HILLCREST FAMILY SERVICES

HILLCREST FAMILY SERVICES. A Dubuque based non-profit agency dedicated to the full development of individuals, children and families, Hillcrest was originally founded in 1896 because of the concern for unwed mothers and their babies. The initial efforts on their behalf began with Dr. [[HILL, Nancy|Nancy HILL} and several influential Dubuque women who founded the WOMEN'S RESCUE SOCIETY of Dubuque. This group established the Women’s Rescue Home.

On February 26, 1896, when the Women’s Rescue Society was incorporated, the Certificate of Incorporation stated, “The purpose and object of this Society is to establish and maintain a nonsectarian Home for girls and women in need of moral assistance and protection and where such inmates, as the Society deems proper to receive, can be provided for and maintained at the pleasure of the Trustees under such rules and restrictions as the Society may deem beneficial for their moral welfare and where they may be afforded industrial education and training according to their condition and need.”

The Rescue Home closed in 1914 as a transition to serving children under 2 years of age occurred. An April 12, 1914 article in the Telegraph Herald stated that “About a year ago it was found necessary to change the character of this work and, in the opinion of the best qualified charity workers, it was deemed best to establish a Baby Fold for the protection and care of neglected babies.” Anna Blanche COOK, resident deaconess at ST. LUKE'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, and a group of concerned women opened the HILLCREST DEACONESS HOME AND BABY FOLD in 1914. Anna B. LAWTHER and Deaconess Anna Blanche Cook appealed to the Rev. Hugh Dowling ATCHISON of St. Luke’s United Methodist Episcopal Church in Dubuque for help in running the new institution. Deaconess Cook also worked at St. Luke’s. Since Deaconess Anna Blanche Cook was involved in the operation of the home it was required that she report to the Deaconess Board of the Upper Iowa Conference. This relationship with St. Luke’s began the affiliation with Upper Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church.

The first meeting of the Hillcrest Deaconess Home and Baby Fold was held on April 20, 1914 This meeting occurred at 2:30 PM in the classroom of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. Present were “Mrs. Lightcap, Gratiot, Blades, Jeffers, Lequr, Treler, Tower, Michel, & Misses Cook (Anna Blanche Cook), Eighmey & Lawther (Anna B. Lawther). Mrs. Lightcap was made temporary chairman & Miss Lawther temporary secretary.” They decided that the organization was “found for the purpose of carrying on the work of the Hillcrest Deaconess House & Baby fold & taking over the property of the Rescue Home assuming the debts, collecting subscriptions for the same and receiving any interest & money due the former Rescue House…” The entire board consisted of Mrs. Lightcap, Trexler, Lequr, Corrance, Gardner, Ficke, John Taylor Adams, Kiesel, Tower, Michel, Jeffers, Loetscher, Gratiot, Blades, Miss Cook, Allen, Eighmey, Giesman, Lawther. The first superintendent of the home was D. Etta Clark, a deaconess of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A 4-12-1914 article in the TH stated that she previously worked at the Baby Fold in Normal Illinois.

Anna B. Lawther had joined the board of the Women’s Rescue Society in 1902 and served until 1914. She would be an active board member of the Baby Fold from 1914 until 1952. She served as honorary board member and historian until her death in October, 1957.

The Women's Rescue Society deeded their fourteen-room house and barn along Asbury Road, 4.6 acres of ground, and transferred a mortgage of $1,700 and $276 in cash to the Hillcrest Deaconess Home and Baby Fold with the restrictions that if the Baby Fold could no longer operate that the property, money and securities shall be used for Protestant philanthropic work in Dubuque at the discretion of the Upper Iowa Annual Conference. It further stated that the said work shall be under the control of the Upper Iowa Annual Conference. Annual financial support from the Upper Iowa Methodist Conference began in 1924.

During the first year of its operation, the Baby Fold helped thirteen children. The success of the Baby Fold soon led to its being crowded, and it was necessary to expand the original home. A police matron, Bridget Brennan, led a fund-drive that raised $2,000. Miss Brennan was a Catholic. The first recorded contribution, fifty cents, came from a cleaning woman living in the FLATS. Between 1920 and 1922 a total of $10,000 was collected from two hundred Dubuque residents. A major contributor was Sarah Wallis Winall who was later named "Benefactor of Hillcrest Baby Fold." An addition was finally built after another $10,000 was borrowed. In 1924, the organization was formally renamed HILLCREST BABY FOLD.

