• Maida Silver appointed President.
• The Valdale Residence opened to accommodate six consumers in Yonkers.
• Special grants supported the establishment of the End-of-Life Care and Bereavement Center.
• Jewish Programming services expanded to meet needs of Westchester Jewish residents.
• First Pillars of Community Award presented to Larry and Yvette Gralla.
• Began the WJCS Jewish Spiritual Healing Center.

2002

• Provided extensive community programming in the aftermath of September 11th tragedies.
• Expanded services in the Peekskill area, including the opening of a new clinic site, expanding the Center for Trauma and Abuse into the community and implementing school initiatives.
• Pillars of Community Award presented to Dr. Jack Posen of The Pammy Fund.

2003

• Celebrated 60th Anniversary with “Twist & Shout” Gala to support the Jewish Programming Endowment.
• Pillars of Community awarded to the J.E. & Z.B. Butler Foundation.
• Opened Hudson Terrace Residence.
• The Learning Center became the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Learning Center.
• Launch of WJCS Undoing Racism Alliance dedicated to eliminating societal racism by presenting speakers and educating on issues relating to racial injustice.

2004

• Robert Stavis appointed President.
• Pathways to Care, a comprehensive program for people coping with advanced illness and bereavement, became the Westchester regional center of the UJA-Federation.
• Jewish Healing and Hospice Partnership.

2005

• The Peekskill Family Mental Health Clinic expanded and moved, incorporating services previously provided by Catholic Charities.

• Agency launched an extensive Strategic Planning initiative to set priorities for the coming years.

• A changed environment for senior adults prompted the closing of the Enriched Housing Apartments for the Frail.
• Elderly and residents were successfully relocated.

2006

• Senior Services in Mt. Vernon at Sinai Free Synagogue began programming for older adults previously served by the Rose YM-YWHA.
• Milestones Early Intervention Program opened in New Rochelle.
• Margaret’s Place safe rooms were situated in four schools in partnership with The Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation.
• The Autism Family Support Center, funded by UJA– Federation of NY, began providing resources and services for families with children on the autism spectrum.
• Created positions of Director of Children’s Services and Director of Senior Services were created.

2007

• Michel Araten appointed President.
• Began implementation of Child & Family Clinic Plus to provide emotional health screenings and services for children entering public schools.
• Treatment Center for Trauma and Abuse celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
• Weinberg Learning Center celebrated 40 years as a WJCS Program.
• Parent-Child Home Program celebrated 35 years of service.
• Home Health Services celebrated 60 years.
• Launched Early Childhood Matters and Child Care Home Programs.
• Began Early Step Forward-Building Better Beginnings.
• Established Milestones satellite at Pleasantville JCC.
• Incorporated Hardy Girls/Healthy Women curricula in 10 WJCS programs.

2008

• Celebrated WJCS’ 65th anniversary.
• Opened Maple House in Harrison.
• POINT (Pursuing Our Independence Together) was established to provide a supportive community for adults with special needs, enabling its members to live, work, and socialize independently.
• Established Juvenile Fire-setting Evaluation and Treatment Program. Began Envision to encourage and support the academic and career goals of young women.
• Collaborated with Crossroads in Jerusalem.
• Began Family Caregiver Network providing support and referrals.
• Became partner in Gramatan Village Project.

2009

• WJCS was noted among the top 10 in the Top Rated List of NonProfits in New York resulting from a survey by Great NonProfits.
• Discontinued services at the Yorktown Heights Mental Health Clinic.
• Opened Chai House in White Plains for young Jewish women.
• Opened the Mary J. Blige Center for Women.
• Terminated the Family Center daycare program in Yonkers.
• Began Connect to Care to help Jewish community affected by economic downturn.
• Launched Guiding Parents Through Services (GPS) to link families to resources.
• Collaboration of Project Trust with White Plains Police Dept and WJCS Trauma Center.
• Began Women Helping Women, assisting women displaced by economic downturn.

2010

• Carol Corbin appointed President.
• Adapted clinic services to accommodate NY State’s Clinic Restructuring Initiative.
• Opened Claremont House in Mt. Vernon.
• Young People Achieve received the Westchester County
• Board of Health Distinguished Public Health Services Award.
• Initiated Project SEED to help synagogue nursery school educators address challenging behaviors.
• Home Health Services became a provider for the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion program.
• The Partner Abuse Intervention Program was highlighted in NY State’s Office of Mental Health Comprehensive Plan.
• Closed Day Treatment Center in White Plains and the New Rochelle Clinic, expanding services in Peekskill, Yonkers, and Mt. Vernon.
• Received NYS Office of Mental Health grant to partner with community groups in coordinating emotional/developmental screenings of children in Yonkers.
• Launched Facebook page, a blog on senior issues, and online reference guides.
• Expanded Supporting Children’s Opportunities and Parents.
• Empowerment in Schools (SCOPES) in Oakside School in Peekskill.

2012

• Parent-Child Home Program celebrated 40th Anniversary.
• 25th Havorah Community Seder for Developmentally Disabled people hosted 200 guests.
• Delivered Crisis Counseling and and other programing.
• POINT program celebrated its fifth anniversary.
• Coordinated Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) Incorporated.
• CBHS Became Partner in New York Integrated Network (NYIN).

