Ken Lewter is the former Director of the Hillside Children’s Center Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) in Rochester, NY. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the UNC and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Syracuse University. Ken has worked with youth and families for 40 plus years before retiring in 2018. Hillside Children’s Center is an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies which provides an array of services to families and youth in Central and Western NY, as well Prince Georges County, Maryland. Ken has held several positions throughout the agency but has focused on improving and creating a more trauma informed service provided by the RTF over the past two years to families and youth. Using the Building Brides Principle, Ken has help facilitate the RTF’s continued journey to a more Family Driven and Youth Guide program. As a result of these efforts, services delivered are more trauma informed, the use of physical interventions has decreased and family and youth voices help drive program decisions which is improving outcomes. Ken has presented his programs journey recently to residential providers in Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, and Richmond.
