Hillside’s 130th Anniversary

This year, Hillside celebrates 130 years of service to the community. Since 1888, they have been a place of healing and hope for children and adolescents in need of a safe and caring environment. Hillside began as a shelter for homeless women and children, arranging foster care placements and adoptions wherever possible. By the 1920s, with generous support from the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta, Hillside established its Morningside campus at 690 Courtenay Drive and began to focus exclusively on school-aged children and their families. Over time, it concentrated their mental healthcare expertise on children and adolescents struggling with behavioral challenges. As Hillside’s campus grew to thirteen acres, six more cottages followed, as well as an AdvancED-accredited school, a medical clinic, a centrally located dining hall, and several options for recreational activities, including a gym, sports court, and swimming pool.

Today, Hillside provides strength-based treatment and support to over 200 young people each day by extending their reach beyond the campus. It offers community- based programming throughout metro Atlanta, including day treatment, in-home services, and treatment foster care. Their services are rooted in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based modality effective in helping individuals with depression, self-injury, suicidal behaviors, and difficulties with emotion regulation.

This year, Hillside was awarded the highly coveted and professionally respectedDBT- Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Program™ (dbt-lbc.org) under the guidance of to Dr. Adam Silberman, Medical Director, and Dr. Kimberly Vay, Ed.D, LPC, NCC, CPCS,  the first clinical professional in Georgia to earn DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™. Hillside is the first child and adolescent residential treatment facility to be awarded this certification in the world. The DBT-Linehan Board of Certification is an international organization devoted to ensuring programs and individuals offering Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) meet rigorous standards and demonstrate adherence to this evidence-based treatment model.Program certification confirms Hillside’s commitment to provide DBT with effectiveness and fidelity as developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan and colleagues.

To learn more about Hillside, the impact of DBT, and their 130 years of social service, visit their website at www.hside.org.

Article Submitted by Gabriella Marvin, Hillside Community Relations Manager