We're just a sparkle in someone's eye

Thanks to the advocacy of the Lucas County Runaway Task Force, Connecting Point is conceived in 1974. Many people are involved in this process. Some of our "founding fathers" include: Betty Morias, Robin Stranahan, Thomas Barnes, Andrew Glatter, Thomas Heinrichs, Raymond McBeth, Glen Tobey, and Gary Edwards. Our initial funding is a $75,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human services.

A shelter service is born

The Agency buys the "Highland House" from Flower Hospital. For the next decade, this facility, located at 3301 Collingwood, is our home. "3301," as we affectionately refer to our building, houses up to 15 teen-age youth. We employ ten staff and our starting pay for Counselors is $3.00 per hour. Hal Jenks is hired as our first Executive Director.

Our infancy

Mark Roby becomes our Executive Director and we expand services to include Aftercare, Case Consultation and Outreach. In 1984, the Agency welcomes a new Executive Director, Bonnie Kaufman, and our budget is expanded to $100,000, thanks to the support of the United Way.

Our first steps

Carole Smith becomes our Executive Director. Carole brings significant experience from her work at the Children Services Board and as Associate Director at Cummings Zucker. Carole works with our Board of Trustees to develop a strategic plan to better respond to teenagers who were in crisis. Debbie Tassi is the President of the Board.

Our early childhood

Two independent developments significantly impact our future during these years. The first is the Mental Health Act of 1988, which encouraged the de-institutionalization of mentally ill citizens. The second is the work of an independent consultant, Paul DeMuro, who studied service gaps for Lucas County teens and recommended the development of 24-hour mobile crisis intervention services, intensive home-based treatment, and short-term host homes. These recommendations mirror Connecting Point's strategic plan. With the support of the Lucas County Children Services Board, United Way, and the Lucas County Mental Health Board, Connecting Point moves forward with its strategic plan. The shelter capacity is capped at four youth, resources are reallocated to begin providing community-based crisis intervention, and our first four host home providers are recruited and trained. We begin renting office space at the Hamilton Building for our growing staff.

Our pre-teen years

In response to the Mental Health Act of 1988, the Lucas County Mental Health Board contracts with Connecting Point to provide assessments for young people who may have had a need for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. Juanita Price, the former CEO of the Toledo Mental Health Center, becomes our Executive Director. Juanita provides the stability and leadership that propel our growth for the next decade. Our annual budget is now $600,000. Andrea Spitzer, community volunteer, is the President of the Board.

Our teen years

The Agency becomes solidified in its direction and its role in the community. New programs are implemented to complement our services. Transitional Living Services for older teens are made possible by the United Way, the "Homebuilder" program is developed in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services, and Project Safe Place is unveiled with the support of the City of Toledo, McDonald's and the city's Fire Department. We are beginning to reach out.

We get married

Connecting Point and OPTIONS/Crittenton merge to become The New Connecting Point. Options/Crittenton, led by its founder, Louise Barkan, brings with it services for teen parents and substance abuse treatment as well as the most extensive substance abuse and pregnancy prevention programs in Lucas County. Soon after, the Agency transitions from its original focus on crisis intervention to its new role as a designated mental health agency, boasting the most comprehensive youth services in Lucas County. Edgar Avila, of Key Bank, is the President of the Board.

We make our home

With the support of Robin Stranahan and Bruce Rumpf, the Co-Chairs of our Capital Construction Campaign Committee, Connecting Point raises $1.6 million to construct a new Crisis Center and Central Office at 1212 Cherry Street. Our mental health services expand dramatically and our budget climbs to over $3 million a year.

We start our family

Connecting Pont collaborates with "Homes With a Heart" and its Executive Director, Gary Edwards, to maintain a local private foster care system. As a result, the Agency's Host Home network quadruples in size. Connecting Point reaches an agreement with Boysville of Michigan to begin managing the inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment provided at the St. Anthony Villa. Fifty Villa employees become Connecting Point employees overnight and the Agency becomes the largest youth substance abuse treatment provider in Lucas County. Juanita Price becomes the CEO of the Mental Health System for the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, and Jeff Deckebach is named our new Executive Director. Diane Routson is the President of the Board.

Our family starts to grow

Drs. Nancy Carroll and Karen Kindervater join the Agency as full-time child psychiatrists. We begin providing Street Outreach services for homeless young people, expand Project Safe Place, and develop our prevention programs to serve every Toledo elementary school, winning several state exemplary awards for this work. We work with Toledo Public Schools to operate the Truancy Center and begin working with the Juvenile Court and T.A.S.C. to implement a Juvenile Drug Court. We begin sharing our story and providing consulting services with the support of the Anna E. Casey Foundation. We receive the Exemplary Agency Award from the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Lucas County.

Life as it is today

By the end of 2006 Connecting Point will have:

• Provided substance abuse treatment to between 400-500 youth from around the state of Ohio.
• Provided treatment to over 2,000 young people who face mental health issues.
• Responded to more than 3,000 crisis or information/referral calls from youth and families, and provided emergency short-term residential service for over 300 young people.
• Provided prevention services for nearly 15,000 youth throughout Northwest Ohio.

Our annual budget is over $9 million. We employ 185 Staff and have 35 Host Home providers.