What is it?

Cross Systems Solutions is a project that provides help to children, families and service providers in a variety of ways:

1. CSS offers knowledge to families and providers through this website so that they may understand the child's needs more thoroughly, learn about what services are available for the child and how to access and integrate those services in the care of the child.

2. CSS offers training to families and service providers to bolster the web-based information provided to help providers develop expertise in managing complex situations.

3. CSS offers expert assessment and assistance to help solve challenging situations where a child requires unique supports or an array of services from a variety of different service realms.

Many state, regional and local agencies provide excellent supports and services for children.  However, many children require services that are not always met by one service provider. In fact, many children require services from providers who have not understood each other or worked together in the past.  Cross-Systems Solutions helps to create a way for these agencies and services to be offered in new and unique ways to help respond to the new and unique challenges children face today.   

By following the options available below, you can access information on a variety of services offered in a nine-county region: Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben , Wayne and Yates Counties, what those services are, who provides those services and how to contact providers to access those services.  This service has been developed by Hillside Family of Agencies (HFA) and builds upon the Cross-Systems Solutions project of HFA completed in June, 2006.   

What services are included? This project has attempted to identify all possible services offered by or under the guidance of New York State Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), Department of Social Services (DSS), Office of Mental Health (OMH), Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD), New York State Education Department of Special Education and the Committee on Special Education (CSE), and New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). More importantly, this project examines how you as a parent or service provider can access and utilize services offered that are not a current part of any service the child currently receives.  The scope of this project covers Chemung, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne and Yates Counties. 

What ages are served? The idea of who is considered a child differs from one regulatory agency to another.  All services contained within this guide cover individuals who are ** – 18.  Some services are offered to individuals who are younger than ** and other services are offered to individuals up to the end of age 22.  Some services are continued under an adult version of the children’s service discussed here.   

Who We Are: Hillside Family of Agencies is one of the largest non-profit agencies in New York State and has been a cornerstone of the Rochester, NY, community for more than 170 years. Two of Hillside's service affiliates, Crestwood Children’s Center and Hillside Children's Center, trace their roots to the 19th century, when they were founded as a hospital for infants and an orphanage, respectively. Today, Hillside Family of Agencies functions as an efficient system of care consisting of affiliates Crestwood Children's Center, Crestwood Children's Foundation, Hillside Children's Center, Hillside Children's Foundation, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection and Snell Farm Children's Center. With a budget of $110 million, Hillside Family of Agencies provides more than 120 services to children and families at more than 40 locations across Western and Central New York. Hillside is accredited by the Council on Accreditation. It is Hillside's strategic intent to be the nationally recognized leader and preferred provider of an integrated system of human services for at-risk children, youth, and their families.  

The Hillside Family of Agencies possesses a diverse, skilled workforce which is dedicated to serving the needs of youth through providing child welfare, mental health, developmental disabilities, youth development, juvenile justice, and special education services. As one of the largest employers headquartered in Monroe County, Hillside Family of Agencies retains more than 2,200 staff members who work under the direction of President and CEO Dennis Richardson in providing a variety of services to more than 7,100 families on an annual basis.  

How to reach us:  Hillside can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling (585) 256-7500 or e-mailing info@hillside.com.  Feedback about the site can also be sent using the form within the site.