In the News
Buckeye Ranch helping young adults move in adulthood (interviews with Lee Wooding and My Place residents – April 12, 2023, ABC 6)
A chance at peace.' Columbus program supports youth aging out of foster care (interview with Ricky McElroy – March 22, 2023, The Columbus Dispatch)
Strategies to address the mental health treatment shortage for today's youth (interview with Vickie Thompson-Sandy – March 22, 2023, WOSU All Sides with Ann Fisher)
Communities in crisis: teens tackling crime, mental health concerns (interview with Vickie Thompson-Sandy – March 20, 2023, ABC 6)
Buckeye Ranch, Nationwide Children's team up to open new youth mental health facility (March 10, 2023, ABC 6)
What you need to know about 3 upcoming health center projects in the Columbus area, (March 5, 2023, The Columbus Dispatch)
The Buckeye Ranch, Nationwide Children’s Hospital to break ground on first-of-its-kind facility in Ohio (interviews with Kimberly Miller and Christina Massey – February 11, 10 TV)
Buckeye Ranch, Nationwide Children’s to open 48-bed youth mental health center in Grove City (interview with Vickie Thompson-Sandy, Buckeye Ranch President & CEO – January 24, ABC 6)
Les Bostic 'touched a lot of lives' at Buckeye Ranch (November 2022, The Columbus Dispatch)
Foster, adoptive parents learn how to care for hair different from their own (Interviews with Amy Nims; foster, adoptive Hare family, November 27, 2022, The Columbus Dispatch)
New OhioRISE program enrolls more than 8,000 kids with behavioral health need (interview with Margrit Springer - August 21, The Columbus Dispatch)
Families remain close after child in care of foster family reunited with parents (Interviews with Amy Nims; foster and biological families Rodriguez & Wurschmidt – August 24, 2022, The Columbus Dispatch)
Buckeye Ranch educates parents on importance of treating natural black hair (Interview with Kam Twymon – August 21, 2022, ABC 6)
Foster family provides safe, welcoming home for LGBTQ+ teens (Interviews with Susan Jones and Lauren Coon, Buckeye Ranch foster parents, and Amy Nims, Director of Foster Care at The Buckeye Ranch – June 30, 2022, 10TV)
From separation to unity: families give inside look at foster care journey (Interviews with Buckeye Ranch foster family Traci and Nathan Wurschmidt, and Amy Nims, Director of Foster Care at The Buckeye Ranch - June 29, 2022, ABC6)
Thousands turn out for Columbus' first Pride parade in three years, (June 18, 2022 - The Columbus Dispatch)
New Ohio campaign launched to recruit (desperately needed!) LGBTQ+ foster parents, (Interviews with Susan Jones and Lauren Coon, Buckeye Ranch foster parents, and Amy Nims, Director of Foster Care at The Buckeye Ranch – June 16, 2022, The Buckeye Flame)
Buckeye Ranch therapy uses animals to treat at-risk youth (Interviews and Heather Syrus and team – May 22, 2022, NBC 4 - also picked up by FOX Cleveland, CBS Youngstown, FOX Youngstown and NBC Dayton)
‘It’s like winning the lottery twice’; Local family adopts second foster child (Interviews with Amy Nims; adoptive family Estabridis/ Barlion – May 12, 2022, Local 12)
Buckeye Ranch program helps Somali youth overcome obstacles to mental health counseling (Interviews with Nacima Aden; Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition; Somali family - May 6, 2022, The Columbus Dispatch)
Columbus group works to improve Somali mental health (Interviews with Nacima Aden; Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition – May 5, 2022, NBC4)
It's time we prioritize children's mental health care (Vickie Thompson-Sandy - March 3, 2022, The Columbus Dispatch, Letters to the Editor)
Ohio’s behavioral health workforce crisis (Vickie Thompson-Sandy – February 24, 2022, WOSU All Sides with Ann Fisher)
Some providers, parents call for more childcare funding for Ohio foster kids (Amy Nims – February 14, 2022, ABC6)
Buckeye Ranch officials exploring options to modernize Grove City campus (Vickie Thompson-Sandy, Heather Syrus – January 26, 2022, ThisWeek)
As COVID hurts student mental health, Buckeye Ranch sends clinicians into Columbus schools (CCS, Dr. Andrea Weisberger, Olivia Price - January 18, 2022, The Columbus Dispatch)
Columbus Youth Agencies Adapt to Meet Pandemic Era Needs (Vickie Thompson-Sandy – December 30, 2021, Columbus Monthly)
Women of Influence: Vickie Thompson-Sandy on a busy few years at The Buckeye Ranch (Vickie Thompson-Sandy – September 24, 2021, Columbus Business First)
Buckeye Ranch celebrates 60 Years of service on Friday (Vickie Thompson-Sandy - September 9, 2021, 10TV).
