History and Background

Kathleen Reynolds, one who envisioned Generations and is now current Chief Executive Officer, was inspired by former South Carolina State Senator Nell Smith who implored the youth workers of South Carolina "not to raise a generation of children in locked residential institutions” but to treat them in a warm home like setting.

Within such a setting, the goal was to provide specialized treatment to boys with abuse related behavior problems without fences or locked isolation rooms. Committed to providing best practice in the treatment of sexually abusive disorders, the program increased staff to resident ratios and provided a positive-peer based therapeutic milieu. With the guidance and support of the Division of Continuum of Care of the Governor's office, Generations admitted its first residents in April of 1991 and gradually increased the census to 20 boys by the end of 1992.

Over the next three years, Generations gradually expanded the program to address the "whole child" concept. Boys who completed the High Management program would call back and talk about the difficulties of re-entering their homes and communities, often saying they did not have adequate skills to make up for the structure they became accustomed to in the High Management program. In 1996, we opened the Moderate Management program for our boys who needed less behavioral intervention and more community involvement.

Today, we look at our staff as the "surrogate family", the residents as the "children", and the entire program has become "the community." The Treatment Team attempts to explore and process all experiences, past and present, which have an impact on the child. Whether it's a resident's first roller coaster ride, the funeral of a beloved foster parent, visiting an incarcerated parent, or celebrating yet another birthday without family, we must be present and consistent if we expect our residents to process and believe in change.

In 2001 Generations Group Homes, Inc. achieved national accreditation through the Council on Accreditation.