CORE | Coalition for Residential Education

Bobby Gilliam

Bobby Gilliam, president and chief executive officer at Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) in Waco, TX since 2003, announced his plans to retire. His exact retirement date is yet to be determined.

Gilliam is battling Parkinson’s disease. “I certainly feel sadness that the effects of Parkinson’s have led me to this decision,” said Gilliam, 57. “I wish I had many more years to serve in this ministry. However, my sadness is outweighed by my great joy at the thought of the increased opportunities I will soon have to spend time with my loved ones and the realization of the great honor it has been to lead this special ministry.”

During his tenure as president, MCH increased the number of children in daily care from 500 to more than 1,400, strengthened its endowment fund, added a residential program in Waxahachie, and expanded services offered in communities throughout Texas and New Mexico. In addition, the Home joined the University of Texas charter school system, added an athletics program for youth on the Waco campus and Boys Ranch, built a recreation and activities center at its Boys Ranch, and implemented a plan to remodel the home units on the historic Waco campus.

“As I reflect on what the Home has accomplished during my time as president…I am grateful of our staff members who work tirelessly to serve the boys and girls in our care, for the many benefactors who provide their financial support…and for the loyalty and faithfulness of United Methodists,” Gilliam said. As a result, the Home has received many “opportunities to implement innovative programs to better serve children and expand our services.”

A native of Robinson, TX, Gilliam is the ninth president in the Home’s 120-year history. He has served MCH for more than 30 years during his child care career, first joining the staff in 1973.

Gilliam has made significant contributions nationally through his involvement with CORE. Gilliam played a key role in developing CAREStandards, the residential education field’s first national industry standards for residential excellence. In 2006, he was named Administrator of the Year by CORE’s Catherine Hershey National Residential Education Awards for his contributions to child care at the national level. Gilliam was also chair of CORE’s Board of Directors from 2006-2007.

CORE thanks Gilliam for his tremendous contributions to CORE, the residential education field, and the value added to the lives of many youth.

For more information, contact Bryan Mize, MCH public relations director, at 254-750-1389 or bmize [at] mchwaco [dot] org.

CORE looks forward to beginning a mutually-beneficial series of discussions at its upcoming National Conference (April 14-16 outside of Chicago) with keynote speaker Mr. Bryan Samuels, the newly-confirmed Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families at HHS. Mr. Samuels spent eleven years living and learning at the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls, co-host of the CORE National Conference.

On February 12, the U.S. Senate confirmed Mr. Samuels in this position. As the HHS press release states, “His commitment to public service is largely motivated by his own success in overcoming great personal hardship during his eleven and a half years of growing up in a residential school for disadvantaged children. This experience helped shape his commitment to serve children who lived in foster care and reinforced his belief that dedicated people and well-designed programs can make a dramatic impact on the lives of at-risk youth.”

Mr. Samuels previously served as Chief of Staff for Chicago Public Schools, where he played a key role in managing the day-to-day operations of the third largest school system in the nation.

From 2003 to 2007, Mr. Samuels served as Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the nation’s third largest child welfare agency. In his role, Mr. Samuels implemented comprehensive assessments of all children entering care; redesigned transitional and independent living programs to prepare youth transitioning to adulthood; created a child location unit to track runaway youth; and introduced evidence-based services to address the impact of trauma and exposure to violence on children in state care. As a result, DCFS established the lowest caseload ratios for case managers in the nation; reduced the number of youth “on run” by 40 percent and number of days “on run” by 50 percent; decreased the use of residential treatment or group homes by 20 percent; and eliminated the number of past due child protection investigations by 60 percent.

Prior to this, Mr. Samuels taught at the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration while also providing technical assistance to state and local governments to improve human service delivery to vulnerable populations.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says, “Bryan Samuels has devoted his career to working on behalf of children, youth and families. His distinguished career in public service has been guided by his personal experience growing up in a residential school for disadvantaged children. He is committed to making a difference in the lives of at-risk children, and will be an outstanding leader at the Administration for Children and Families.”

CORE looks forward to welcoming Mr. Samuels at its 2010 National Conference.

