What began as an orphanage 177 years ago has, over the years, become a source for a variety of services, but the focus remains what it always has been -- the welfare of children.
Pressley Ridge recently received $10,000 from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. in honor of Robert Runnette, an agent with the company and a volunteer and board member at Pressley Ridge.
The award was part of MassMutual's National Community Service Award program, and Pressley Ridge was one of 10 organizations in the country to be recognized.
With its main campus on Marshall Avenue on the North Side and its headquarters on Corporate Drive in McCandless, Pressley Ridge has provided a variety of services to children since 1832.
"We began as an orphanage during the Industrial Revolution. Then, after the Civil War, there were many kids left without families, so we continued our mission," said Dr. B. Scott Finnell, president and CEO of the nonprofit organization.
"We had prided ourselves on meeting the needs of children and families, but [eventually] orphanage care was no longer appropriate. We found we could better serve children and families by providing treatment. That meant expanding our services," Dr. Finnell said.
Originally called the Protestant Orphan Asylum, the facility became the Presbyterian Home for Children in 1950. In 1969, it merged with Pressley House and became Pressley Ridge School. In 2003, it dropped the "school" to become simply Pressley Ridge.
Today, Pressley Ridge serves children who are troubled or developmentally challenged while trying to keep them connected to their families and communities. It provides residential services; foster care; community-based programs, including family-based mental health services; and educational services, including day school and supplemental services.
"We have found that we can assist more children and families through community-based programming," Dr. Finnell said. "That doesn't mean we still don't see the need for residential setting. We have about 25 children at our residential campus, but we want to help them succeed in a community setting."
Pressley Ridge offers services throughout Western Pennsylvania and has programs in West Virginia, Delaware, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. It also provides services in Portugal and Hungary.
Children come to Pressley Ridge by referral from their home school district, from the court system and Children, Youth and Families Services, from their physicians and managed health care, or from parents or relatives. Pressley Ridge works with 52 school districts in providing services.
One parent from Spring Garden depends on Pressley Ridge for day school for her son who has behavioral issues and is bipolar.
"He was in another school that was closing and everyone's recommendation was Pressley Ridge," she said. "I went to visit them and was immediately sold."
In her child's case, a classroom liaison works with parent and child to tackle specific issues, such as separation anxiety. She said her son has matured, working through many of his problems. "They taught him how to act. It is amazing the changes from last year. Even the staff says that he has really grown up."
Although Pressley Ridge has expanded geographically, "Our home is definitely Pittsburgh," Dr. Finnell said. "Of the 3,000 children we may be serving in a day, about 1,000 of those are in the Pittsburgh area."
Like many nonprofits and health-care providers, the funding climate has changed for the organization.
"In the past, if we provided a service, we got reimbursed. But things have changed. We may provide a particular service and not be compensated. We provide over $3 million of under-compensated care," Dr. Finnell said.
"Because of friends that we have on our board and friends in companies such as MassMutual, we are able to continue to provide our services. We continue to look for strong partnerships like this," he said.
The annual Pressley Ridge Ice Cream Fundae is a popular fundraiser. This year, it will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.
"This is the only major fundraiser that we have, and it is a really big, historic event now," Dr. Finnell said. Hagan provides ice cream, and guests can stop at ice cream stations scattered throughout the zoo while visiting exhibits.
"We used to host it at our campus, but we simply outgrew it. The last two years, we had it at the zoo and have had 3,000 to 4,000 people there," he said.
In addition to his work at Pressley Ridge, Dr. Finnell is board chairman of the Alliance for Children & Families, a national organization.
Kathleen Ganster
9 July 2009
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09190/982598-54.stm#ixzz0Km1Q8FMV&D
