hope at mt. hope

by Beth Zogby

The Rochester area has a world-renowned organization that is a little-known jewel in our community. The Mt. Hope Family Center (MHFC), founded in 1979, is recognized internationally for its contributions to research in child development, child maltreatment, and developmental psychopathology. Originally located on Mt. Hope Avenue, not far from the University of Rochester’s River Campus, it has been in its current Corn Hill location for 19 years. It is an independent unit of the University with its own administrative and program staff, and does not receive direct funding from the University.

MHFC’s mission – helping families succeed -- is critical for parents and children of all backgrounds and experiences. Of particular importance for Rochester is MHFC’s ongoing work in urban neighborhoods, where the stress of everyday inner-city life often involves serious negative influences such as poverty, crime, and substance abuse. The Center has a unique threeway focus on research, training, and intervention.

Prevention and intervention services improve family functioning while research analyzes the long-term efficacy and impact of their treatments and studies. All of the therapeutic interventions utilized by MHFC are proven to be effective. The multidisciplinary staff endeavors to prevent child abuse and family violence, as well as prevent the development of social and emotional difficulties for children who are at risk of or experiencing emotional disorders and/or foster care placement. The Center focuses on treating children while helping parents develop the skills they need to understand their child, communicate more effectively, and resolve conflict in non-violent ways. Over the past 27 years, they have been encouraging families to raise emotionally healthy children.

Current projects and programs include:

• Study of mental health consequences of exposure to violence in school-aged children • Evaluation of treatments for depressed mothers of children ages one to four years old

• Study of memory processes in school-aged children with histories of maltreatment

• Study of how 10- to 12-year-olds adapt to chronic stress due to social adversity and maltreatment, conducted as part of week-long attendance at a summer camp

• Focus on child development in two- to four-year-olds from different families with varying levels of conflict and domestic violence

• Services for children aged six to 11 in an after-school program that focuses on violence prevention and improving emotion-based social skills

• Therapeutic services that focus on parenting skills, foster families, depression, and children with cognitive/behavioral issues, among other collaborative areas

It is not just the academic community that benefits from MHFC’s research and efforts. One mother recently wrote about her experience, saying: “After a few sessions, I found some great ideas for activities my son and I can do together that are fun and educational. The staff is so accommodating, ensuring we have transportation and scheduling that meets our needs.” The Center is supported through grants, gifts, and contracts for services. Their staff of approximately eighty includes doctoral-level psychology faculty, clinical social workers, research assistants, information analysts, and administrative personnel. They are further assisted by an Advisory Board comprised of representatives of the greater Rochester community.

To find out more, go to www.psych.rochester.edu/ research/mhfc, or call (585) 275-2991.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Beth Zogby is the Director of Development at the Mt. Hope Family Center.