A new study by Duke University of approximately 3,000 orphans ages 6-12 in Africa and Asia suggests that institutional care for orphans produces no less happy and healthy children, and outcomes are in fact “generally better” for orphans and abandoned children raised in orphanages than with kin or in foster care. It is one of the most comprehensive studies of orphans ever conducted, and looks at the health, behavior, physical growth, intellectual functioning, and emotional state of orphans – 1,357 of whom grew up in small and large orphanages, and 1,480 in kinship and foster care programs.

“We are seeing children thriving in institutions…What people don’t understand is that, in many cases, the institutions are the community’s response to caring for orphaned and abandoned children,” says study leader Kathryn Whetten, director of the Center for Health Policy at the Duke Global Health Institute.

“These communities love kids and as parents die, children are left behind. So, the individuals who love children most and want to care for them build a building and that becomes an institution. These institutions do not look or feel like the images that many in this country have of eastern bloc orphanages, they are mostly places where kids are being loved and cared for and have stable environments.”

“This is not the time to be creating policies that shut down good options for kids. We need to have as many options as possible,” says Whetten. “Our research just says ‘slow down and let’s look at the facts.’ It’s assumed that the quality of care-giving is a function of being institutionalized, but you can change the care-giving without changing the physical building.”

“Let’s get beyond labeling an institution as good or bad,” she says. “What is the quality of care inside that building, and how can we help the community identify cost-feasible solutions that can be delivered in small group homes, large group homes, and family homes?”

The New York Times reviewed the Duke study: “One [orphanage] in Battambang, Cambodia had 252 children living in 27 traditional Khmer homes inside a ‘large, airy, well-maintained gated compound’ with gardens, a basketball court, a playground, and plenty of open space. The people caring for the children had been orphans themselves or were widows, and the orphanage tried to make sure each child had at least one ‘parent and sibling.’”

The Duke study also prompted a Wall Street Journal editorial by orphanage alumnus Dr. Richard McKenzie, who attests to the positive impact the experience had on his and other alumni’s lives. CORE encourages you to also join the conversation by following the link below to comment on his editorial and share your thoughts about giving destitute children the chance to grow up in a larger (compared to a traditional family) residential, education-focused setting!

- “A Comparison of the Wellbeing of Orphans and Abandoned Children Ages 6–12 in Institutional and Community-Based Care Settings in 5 Less Wealthy Nations” - Duke University 12/18/09
- “The Best Thing About Orphanages” - Richard McKenzie in The Wall Street Journal 1/14/10
- “Study Suggests Orphanages Are Not So Bad” - New York Times 12/17/09

CORE-member Milton Hershey School has been providing a home and school for disadvantaged youth for the last 100 years. CBS News’ piece “Hershey Sweetening Lives” profiles how this residential education program is positively impacting the many lives of youth who are living and learning at the largest residential education program in the country.

- “Hershey Sweetening Lives” - CBS News 1/6/10

Heidi Goldsmith, profiled in Washington Jewish Week, speaks about CORE, residential education, community-organizing, and life.

- “Heidi Goldsmith” - Washington Jewish Week 12/10/09 (pdf)

“Living the Legacy: The Untold Story of Milton Hershey School” will air on the Independent Film Channel on Monday, November 9 at 9:30pm EST.

Directed by Academy Award-winner Cynthia Wade, the film is “a gritty, heartwarming depiction of the struggles and triumphs of the students.”

The film is part of the centennial celebration of this CORE-member program, the largest residential education program in the country.

More Info:
- “New IFC/Sundance Documentary Celebrates 100 Years of Opportunity for Children” - The Hershey Company 10/6/09

Within a week of a plea sent out from the CORE office, a family a thousand miles away was able to receive the hope they sought: a once at-risk child is now living and learning in a safe, secure, education-focused environment with the prospect of a much brighter future.

The CORE office recently received an email from an individual seeking help finding a placement for her adopted great grandson. Ric Kienzle, CORE’s director of professional practices, called and spoke with the woman in her early 70s. Having a hard time keeping up with a very active 10-year old, she was originally looking for a Christian boot camp in which to enroll the boy. She was concerned that he was going to fall in with the wrong crowd and not succeed in school. She reported that he had an IQ of around 125 and was getting bored in school, thus getting into mischief.

