A ministry of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, UMCH Family Services, formerly The United Methodist Children’s Home, began as an orphanage in 1911. Throughout the years, the way we have served children has changed to meet the needs of a changing world, but the mission has remained the same “to strengthen our community by providing care, nurture and treatment for hurting children and families”.
We have gone from being The Children’s Home, to being homes, dozens and dozens of them, for children — providing homes through Treatment Foster Care, finding homes through Adoption and strengthening homes through Outpatient Mental Health Services for families.
Our current office building at 431 E. Broad Street in Columbus.
Morral Cottage (1919)
Home of 2 groups of girls (6-10 yrs) & central kitchen where main meals are cooked for the 5 residence units.
1911-1913
Methodist Children’s Home Association of Ohio purchased 144 acres of farmland in Worthington, Ohio.
1914
30 children were in residence.
1922
First social service worker was employed.
1923
Edwards Cottage was built.
1929
Wesley Cottage and Hospital was built.
1952
Two Cherington Lodges were dedicated with funds from the estate of Charles S. Cherington in memory of his mother, Julia Hurst Cherington.
1959
The Administrative Center was constructed.
1962
Launched the Adoption Services program to help pregnant, unwed women.
1969
Adopted Reality Therapy with a behavior modification treatment approach.
Officially changed the name to The United Methodist Children’s Home.
1975
Adopted Positive Peer Culture treatment approach to teach youth to assume responsibility for helping one another.
1989
Wesley, Edwards and Morral Cottages were replaced and Jones and Harford Cottages were added.
1993
Launched the Treatment Foster Care Program. The Children’s Residential Center added a boys’ Conduct Disorder program and a boys’ Emergency Shelter Care program.
2007
Launched Wesley Family Services Outpatient Mental Health for Families.
2008
Added a teen girls’ program to help those with the most challenging issues in our Residential Care.
2010
Streamlined services by closing Residential Care. Focus on Adoption, Treatment Foster Care and Outpatient Mental health increased. Added Post Adoption Services. Changed our name to UMCH Family Services.
2012
Added Family Bridges Program.
2013
Added Therapeutic Intervention and Residential AfterCare Programs.
2014
Adopted agency-wide trauma-informed therapy approach using the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics.
2015
Hosting first annual Change Your Hue of Blue to raise awareness around family mental health.