In 1928 the Baby Fold became a charter member of the Dubuque Community Chest now known as United Way Dubuque Area Tri-states. Other agencies included: Boys Club, Boy Scouts, Mt. Pleasant Home, Salivation Army, Sunshine Circle, Visiting Nurses Association, YWCA, YMCA.

From 1914 until 1963 the mission of Hillcrest Baby Fold was the housing and care of infants. During those years, the institutions prepared 2,675 children for adoption. The continued growth of adoption services and residential care for children resulted in planning that started in 1949 for an addition to the original building. That led to the construction in 1953 and 1954 of one story addition to the original building at a cost of $200,000.

Philosophies of child-care changed, and in 1963 the institutional care of children was discontinued. The name of the institution was changed to HILLCREST CHILDREN'S SERVICES. The two story office and staff building, known as Hillcrest House, was converted to a residence for up to twenty unmarried mothers. This was a return to the mission of The Women’s Rescue Home. The one story 1954 building was renovated into administrative facilities. This facility was remodeled again in 2003. The re-dedication of the newly named, Barbara Butler Center, occurred on November 21, 2003, fifty years to the date of the original laying of the cornerstone for the building.

Leadership of the Organization over 125 years included:

Miss De Etta Clark-----------Superintendent/Deaconess-----------4/20/1914 through 12/18/1922

Miss Anna Blanche Cook-------Superintendent/Deaconess/Director--4/20/1914 through 2/11/1923

Mrs. Ina Horsfal Superintendent/Deaconess 4/14/2021 5/31/2023

Miss Jennie Jackson Superintendent/Deaconess 6/14/23 1924 Mrs. M.G. Kuebler Superintendent 4/7/25 8/1/1941 Mrs. Ida Frerich Superintendent 10/1/1941 9/1/1942 Miss Brown Superintendent 8/1/1942 9/1/1943 Mrs. Sidle Superintendent 9/1/1943 1944 Mrs. Larson Superintendent 7/15/1944 1/1/1945 Miss Eisler Superintendent 2/1/1945 9/1/1945 Mrs. Elva Harris Superintendent 10/1/1945 7/1/1949 Mrs. Winifred Luke Superintendent 7/1/1949 2/1/1953 Rev. John Kilmer Executive Secretary & Executive Director 9/1/1949 1/1/1962 Mary Alice Hanger Director 9/1/1950 9/1/1958 Rev. Eugene McClure Superintendent/Executive Director 9/1/1960 7/1/1966 Donald R. Osborne Executive Director 7/1/1966 4/1/1988 Craig Mosher Interim Executive Director 4/1/1988 7/1/1988 Donald B. Lewis Executive Director 7/1/1988 9/1/1997 Bradley Klug Interim Executive Director 9/1/1997 2/15/1998 Gary L. Gansemer Executive Director - President/CEO 2/16/1998 4/5/2017 Julie Heiderscheit President/CEO 4/2/2017 9/6/2019 Gary L. Gansemer Interim President/CEO 9/9/2019 11/5/2019 Francie Tuescher Interim President/CEO 11/5/2019 7/12/2020 Michael Fidgeon President/CEO 7/13/2020

 

Agency Leadership. . . . . . . .Title. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Started. . . . . Ended

Miss De Etta Clark . . . . .Superintendent/Deaconess. . . . . . . . . . 4/20/1914. . . 12/18/1922

Miss Anna Blanche Cook Superintendent/Deaconess/Director . . 4/20/1914 . . . . 2/11/1923

Mrs. Ina Horsfal Superintendent/Deaconess 4/14/2021 5/31/2023 Miss Jennie Jackson Superintendent/Deaconess 6/14/23 1924

