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Today Cunningham continues as a premier residential
therapeutic treatment center committed to serving an
extremely troubled population. As the degree of abuse,
neglect and abandonment of children and youth has increased
in Illinois, so has the severity of the resulting behavior
disorders, learning disabilities and emotional disturbances
in the children and youth Cunningham serves. New programs
continue to be developed and implemented to meet these
increasingly devastating needs.
The Cunningham treatment milieu, while retaining the
incentive program based on behavior modification and
relationship building, is now grounded in the Circle
of Courage resiliency model. Cunningham has used
this approach to enfold hurting youth in a soft, nurturing
framework of safety, care, love and therapeutic treatment.
The Circle of Courage is used throughout Cunningham's
programs --counseling, special education, therapeutic
recreation, cottage life, spiritual life -- and has
helped Cunningham successfully guide youth away from
isolation and despair into a community which gives them
a future and a hope.
In 1997 Cunningham established the long-desired Treatment
Foster Care Program (today known as "Specialized
Foster Care.") The foster care parents recruited
for this program earn their state license and then complete
extra training in caring for youth with behavior disorders
and multiple issues who are ready to "step down"
from a residential setting to a community placement.
Cunningham's program provides continuous support, youth
therapy, and respite-as-needed for these foster parents
and the youth they care for. Cunningham's Foster
Care program helps kids have more success as they are
transition back into the community, while also allowing
staff to continue to play a role in the youth's program
and to celebrate the youth's success.
1997 also saw another dream begin to take shape. For
106 years Cunningham Children's Home has been a sanctuary
for children and youth in need. Spiritual healing, exploration
and growth have always been essential to life at Cunningham.
Today, the Chapel Fund established in 1997 continues
to grow in order to provide a Chapel on Cunningham's
campus. The Chapel will provide a spiritual home for
current and former Cunningham residents and staff and
for friends of Cunningham. Cunningham looks forward
to this spiritual presence on campus, a place to grieve,
a place for memories and a place for joy. The Chapel
will provide the opportunity to participate in a faith
community within the community of Cunningham Children's
Home.
CIRCLE Academy, on the Cunningham campus, is a special
education school developed and operated by Cunningham
in response to a request from Champaign County special
education directors. The program grew from a county-wide
need for additional support and services for students
ages 6-19 with emotional and behavior disorders. The
services provided include individualized academic instruction,
consistent therapeutic interventions, counseling (individual,
group and family), case management, speech and language
therapy, occupational therapy and crisis intervention.
CIRCLE Academy derives its name from the Circle of Courage
therapeutic treatment model used to frame all the individual
programs at Cunningham.
In July 2000 Cunningham Children's Home joined other
members of the United Methodist Association in celebrating
the caring work of United Methodist related health and
welfare agencies. Cunningham youth and staff hosted
over 200 former residents, Cunningham friends, and members
of the community at "Homecoming 2000 Open House." The
youth and staff entertained guests with live music performances,
an art exhibit and craft show/sale featuring the work
of students from Gerber Residential School and CIRCLE
Academy Day Treatment School, demonstrations by the
Cunningham Vocational Education students and campus
tours.
Also in 2000, the Board of Directors approved the establishment
of the Cunningham Children's Home Foundation and in
2001 the Foundation began its work. It's three major
areas of responsibility are to 1) provide charitable
support to meet the annual agency operating needs, 2)
provide charitable support to meet the major capital
needs of the agency, and 3) provide management and leadership
to maximize the performance and growth of the Cunningham
endowment assets and funds. The Foundation's sole purpose
is to support the mission and ministry of Cunningham
Children's Home to ensure that for generations to come
children, youth, and families will continue to receive
God's loving grace through the mission and ministry
of Cunningham Children's Home.
In September of 2003, Cunningham embarked
on a major capital campaign to raise funds for new facilities
that will transform the Cunningham campus. Phase I of
the Campus Master Plan creates a new clinical and residential/health
services building, which will include three 10-bed residential
cottages/wings, a health services center, play therapy
room, and therapy/case management offices. In March
of 2004, members of the Cunningham Children's Home Board
of Directors voted unanimously to approve construction
on the facility. Currently under construction, the new
building is scheduled to be completed in June 2005.
Next: A Future and A Hope >>
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