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Our History

60+ Years of Hope for Young People

The Buckeye Ranch was founded in the early 1960s to offer help to a handful of young men in need. Since then, it has grown to serve thousands of children and families throughout Ohio.

About Us Meet Our Team

The Genesis of Buckeye Ranch

In the mid-1950s, Central Ohio was blessed to have an organization known as the Women’s Juvenile Service Board, which later became The Buckeye Ranch Service Board. The caring and devoted women on this Board made it their mission to promote and support causes that ultimately strengthened the youth of this community. In 1961, after conducting considerable research, these women founded what was then called The Buckeye Boys Ranch, now known as The Buckeye Ranch.

Growing with the Community

The Buckeye Ranch opened as a treatment center for 10 young men and has now transitioned into one of the country’s leading providers of emotional, behavioral, and mental health services for children, youth, and families. Every year, more than 7,000 children, youth, and families are in The Buckeye Ranch’s care, receiving services designed to help them become successful within their schools and communities.

Where We Are Now

Today, The Buckeye Ranch operates from six different locations to better serve clients across Ohio. We pride ourselves on offering evidence-based programming designed to meet the needs of our clients and their families. Our staff of dedicated Ranch professionals is committed to helping each youth and family achieve their goals.

Since the beginning, The Buckeye Ranch’s mission has been restoring hope and providing healing for children, youth, and families.

The Buckeye Ranch Through the Years
    • Integrated Co-Occurring Therapy program launched to serve youth who are struggling with substance abuse disorders as a way to cope with their mental health conditions.
    • Early Childhood Mental Health becomes a program provided to identify and treat children at risk of future mental health concerns.
    • Foster Care program adds Healing Alternatives for Youth program.
    • First State Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility opens at The Buckeye Ranch.
    • Crosscreek and Rosemont Day Treatment combined officially to The Bonner Academy.
    • The Buckeye Ranch becomes a Care Management Entity (CME) and launches care coordination services.
    • Opened up new headquarters to team members in Whitehall to combine two offices and streamline operations.
    • Purchase of the 4653 East Main Street headquarters building.
    • Vickie Thompson-Sandy becomes the first female CEO of The Buckeye Ranch.
    • Community-Based Mental Health Intensive Home-Based Therapy launched.
    • The Buckeye Ranch becomes a Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) site-certified agency.
    • Acquired My Place, The Buckeye Ranch’s Transitional Age Youth housing program to expand our Child Welfare Services continuum.
    • Added elementary school services to Rosement Day Treatment (The Bonner Academy) service offerings.
    • Acquired Rosemont Center and its services, allowing us to create our Day Treatment program, The Bonner Academy.
    • Established the Somali Outreach and Mental Health program.
    • Established the Community-Based Mental Health Functional Family Therapy program and Multi-Systemic Therapy program.
    • The Buckeye Ranch lays foundation to begin Community-Based Mental Health Services.
    • Purchase and renovation of the 2865 West Broad Street location (The Bonner Academy).
    • The Buckeye Ranch launched the Permanent Family Solution Network (PFSN) program within Child Welfare Services under a managed care contract with Franklin County Children Services.
    • Both the Kroger Equestrian Center and the Mary Dunn buildings were dedicated on the Grove City campus.
    • The Buckeye Ranch launched the Foster Care program within Child Welfare Services as a step-down service for youth leaving residential care.
    • Board of Trustees divided into three boards, with The Women’s Service Board becoming part of The Buckeye Ranch Foundation Board.
    • Hughes Center for Family Life was dedicated on the Grove City campus.
    • The Buckeye Ranch’s Day Treatment program (The Bonner Academy) began as a Columbus City Schools collaboration.
    • Services for girls and for deaf youth began.
    • Intensive Care Center in Grove City was dedicated and named in honor of Dr. Leslie Bostic the founding Executive Director of The Buckeye Ranch.
    • The Rarey Retreat, a log cabin on our Grove City campus, was built and named in honor of John and Ann Rarey.
    • Messham Center for work experience on Grove City campus was dedicated in honor of Paul Messham.
    • Chope Center, the athletic building on the Grove City campus, was dedicated in honor of Joanne and Wilber Chope.
    • Stowell Hall, a gift of Mrs. H. G. (Florence Forester) Stowell, was completed with capacity for 24 boys and included a school and dining facility for the entire Grove City campus.
    • Hirsch Hall (Miss Irene Hirsch) was purchased at 1846 Summit Street and served as a halfway house for teens who needed independent living experience.
    • Hislop House was dedicated (Mrs. John H. Hislop) and housed 13 boys on the Grove City campus.
    • Argo House, the first Buckeye Ranch Grove City campus building, was dedicated Mr. and Mrs. J. Richard and Dorothy Argo and housed 13 boys.
    • Dr. Leslie Bostic was hired as the first Executive Director.
    • Grove City Residential Treatment Services campus at 5665 Hoover Road (75-acre farm) was purchased for $27,500.
    • Women’s Service Board was established and began fundraising.

Learn More

If you’re interested in knowing more about The Buckeye Ranch and our history, feel free to reach out to us today.

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