Mrs. M.G. Kuebler Superintendent 4/7/25 8/1/1941

Mrs. Ida Frerich Superintendent 10/1/1941 9/1/1942

Miss Brown Superintendent 8/1/1942 9/1/1943

Mrs. Sidle Superintendent 9/1/1943 1944

Mrs. Larson Superintendent 7/15/1944 1/1/1945

Miss Eisler Superintendent 2/1/1945 9/1/1945

Mrs. Elva Harris Superintendent 10/1/1945 7/1/1949

Mrs. Winifred Luke Superintendent 7/1/1949 2/1/1953

Rev. John Kilmer Executive Secretary & Executive Director 9/1/1949 1/1/1962

Mary Alice Hanger Director 9/1/1950 9/1/1958

Rev. Eugene McClure Superintendent/Executive Director 9/1/1960 7/1/1966

Donald R. Osborne Executive Director 7/1/1966 4/1/1988

Craig Mosher Interim Executive Director 4/1/1988 7/1/1988

Donald B. Lewis Executive Director 7/1/1988 9/1/1997

Bradley Klug Interim Executive Director 9/1/1997 2/15/1998

Gary L. Gansemer Executive Director - President/CEO 2/16/1998 4/5/2017

Julie Heiderscheit President/CEO 4/2/2017 9/6/2019

Gary L. Gansemer Interim President/CEO 9/9/2019 11/5/2019

Francie Tuescher Interim President/CEO 11/5/2019 7/12/2020

Michael Fidgeon President/CEO 7/13/2020

The Leadership of the Board of Trustees for 125 years included: Board Chair/President Title Date Started Unclear President 3/10/1896 Dr. Nancy Hill President 1/16/1901 Mrs. Lightcap President 4/20/1914 Mrs. H.E. Gratiot President 9/9/1915 Mrs. J.C. Hancock President 9/14/1922 Miss Augusta Eighmey President 10/8/1925 Mrs. Waldo Adams President 9/27/1930 Miss Anna B. Lawther President 10/11/1934 Mrs. Oscar Herrmann President 9/10/1936 Mrs. Franc Altman (Helen) President 10/1/1937 Mrs. John McDonald President 10/1/1940 Mrs. Philo Lange President 9/10/1942 Mrs. Herman Landschulz President 9/14/1944 Mrs. F. W. Trader President 9/12/1946 Mrs. Halsey R. Hangar (Mary Alice) President 9/1/1949 Miss Anna B. Lawther Interim President 9/1/1950 Mrs. L.C. Sundeen President 3/8/1951 Mrs. E. Marshall Thomas (Marjorie) President 3/12/1953 Mrs. Robert Loetscher (Nini, Eugenia) President 9/8/1955 Mrs. Lewis Paisley (Evelyn) President 9/1/1957 Mrs. Lloyd Peterson (Margaret) President 9/10/1959 Mrs. E. Marshall Thomas (Marjorie) President 9/14/1961 Mrs. Wesley W. Heitzman (Harriet) President 9/13/1962 Mrs. William Province (Helen) President 9/10/1964 Mrs. Allan Sigman (Elizabeth) President 9/8/1966 Rev. Donald Caspers President 3/26/1968 Rev. David Schuldt President 3/12/1970 Rev. Melvin Miller President 3/9/1972 Arnold Van Etten President 3/14/1974 Mrs. Wayne Davis (Mary) President 3/6/1975 Dr. George West, M.D. President 3/11/1976 William Harvey President 3/10/1977 Robert Preitauer President 3/9/1978 Mrs. Douglas Brotherton (Diane) President 3/9/1979 Rev. Stan Woeste President 3/13/1980 Mrs. John Mather President 3/12/1981 Mary Davis President 3/11/1982 Don Sanders President 3/10/1983 Chuck Evans President 3/8/1984 Doug Brotherton President 3/14/1985 Carolyn Collins President 3/13/1986 Bob Chesterman President 3/12/1987 Jim Stark President 3/9/1989 Katie Krieg President 3/8/1990 Steve Scott President 3/14/1991 Tom Stecher President 3/12/1992 Sharon Finnin President 3/10/1994 Dave Engle President 3/14/1996 Steve Scott President 3/13/1997 Steve Yoder President 3/12/1998 Julie Johnson President 3/17/2000 Steve Bonnet President 3/13/2003 Barb Kehl Chairman 3/10/2005 Rob McDonald Chairman 3/7/2007 Mike Donohue Chairman 3/1/2009 Mel Miller Chairman 3/1/2011 Dean Beresford Chairman 3/1/2013 James Kennedy Chairman 3/1/2015 Tim Runde Chairman 3/1/2017 Alison Fuller Chairman 3/1/2019

The agency merged with the Iowa Methodist Youth Agency in 1968 and was named Hillcrest Services to Children and Youth. In June 1968, the agency was co-sponsored by the Synod of Iowa, United Presbyterian Church, USA. By action of the board of trustees on March 6, 1975, the agency was renamed Hillcrest Family Services.

