mild to moderately developmentally disabled women.

2002 - Family Based Treatment Services for Emotionally Disturbed Children Begins

In July 2002, CMS expanded its services to seriously disturbed children by launching its Family Based Treatment Program. The program provides therapeutic treatment for children and youth diagnosed with emotional disturbances and/or behavioral difficulties through placement in a special home where intensive therapeutic and case management services can be provided to the children and their families.

As society has changed and the needs of children and families have changed, Cardinal McCloskey Services has repeatedly opened new doors to new programs to meet their social, emotional, educational and health care needs. We remain committed to caring for those in need and to providing the highest quality of care to those we serve.

1946 - Cardinal McCloskey Home & School Founded