History
Legacy Treatment Services – A Merger of The Children’s Home and The Drenk Center
With over 200 years of experience serving New Jersey’s most vulnerable and at-risk children, youth, adults and families, Legacy Treatment Services serves as the premier resource in the region for residential, behavioral, and mental health needs. A planning and implementation process that spanned over two years culminated on July 1, 2014 with our official launch date. The detailed merger preparation, under the guidance of CEO Roy Leitstein and CEO Emeritus Harry Marmorstein, paved the way for a seamless transition for over 700 employees providing a full array of programs and services operating in 13 counties throughout New Jersey as well as in New Castle County, Delaware.
The synergy created as a result of this merger makes the most of our vast community partnerships and intellectual resources with exciting opportunities for innovative programs to benefit more people in need throughout New Jersey. We are excited about the possibilities to accelerate the growth of new programs and services, using cutting-edge technology and evidence-based practice in treatment and clinical care.
Joining together two organizations, each with its own rich history, and complementary in their strengths, cultures, vision, programs and services benefits each of our stakeholders. Both agencies evolved over the years to meet the increasingly complex needs of our vulnerable children, adults, and families. With the ever-changing behavioral and mental healthcare environment, as “Legacy Treatment Services,” we are committed to seeking new, innovative solutions that help us provide needed services more efficiently while maintaining stable, sustainable growth.
About The Children’s Home
Established in 1864 as an orphanage for children of the Civil War, the Union Association of The Children’s Home of Burlington County (The Children’s Home) celebrated 150 years of serving disadvantaged children, youth and families from throughout the state. Although originally intended as a home for orphans, from the beginning The Children’s Home accepted children who had at least one parent living. Early records show that these children came from homes marked by poverty, disability and often alcoholism and mental illness.
During the early 1900s, the foundation was laid to continue serving needy children for decades to come. 1906 was a landmark year for The Children’s Home as the bequest of a brick farmhouse on Pine Street in Mount Holly, located on ten acres of land, was made by Edward T. Dobbins in honor of his mother, Mary A. Dobbins.
Throughout its rich and storied history, The Children’s Home has been credited with helping to shape what is known today as standard clinical and therapeutic practices. In 1937, it became one of the first agencies in the state to employ a full-time social service caseworker. By the 1960s, civil unrest and racial divide swept the country; however, the mission to serve children marched on. No longer offering just custodial care, the transition was made to assist more disturbed children and thus the evolution from caretaking to a therapeutic treatment institution.
The 1970s saw another shift in philosophy as The Children’s Home achieved accreditation as a residential treatment center. Multiple construction projects and service expansions soon followed, including a new recreational facility, work-study opportunities, independent living skills training and improved academic services.
Firmly entrenched as an industry leader in the field of social services, The Children’s Home, once offering shelter to only ten children, expanded to serve over 1,000 annually. The gifts of Edward T. Dobbins and his mother Mary are still evident, as a picturesque 10-acre residential campus sits in the center of historic Mount Holly, with additional community housing spread throughout the state. Today, referrals are accepted from all over New Jersey for residential treatment, special education, substance abuse services, and trauma-focused care.
About The Drenk Center
The Lester A. Drenk Behavioral Health Center (The Drenk Center) was founded by Judge Lester A. Drenk in 1954. As a judge who often dealt with juvenile delinquents, Judge Drenk saw a need in his community for counseling services to address the problems of juveniles and their families. The organization was founded as the Burlington County Guidance Center and was later renamed in honor of Judge Drenk. The agency’s history was one of progression, with service expansions aimed at meeting the ever-evolving needs of the community. In the 1970s the seeds of expansion were planted as outpatient services began with a small office in 1973. Four years later, crisis services began with our first 24-hour, hospital-based screening program opening in Mount Holly.
The 1980s saw many changes including the opening of Crisis House, a short-term residential program for adults with a mental health crisis; a full-service Outpatient Department, designated by the State of New Jersey as the Community Mental Health Center for Burlington County; PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness), our first adult case management program; our Family Crisis Intervention Unit; School-Based Youth Services; and Twilight, a therapeutic after-school program for at-risk youth. In the 1990s, therapeutic foster care services were made available, as well as a Supportive Housing program to assist those with mental illness to live successfully in the community.
The geographic presence of The Drenk Center steadily expanded beyond Burlington County during the 2000s to offer services in 10 counties throughout the state. Milestone events included being among the first providers in New Jersey to provide Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services; opening the Family Success Center, which aims to help families before their issues become crises; beginning family reunification services; and significantly expanding our adolescent residential programming with the addition of seven Community Residences for Children. All of these programs and services are still in place today.