From 1896 to 2021 Hillcrest Family Services operated fifty-seven different programs. Four of these programs were operated between 1896 to 1968. The other fifty-three programs were added from 1968 to 2021. Adoption is the one continuous service of Hillcrest Family Services for all 125 years. The significant growth of the program offerings was initiated by Don Osborne during his twenty-two year tenures as Executive Director. He laid the foundation for the significant program growth directed by subsequent executive leaders and the Board of Trustees.

During the past 125 years Hillcrest Family Services has had 35 different facilities in the city of Dubuque. In addition, there have been 23 locations in Iowa, one in Illinois, and one in Wisconsin.

Significant program growth in Dubuque included the following; • 1971 Tri-county Family Planning Clinic opens in Dubuque. It was later known as Professional Health Clinic. The Clinic closed in early 2020.

• 1972 Opened Delhi Group Home for boys and Fenelon Group Home for girls in Dubuque. Both homes had previously been operated by Dubuque County Social Services.

• 1977 Opened first shelter care facility for adolescents on Jefferson Street in Dubuque.

• 1979 Opened first new boys’ residential treatment center, Margaret A. Peterson Lodge, on the Asbury Road campus. It was named in honor of long time board member.

• 1982 Opened the Child Care nutrition program, which became a Federal WIC program.

• 1988 Special Education program for residents started in Dubuque in former Executive Director home. The program would expand to include non-Hillcrest residents and it would expand to several other Iowa and Illinois communities. In 2011 the school was renamed Anna B. Lawther Academy in honor of long time Hillcrest board member, state education advocate, and women’s rights leader. A new school/gym was built in 2012 for the Dubuque program. The program in Dubuque would close in June 2019

• 1989 Opened two five bed adult group homes in Dubuque on Marywood and Vizallea Drives.

• 1990 The Hillcrest -Mercy Maternal Health Program was initiated and the program was moved to the Professional Arts Plaza next to Mercy Hospital. This is partnership to improve the Maternal Health Program that was originally started in 1988.

• 1993 Two newly constructed adolescent treatment centers opened in Dubuque on Hillcrest Road. They were the New Hope sexual offender treatment program and the Molitore PMIC unit (Psychiatric Medical Institution for Children) dual diagnosis treatment program for boys and girls.

• 1995 Constructed third new residential treatment center on Hillcrest Road, which was called Pathways Program.

• 1996 A youth mentoring program was transferred to Hillcrest by Dubuque Department of Human Services. The program was affiliated with Big Brother Big Sisters in 1997. Due to economic considerations the program was disaffiliated with BB/BS and named Mentor Dubuque in 2013.

• 2002 Leased space from Dubuque County at Julien Care Facility for emergency youth shelter.

• 2002 Completed the remodeling 1995 Asbury Road, with the help of a HUD grant. It housed the Transitional Housing program for homeless families.

• 2005 Opened PATH Program for homeless persons with mental illness.

• 2006 Assumed operations of the former Gannon Center for Community Mental Health in Dubuque County and renamed it “Hillcrest Mental Health Center”.

• 2012 Hillcrest purchased the Julien Care facility and assumed operations for adult residential services there and renamed it the Seippel Road Facility.

• 2013 Started Integrated Health Homes program to coordinate access to mental health care.

• 2021 - AccessMeCare (care coordination) program opened. As with all non-profits, fund raising is a crucial survival element for Hillcrest. Two ongoing fund raisers are crucial to the success of Hillcrest. In November of 1985 the first Mario’s Italian Dinner to raise money for Christmas presents for Hillcrest residents was held at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dubuque. Other than during the pandemic year of 2020 this event has been held every year since. "Reflections in the Park", Dubuque's annual holiday lights festival at Murphy Park was started in 1995. For 26 years this event has raised substantial funds to enable the operation of vital programs. The event has become a holiday tradition for the entire Tri-State area. In 2021 the event was viewed by 66,000 people, the largest number in Reflections history. This event would not be possible without the year round dedication of many volunteers.