Amidst several tears, the two spoke about the benefit of choosing a residential education program as opposed to a boot camp. She was impressed with general programs models and agreed that a residential education placement was more of what she was looking for. She was introduced to the various types of CORE-member programs, particularly those in her geographic area.

With her permission, on a Tuesday afternoon, a plea for help was sent to CORE members in the area. By that evening, Ric had several responses from program directors stating they would look into the case. David Dearinger, executive director of Goodland Academy in Hugo, OK called the CORE office with eagerness, expressing that they had another boy on their campus a year younger with a very similar story who was thriving.

The family visited Goodland Academy that Saturday. On Monday, Ric followed up with the family to see if CORE could be of further help only to hear – in a very elated voice – that after contact with a few referred programs, her grandson had been accepted into Goodland Academy and would be enrolling that week after finishing paperwork.

CORE staff are always amazed by the heart and drive of staff at our member programs. This success story exemplifies the strength and effectiveness within the CORE network – and the ability to find timely and sound solutions when needed.

From August 9-15, youth from The Crossnore School in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch in rural Florida switched “lives” for a week – an educational and enriching experience that allowed for new friendships, new travel perspective, new skills, and most importantly, reinforcement that “no matter where you go in life, you can always find loving and caring people who give readily of themselves in an effort to help others,” says Bill Frye, Vice President of Program at Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches.

The impetus for the youth exchange took place at CORE’s 2009 National Conference. During a youth-led hay ride tour of Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, Crossnore Executive Director Phyllis Crain, impressed with the respectful and mature boys she met, spoke with Bill Frye about the possibility of a youth exchange.

Crossnore student Casey says, “My experience with the Boys Ranch in Florida was a really good one. I learned new trades and skills that I will take with me throughout my life. The boys up there were really nice and they all seemed eager to meet us. There was one I met that tried to give me his skateboard. I couldn’t accept his kind gesture, but I won’t forget it.”

While on the Boys Ranch, Crossnore youth learned how to horseback ride, learned roping and bull-dogging skills, took woodworking classes, and played many games of basketball. At Crossnore School, youth went gem mining, swimming by waterfalls, mountain hiking, and learned about caves via a trip to Linville Caverns.

Boys Ranch student Cody says, “The best thing about this place [Crossnore] is the kindness the people showed you. It made you feel at home. I had an exceptional amount of fun. I don’t know if there was a single one of us that wanted to come home because the trip was that good. I hope this is not the last time we get to trade like that because we would love to return again someday.”*

The youth exchange is a clear example of how the collaboration that occurs within the CORE network directly results in some very precious experiences for youth. Our active member relations have all-around benefits for youth, member programs, and CORE. They are a crux of the rich collaboration that occurs within the CORE network – and the reason CORE is here.

*Cody’s yearning to return to Crossnore “someday” may come true again soon. With the great success of the first youth exchange, Crossnore School and Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch are discussing the possibility of a winter exchange this December.

The 2008 annual report highlights CORE’s greatly-strengthened member services and capacity-building.

“2008: A Year of Transformation” (pdf)

A tremendous victory for vulnerable children in North Carolina, S.L. 2009-408 was signed into law by Governor Perdue on August 5 – hopefully a pioneering state legislation that will be replicated in other states.

S.L. 2009-408 recognizes residential education as a valid placement option when children cannot be reunited with families, regardless of the child’s age.

The bill reads, “…the State recognizes there are instances when protecting a child’s welfare outweighs reunifying the family unit, and as such, the care of residential care facilities providing high quality services that include meeting the children’s educational needs as determined by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services can satisfy the standard of protecting a child’s welfare, regardless of the child’s age, particularly when the sibling groups can be kept intact.”

We thank Dr. Phyllis Crain, executive director of Crossnore School in North Carolina and CORE Board member, for her tireless dedication to ensuring the passage of this bill.

More Info:
- Session Law 2009-408, Senate Bill 969 - General Assembly of North Carolina 8/5/09