2013

• Barry Kaplan appointed President.
• WJCS celebrated its 70th anniversary.
• The Academic and Career Support (ACS) program launched at the Mary J. Blige Center for Women in Yonkers through the support of David and Pam Zaslav.
• The Taft Community Room in White Plains opened as a community space for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. (It later expanded to include a vocational center, social, recreational and educational activities.)
• Hartsdale Family Mental Health Center underwent a major renovation through the support of the Leon Lowenstein Foundation and was renamed “The Maxine Bendheim Center.”
• WJCS closed its Achieving Milestones program after seven years of providing effective, comprehensive, early intervention services to the Westchester community.

2014

• The Off the Street after-school program at Hamilton Elementary School won a five-year grant of $870,000 from NY State Office of Children and Family Services, allowing expansion to five days a week and doubling the number of children served to 125.
• In August 2014, WJCS received a $2,000,000 endowment from the Henry Rothschild Irrevocable Trust to support.
• Home Health Aide Training activities. (Additional payment received in 2016.)
• Youth Mental Health First Aid launched in collaboration with Westchester’s Department of Community Mental Health to equip adults to support youth who may be experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis.

2015

• The Wiener Academy for Young Women at the Mary J. Blige Center for Women was created to provide girls in Yonkers, grades 4 to 8, with after school and summer experiences designed to build character, enhance social development, and promote health and wellness.

2016

• Neil Sandler appointed President.
• Budget is now $40 million.
• WJCS implemented an intensive training program for all program staff to become trauma-informed in recognition of the pervasiveness of trauma.
• WJCS established an alliance with Greyston Bakery to provide care management services to their employees.
• WJCS received $2.2 million VAP (Vital Access Providers) funding from New York State to help pay for a new Electronic Health Record, finance software, and other efficiencies.

2017

• The Treatment Center for Trauma and Abuse celebrated its 35th Anniversary and was renamed the Trager Lemp Center for Treating Trauma & Promoting Resilience.
• To address the serious opioid epidemic, WJCS acquired a clinic license to treat substance abuse to individuals also struggling with a mental illness.

2018

• WJCS celebrated its 75th Anniversary.
• POINT celebrated its 10th Anniversary.
• WJCS launched its first one-week Center Lane Pride Camp.
• Alan Trager retired after 20 years as Chief Executive Officer.
• Seth Diamond appointed Chief Executive Officer.

2019

• Mariquita Blumberg appointed President.
• Launched Westchester’s first NNORC (Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) in Yonkers to help seniors age safely in place.
• Provided trauma trainings to first responders to help them handle the stressful circumstances of their jobs.
• Began screening all mental health clients for substance use to improve treatment outcomes for those with co-occurring disorders.

2020

• In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, pivoted to providing behavioral health services via telehealth video chat and phone sessions.
• Direct Support Staff provided 24/7 care to 90+ WJCS group home residents whose day programs were canceled and whose families couldn’t visit due to social distancing prohibitions during the pandemic.
• WJCS announces partnership with the YWCA Center for Racial Equity to ensure a diverse and inclusive agency culture.

2021

• Introduced numerous programs in response to critical needs due to the Covid pandemic, including the College Wellness Initiative, the Digital Equity Project, and the Covid Relief Hub, in partnership with UJAFederation of NY.
• Provided bereavement training for social workers across WJCS because of the many clients who lost loved ones in the pandemic.
• Conducted vaccination clinics to ensure that WJCS staff, who are essential workers, could get vaccinated.
• Provided transportation so that many of our Holocaust Survivor clients were able to be vaccinated.
• Launched newly-designed WJCS website at wjcs.com.
• Mt. Vernon and Peekskill Family Mental Health Clinics were awarded a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Grant and launched an array of “wraparound” services, including peer support, care management, and employment assistance.
• Treatment for co-occurring disorders expanded with the introduction of Encompass, an evidence-based treatment for individuals with mental health and substance use problems, and CRAFT, a treatment for the significant others of substance-involved individuals.
• Teen Mental Health First Aid was introduced to train high school students in grades 10-12 to recognize depression, substance abuse, and other common mental health problems in themselves and their peers and provides knowledge about how to access appropriate care.
• WJCS School-based Clinics expanded services to all three Elmsford Schools Public Schools.
• WJCS was awarded a grant from Westchester County to establish a mobile crisis response team in collaboration with the Peekskill Police Department and Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health.

2022

• WJCS Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) in Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, and Peekskill offered mental health clients “wraparound” services, including connection to housing, legal, and other community resources, advocacy assistance, and hands-on help during at-home visits.
• All individuals treated for mental health conditions at WJCS clinics were encouraged to meet with one of our Licensed Practical Nurses for Health Monitoring Visits to screen for medical problems and ensure medication safety and compliance.
• WJCS opened a Parent Child Center in Tarrytown and launched a ParentChild+ program in Yonkers.
• The Crime Victim Advocacy and Support Services Program (CVASSP) was launched to provide comprehensive services to all victims of crimes.
• WJCS hosted Holocaust Survivor Day, Hanukkah, and Sukkot Luncheon, and launched a Share Shabbat program where we pair a volunteer with a survivor to bring them a Shabbat meal the last Shabbat of every month.