From modest beginnings in 1896 the organizational impact has grown significantly.  In 1901 ten women and five children were served.  In FY 2020 Hillcrest Family Services served 30,648 people.

--- Source: 1. Gwiasda, Susan B. "New Hillcrest Program Targets Abuse Cycle," Telegraph Herald, December 14, 1993, p. 2A 2. Gwiasda, Susan B, "Hillcrest to Use Grant to Build," Telegraph Herald, March 8, 1994, p. 2A 3. Hogstrom, Erik, "Hillcrest Wellness Center Opens New Doors," Telegraph Herald, February 11, 2008, p. 1 4. "Hillcrest Tries to Fill Gaps Since Planned Parenthood Closure," Online: http://kdth.radiodubuque.com/news/dubuque-tri-state-news/ February 8, 2017 5. Thomas, Jordan. " 'Reflections in the Park' Has Record-Breaking Year," KWWL.com January 12, 2018, Online: http://www.kwwl.com/story/37256195/2018/1/12/reflections-in-the-park-has-record-breaking-year 6. Montgomery, Jeff, "Hillcrest Plans New Care Facility," Telegraph Herald, March 18, 2019, p. 3A 7. "Hillcrest Program for Struggling Youngsters to Transfer to Irving Elementary School," Telegraph Herald, May 6, 2019, p. 3 8. Montgomery, Jeff,"Mental Health Centers to Close," Telegraph Herald, November 23, 2019, p. 1A 9. Goldstein, Bennet, "Hillcrest Proposes Alternative to Subacute Care Center," Telegraph Herald, December 10, 2019, p. 1A 10. Hinga, Allie, "Hillcrest to Cut Family Planning Program," Telegraph Herald, February 9, 2020, p. 1A Categories: • Organizations-Community Social Services • Health Care • Counseling Services

HILLCREST FAMILY SERVICES. A non-profit agency dedicated to the full development of individuals, children and families, Hillcrest was founded in 1914 because of the concern for unwed mothers and their babies. The initial efforts on their behalf began with Dr. Nancy HILL who founded the WOMEN'S RESCUE SOCIETY of Dubuque in 1896. This group established the Industrial Training School that provided child care and training. It closed in 1909 because of lack of funding.

Dr. Hill, then an elderly woman, approached Anna Blanche COOK, resident deaconess at ST. LUKE'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, for assistance. Cook and a group of concerned women opened the DEACONESS HOME AND BABY FOLD in 1914. The Women's Rescue Society then deeded their fourteen-room house and barn along Asbury Road, 4.6 acres of ground, and transferred a mortgage of $1,700 and $276 in cash to the Upper Iowa Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. St. Luke's accepted financial responsibility for the Baby Fold and other churches in Dubuque made financial contributions. During the first year of its operation, the Baby Fold helped thirteen children.

The success of the Baby Fold soon led to its being crowded, and it was necessary to expand the original home. A police matron, Bridget Brennan, led a fund-drive that raised $2,000. The first recorded contribution, fifty cents, came from a cleaning woman living in the FLATS. Between 1920 and 1922 a total of $10,000 was collected from two hundred Dubuque residents. A major contributor was Sarah Wallis Winall who was later named "Benefactor of Hillcrest Baby Fold." An addition was finally built after another $10,000 was borrowed.

Financial support from the Upper Iowa Methodist Conference began in 1924. At the suggestion of Miss Cook, the operation was formally renamed HILLCREST BABY FOLD to commemorate the contributions of Dr. Hill.

From 1914 until 1963 the mission of Hillcrest Baby Fold was the housing and care of infants. During those years, the institutions prepared 2,675 children for adoption. Hillcrest, licensed to care for forty-three children, was known nationally for its high standards and modern equipment. It also benefited from an excellent staff and such superintendents as Miss DeEtte Clark, Mrs. M. E. Kuebler, Mrs. Elva Harris, Mary Alice Hanger, Rev. John Kilmer, and Rev. Eugene L. McClure. In 1930 the daily cost of operation for an average of forty children was $42.00. Unexpected expenses included one instance when serum had to be purchased for forty-four children who came down with whooping cough at the same time.