The Buckeye Ranch and Columbus City Schools Offer Mental Health Services to Kids (CCS, Dr Andrea Weisberger - September 8, 2021, Ohio 24/7News)
Wellness Wednesday: Increase In RSV Cases Among Children (Dr. Andrea Weisberger - September 8, 2021, WOSU All Sides, Wellness Wednesday)
Buckeye Ranch, Columbus City Schools team up to offer mental health services to students (CCS, Dr. Andrea Weisberger - August 30, 2021, NBC4)
The Inside Story: Series reveals depth of mental health crisis among children (Shahrzad Nabavi - August 27, 2021, The Columbus Dispatch /Opinion)
"I was not living; I was just surviving": Pandemic’s mental health effects magnified by race, poverty (Shahrzad Nabavi, Kamilah Twymon and Christian Nelson, former client of The Buckeye Ranch – August 25, 2021, Columbus Dispatch)
Buckeye Ranch celebrates 60 years (Vickie Thompson-Sandy, Caidyn Bearfield, former client of The Buckeye Ranch; Rosie Lewis, original founder; Ann Rarey, original founder – August 25, 2021, NBC4)
"It’s almost like a father-son brand for real": Ohio man revives clothing brand to remember history, help others (Ricky McElroy, Program Supervisor My Place and Dustin Smith, Affiliation Brand – July 8, 2021, Spectrum News)
LGBTQ+ youth are facing mental health challenge at a higher rate; campaign aims to show help is out there (Dr. Patricia Gentile and Rhonda Cumberbatch - June 10, 2021, 10TV)
Fighting through adversity to achieve academic success (Ricky McElroy, Program Supervisor My Place and Cierra Cowan, former foster child and 2021 Valedictorian Columbus Scioto - June 7, 2021, NBC4)
Faith, hard work help teen who aged out of foster care become valedictorian (Cierra, My Place resident and Scioto High School rep - June 1, 2021, Spectrum News)
Mental Health in the LGBTQ community (Dae Dae and Simon Sweet - May 12, 2021, NBC4)Â
LGBTQ mental health (Dr. Gentile, Rhonda Cumberbatch - May 6, 2021, NBC4)
Initiative aims to start conversations about youth mental health in LGBTQ+ community (April 28, 2021, 10TV)
'I wish someone would have told me': Buckeye Ranch launches LGBTQ mental health campaign (April 27, 2021, online & May 2, print, The Columbus Dispatch)
I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me campaign (April 27, 2021, Ohio 24/7 Now (ABC 6/FOX 28))
LGBTQ Mental Health (May 6, 2021, NBC4)
Kinship Caregivers Get a Boost in Financial Support (Tina Boesch - March 24, 2021, Spectrum News)
Impact of Pandemic on Children's Mental Health (Kam Twymon and The Buckeye Ranch client Kylie Envoy - March 10, 2021, 10TV)
Revised Foster Care Training Aims to Ease Burden on Families, Kids Waiting for a Home (Vickie Thompson-Sandy and foster parent Lisa Corcoran - February 23, 2021, Spectrum News)
More families needed for foster care during pandemic (Vickie Thompson-Sandy and The Buckeye Ranch supporter Mike Crane - January 14, 2021, ABC6)
Foster Families Overcome Learning Challenges During Pandemic (Tina Boesch and adoptive parent Trisha Welsch - January 6, 2021, Spectrum News)
'Kids need you': Couple adopts brothers after learning of Central Ohio children without a home for the holidays (Vickie Thompson-Sandy and adoptive parents Dave and Trisha Welsch - December 24, 2020, 10TV)
Better foster care starts with more good foster homes (Vickie Thompson-Sandy - December 13, 2020, Columbus Dispatch)
Bonner Academy at the Buckeye Ranch goes in-person full-time, saying some kids really need it (Interviews with Amy Gamber and Bonner Academies parent Michelle Brown - December 10, 2020, NBC4)
Experts see an increase in young people turning to substances during pandemic (The Buckeye Ranch client Caidyn Bearfield - October 12, 2020, 10TV)
Helping children with Mental Health Experts focus on suicide prevention (Dr. Patricia Gentile and The Buckeye Ranch client Mary Pascal – September 17, 2020, NBC4)
Schools, parents meeting needs of students facing behavioral, mental challenges during pandemic (Interviews with Ann Woodford and Bonner Academies parent Michelle Brown - August 27, 2020, 10TV)
Psychiatrist: Virtual Learning Can Affect Mental Health (Interviews with Ann Woodford and Dr. Patricia Gentile - August 22, 2020, Spectrum News)
Housing Stability, Looming Evictions Among Major Concerns as Demand for Foster Care Grows (Interviews with Vickie Thompson-Sandy and foster parent Kate Yonkura - August 11, 2020, Spectrum News)
Suicidal Ideation Is Increasing During COVID-19: How Best to Cope (Interview with Dr. Patricia Gentile - August 4, 2020, Healthline)
Mental Health Issues Magnified By COVID-19 (Interview with Dr. Patricia Gentile - July 15, 2020, WOSU All Sides with Ann Fisher)
Buckeye Ranch helping teens who aged out of foster system just before pandemic hit (Interview with Kim Miller, Ricky Elroy and My Place resident Zahara Moody - April 29, 2020, NBC4)
Foster care extension welcome news for young adults (Interview with Kim Miller - April 26, 2020, NBC4)
'A sigh of relief:' Advocates applaud Ohio's governor for providing safety net for those aging out of foster care (Interview with Kim Miller - April 25, 2020, 10TV)
Foster Care And Child Welfare During Coronavirus (Interview with Ann Woodford and foster parent Kate Yonkura - April 22, 2020, WOSU All Sides with Ann Fisher)
One Central Ohio foster care center sees spike during COVID-19 crisis (Interview with Ann Woodford - April 15, 2020, 10TV)
Press Releases
The Buckeye Ranch and Nationwide Children’s Hospital Partner on New Mental Health Facility for Youth (January 10, 2023)
Crane Family Invests in Future of The Buckeye Ranch Foster Care (August 5, 2020)
For additional information, please contact:
Dana Sims
VP, Marketing & Development
dsims@buckeyeranch.org