Messages from the President & CEO

Dr. John Lynch, Hillside Medical Director, sent the open letter below to all Hillside staff in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

To My Hillside family – 

For many of us, the Memorial Day weekend is a chance to be with family and friends, enjoying time together and making new, happy memories. And, of course, we pause to honor the sacrifice of the women and men who have given their lives in the service of our country. But it feels different this year. It is different this year.

There has been so much pain and suffering recently, daily it seems — around the world and across the nation, of course, but also very, very close to home. Some have close ties — even friends and family members — to those hurt or killed in horrific tragedies, like the ones in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. There have been other tragedies, of course, but these terrible events feel especially hateful, evil … unbelievable. Even when we know mental illness may have been involved, it doesn’t hurt any less.

This normally happy weekend, then, is likely to bring some painful, sorrowful, angry and somber moments. You may need opportunities to grieve. Whether you do so in a public, communal way or privately, please know that you are not alone. I hope that we can honor those we’ve lost by remembering them with the dignity and respect they were denied. I hope, too, that we can honor each other by cultivating that same dignity and respect in our hearts, minds and actions.

You remain in my thoughts and prayers. 

Very respectfully,
John H. Lynch, M.D., Ph.D.
Medical Director

David Fluellen, Hillside Vice President of Residential Services, was elected last week to serve on the Board of Directors of the Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA).

Hillside has been a member for decades of COFCCA, which offers leadership, voice and vision to the private nonprofit agencies that provide the vast majority of child welfare and juvenile justice services in New York State. COFCCA is actively committed to strengthening children, families and communities through strategic advocacy, education, and the promotion of high-quality, culturally competent child welfare and juvenile justice services throughout the state.

“Hillside is proud to have David Fluellen represent our organization in this new capacity,” said Maria Cristalli, Hillside President and Chief Executive Officer. “During these challenging times, COFCCA’s voice for the nonprofit child-serving sector and for children and families is essential. David’s expertise, commitment to excellence and passion for justice will make him an asset to the COFCCA Board and its ongoing work.”

Hillside has announced the creation of two new Vice President positions that will oversee the agency’s Residential Treatment and Community-Based programs in New York State. These positions have been filled by senior leaders with extensive experience in child and family services. 

David Fluellen (pictured above left), formerly Executor Director of Hillside’s Monroe Region and Snell Farm Campus Residential Services, has been named Vice President of Residential Treatment Services. In this role, Fluellen will provide executive-level leadership of programs delivered at Hillside’s four residential campuses. Fluellen, of Rochester, joined Hillside in 2018.

Nestor Hernandez, formerly Executor Director of the agency’s Western and Southern Tier regions, has been named Hillside’s first Vice President of Community-Based and Developmental Opportunity Services. Hernandez, of Buffalo, joined Hillside in 2021.

“I am delighted that Dave and Nestor have agreed to take on these agency-wide responsibilities and use their talents to meet Hillside’s operational and strategic goals in our New York State regions,” said Maria Cristalli, Hillside President and Chief Executive Officer. “These newly created Vice President roles reflect our continued focus on agency-wide service alignment and support the integration of our programs—wherever they are offered—to ensure even more high-quality service delivery for youth and families in need.”

Founded in 1837, Hillside is celebrating its 185th anniversary of service in 2022. Support Hillside’s mission today.

Hillside has been selected by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) to launch a new community-based program for residents of Monroe, Chenango and Cortland counties. Youth Assertive Community Treatment, or Youth ACT, will provide intensive community-based services to support youth experiencing severe emotional disturbance. The program’s goal is to help those youth avoid the need for out-of-home treatment and other higher levels of care.

Hillside was named in a recent announcement by Governor Kathy Hochul as one of 12 statewide providers selected by OMH to initiate Youth ACT. New York is the first state in the country to implement this innovative model.

In coordination with the OMH teams in Monroe, Chenango and Cortland counties, Youth ACT staff will provide round-the-clock support for designated youth and families who are experiencing acute emotional issues. Through a combination of clinical and therapeutic supports, Hillside’s team will support the youth and their entire family by de-escalating challenging situations, providing skills and resources for stability, and helping prevent the need for out-of-home placements.

“The Youth ACT program is specifically intended to address unique challenges faced by young people and families at a particularly vulnerable time in their lives. It maintains an appropriate focus on families and home-based assistance, which is always the ideal,” said Maria Cristalli, Hillside President and CEO. “Hillside is proud to work with our colleagues, county and state partners to provide this innovative service that will deliver assistance and support where and when it’s most needed.”

Hillside is recruiting experienced teams of Clinicians and Direct-Care staff in support of the Youth ACT program. To learn more about these opportunities, visit Hillside.com/careers.