In response to the growing need to care for more children, a one-story, fireproof building was constructed in 1954 for $200,000. The original building was then converted into an administrative center.

Philosophies of child-care changed, and in 1963 the institutional care of children was discontinued. The name of the institution was changed to Hillcrest Children's Services. The two story office and staff building, known as Hillcrest House, was converted to a residence for up to twenty unmarried mothers. The Baby Fold was renovated into administrative facilities.

The movement into providing care for teens began slowly with the opening of Wesley Place in Des Moines in August 1967. The center was licensed to care for eight adolescent boys. The agency merged with the Iowa Methodist Youth Agency in 1968 and was named Hillcrest Services to Children and Youth. In June 1968, the agency was co-sponsored by the Synod of Iowa, United Presbyterian Church, USA. By action of the board of trustees on March 6, 1975, the agency was renamed Hillcrest Family Services.

In 1991 Hillcrest operated seven residential treatment facilities: five in Dubuque, one in Cedar Rapids, and one in Iowa City. Services provided by a staff of 200 full- and part-time employees included residential treatment for adolescents and adults, adoption, unplanned pregnancy counseling, family and individual counseling, chemical dependency education, and family planning services.

Hillcrest announced a program in 1993 to target sexual abuse victims and break the cycle of abused becoming abuser. The program focused on adolescent boys with an average age of 14 who were the victims of sexual abuse and might become perpetrators themselves. To be accepted into the program, the adolescent could not be a high-risk offender or violent. The ratio of staff to adolescent was one-to-three and there was 24-hour supervision. (1)

A $400,000 community block grant through Dubuque County in 1994 made possible the construction of a third youth cottage on Hillcrest Road. This would allow adolescents being served in Hillcrest House a new facility. Hillcrest House had been in continuous use since the founding of the agency in 1896. Other items mentioned that year in its $1 million "Meeting the Challenge of Change" included remodeling Hillcrest House for administrative offices, renovation of the present main building for an expanded clinic, counseling offices and the Women, Infants and Children Program. (2)

The WIC (Women, Infants, Children) Program used federal funds to subsidize nutritious meals for children from infancy to five years. Mothers receive special training in preparing healthy meals. Hillcrest-Mercy Maternal Health Center, in cooperation with Mercy Health Center, was designed for low-income women who have neither health insurance nor eligibility for other indigent health care. Maternal health care provided and paid for prenatal and postnatal services.

An emergency shelter, a twelve bed facility, provided care for youth from crisis family situations between the ages of twelve and seventeen for up to thirty days. Hillcrest's supervised apartment living program was designed to provide adolescents with a supervised environment in which they received guidance in learning skills needed for independent or semi-independent living. The supervised apartment living program provided in-home or on the job services to help adults psychiatrically disabled living on their own handle everyday problems. Day treatment helped emotionally and behaviorally disturbed youth and their families. The youth remained with their families during treatment that was concerned with building daily living skills, positive relationships, and improving self-esteem. The first board of directors included Mrs. Sarah Wallis Winall, Mrs. L. L. Lightcap, Mrs. Louis Trexler, Mrs. J. C. Segur, Mrs. Elizabeth Corrance, Mrs. B. F. Gardner, Mrs. A. E. Loetscher, Mrs. H. Ficke, Mrs. John T. Adams, Mrs. George W. Kiesel, Mrs. Fannie Tonner, Mrs. B. T. Michel, Miss Anna Blanche Cook, Miss Jane Allen, Miss Augusta Eighmey, Miss Minnie Gieseman, Miss Anna B.L, Mrs. Harriet E. Gratiot, Mrs. David H. Jeffers, and Mrs. William Blades.

