Milestones - Immediate response. Enduring results.

1971

  
Provided nurturing, effective residential care to abused and neglected children in an extended family home situated on 147 acres near Taos, New Mexico. Known as San Felipe del Rio, the home included on-site residential facilities, an off-site residential treatment center for severely disturbed children, and a ground-breaking off-site transitional home to help young men and women pursue higher education, job training, and, ultimately, successful, independent lives.

Dr. Karl Menninger, of the famed Menninger Foundation, wrote, "The San Felipe ranch is the finest group home in the world and should be the model for all the country."

Developed a national model for group home child care standards through a program assessment of 19 Menninger Foundation "Villages" in Indiana and Kansas. Organized and funded a national conference in New Mexico to advocate child welfare issues.



 
 
1974  

Allocated funds for and assisted in developing a transitional housing program in Topeka, Kansas, to be implemented as a national training model for independent living.
Assisted in writing and developing a policy manual for Blueberry Treatment Centers in New York to create a national model for the care of schizophrenic and autistic children.
Co-founded Northwest Advocates for Children in Portland, Oregon, to improve standards of care for at-risk children and youth in the region. Directed and organized a national conference to improve training and education of children and youth providers in Portland, Oregon.

  
   
1977  
Worked in alliance with Northwest Advocates for Children to establish standards of quality care for dependent children by developing a Marshall Plan for Children.
Wrote and published a training manual, "Cross-Cultural Training For Foster and Adoptive Children," to guide child care workers and foster parents.
Conducted a major international conference in New York titled "Children in Distress" in conjunction with Blueberry Treatment Centers. World-renowned speakers included Oliver Sachs, Bruno Bettleheim, Kita Hara, Mira Rothenberg, and Teddy Kennedy.
Sponsored a joint-collaborative child and youth conference for the Northwest states in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.