In September, 2007 the Hillcrest Wellness Center was opened at the former United Way Services Inc. building at 6th and Main STREETS. Considered an important asset for those seriously mentally impaired, the site would offer a place for them to relate to other with similar problems, meet with peers, and develop new skills. (3)

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland announced around 2016 that its Dubuque clinic would be closing due to a lack of demand for services. In the months since the announcement, officials at Hillcrest Family Services reported seeing requests for family planning services increase. The difference, though, was that Hillcrest staff did not discuss abortion. While the organization has a religious aspect to it, that only came up if the client asked. (4)

"Reflections in the Park", Dubuque's annual holiday lights festival, helped raise almost $140,000 for Hillcrest Family Services' programs in 2017. Money raised from sponsorships and tickets helped provide health and education services throughout Iowa. Almost 50,000 people attended the event. In 2017, Hillcrest Family Services served over 45,000 people from 12 states and 55 Iowa counties. (5)

In March, 2019 the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors endorsed a plan for Hillcrest to create a new 12-bed residential care facility in Dubuque. The board recommended a contribution of $870,374 for start-up costs used to renovate an existing property in the 2400 block of Hillcrest Road from a foster care facility to one accommodating residential care. (6)

Elementary students using services offered at the Anna B. Lawther Academy, part of Hillcrest. were relocated to IRVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in the fall of 2019. The Irving program was designed for up to twelve students with mental health and behavioral issues in a self-contained wing of the school with two classrooms. (7)

It was announced in November, 2019 that Hillcrest would discontinue the Sub-acute Services Program which served an estimated 200 clients in 2019. Reasons for the closure was a lack of support from the state level and reduced reimbursements from federal health programs. The program served as an intermediary option keeping patients from using expensive emergency room care, being hospitalized or placed in jail. Other mental health services including mobile crisis outreach, therapy and medication management would continue. (8)

Organization officials announced in December that a new crisis service would be established to replace the subacute program which was closed the previous month. The new program would offer both short-term residential and observation and holding program. It would provide a level of care less than that of hospitalization and direct patients away from incarceration in the same manner as the former program but at less cost. Plans called for the new crisis program to provide three beds and 23-hour observation and holding. Patients could stay for up to five days during which they would be linked to local mental health support and resources. (9)

In February, 2020, Hillcrest officials announced the agency would be closing its Professional Health Clinic in Dubuque and educational programs offered in Maquoketa. In Maquoketa the program end came after school district officials had chosen to end a consortium in which Hillcrest operated the Anna B. Lawther Academy. The Professional Health Clinic in Dubuque had offered reproductive health services including pregnancy testing, contraception and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing. Hillcrest would continue to provide screening and treatment services for HIV and other STDs. The clinic had operated for an estimated fifty years, but the nature and delivery of reproductive health care had shifted as citizens had more options to receive these services leading to decreased demand. The clinic served about one thousand people annually. (10)

The 1987 through 1993 Dubuque City Directory listed 2005 Asbury.

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Source:

1. Gwiasda, Susan B. "New Hillcrest Program Targets Abuse Cycle," Telegraph Herald, December 14, 1993, p. 2A

2. Gwiasda, Susan B, "Hillcrest to Use Grant to Build," Telegraph Herald, March 8, 1994, p. 2A

3. Hogstrom, Erik, "Hillcrest Wellness Center Opens New Doors," Telegraph Herald, February 11, 2008, p. 1

4. "Hillcrest Tries to Fill Gaps Since Planned Parenthood Closure," Online: http://kdth.radiodubuque.com/news/dubuque-tri-state-news/ February 8, 2017

5. Thomas, Jordan. " 'Reflections in the Park' Has Record-Breaking Year," KWWL.com January 12, 2018, Online: http://www.kwwl.com/story/37256195/2018/1/12/reflections-in-the-park-has-record-breaking-year

6. Montgomery, Jeff, "Hillcrest Plans New Care Facility," Telegraph Herald, March 18, 2019, p. 3A

7. "Hillcrest Program for Struggling Youngsters to Transfer to Irving Elementary School," Telegraph Herald, May 6, 2019, p. 3

8. Montgomery, Jeff,"Mental Health Centers to Close," Telegraph Herald, November 23, 2019, p. 1A

9. Goldstein, Bennet, "Hillcrest Proposes Alternative to Subacute Care Center," Telegraph Herald, December 10, 2019, p. 1A

10. Hinga, Allie, "Hillcrest to Cut Family Planning Program," Telegraph Herald, February 9, 2020, p. 1A