On Thursday, May 1, the Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference (CHWC) opened a new building in Norwich. Those who attended included,(not in order) CEO of CHWC George Dermondy, CHWC Chenango County Director Terry Potter, Regional Representative for Governor Kathy Hochul Harris Weiss, Chair of the CHWC Board of Directors Jeff Lake, Commissioner for the Chenango County Department of Social Services Daniel Auwarter and Commerce Chenango President CEO Sal Testani along with a number of other officials and business leaders. (Photo by Sophia Root)

by Sophia Root,

Commerce Chenango

NORWICH – The Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference (CHWC), with administrative offices in Binghamton, opened its new Chenango County Community Based Services building, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday.

The Children’s Home Chenango County Community Based Services building, located at 1 Virginia Lane, Norwich, will bring together six CHWC Chenango County services under one roof to serve youth, adults and families in Chenango, Cortland and Madison Counties.

The Children’s Home will assist local children and teens in: behavioral and emotional health, therapeutic intervention and clinical treatment, leadership and development, physical health and wellness, community outreach and civic engagement, and academic success and career readiness.

The Children’s Home places primary importance on permanency, keeping youth and adults connected to their families and community.

George Dermondy, CEO of CHWC, opened the event with welcoming remarks and introductions.

CHWC Chenango County Director Terry Potter spoke about the achievement of opening the facility, “Today is all about celebrating relationships and collaboration. From the community to our partnering agencies, this would not have been possible without you.”

The event consisted of brief remarks from: Harris Weiss, Regional Representative for Governor Kathy Hochul; Jeff Lake, Chair of the CHWC Board of Directors; Daniel Auwarter, Commissioner for the Chenango County Department of Social Services; and Commerce Chenango President and CEO Sal Testani.

Testani said “In order to be the type of community we want to be, we should operate at the level of the Children’s Home.”

He praised Potter and CHWC, “I have a great sense of pride in our community, but that pride is amplified when people like Terry do the work they do to engage the community.”

Testani announced that Commerce Chenango was recognizing Potter with the Entrepreneur of the Year award, to be presented at the 2025 Commerce Chenango Annual Gala. Dubbed “The Sammy” after Founder Sam Golden, this award is presented by Mark Golden, CEO and Co-Founder of Golden Artist Colors. Potter will be given this award at the Annual Gala on June 12 at Genegantslet Golf Course in Greene.

The Children’s Home will collaborate with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), Chenango County Department of Social Services, local school districts and more.

CHWC’s Family Support Program also provides quality after-school care and support to youth in transition, has provided programming out of the Broad Street United Methodist Church since 1995.

With administrative offices in Binghamton, CHWC serves individuals and families throughout Broome and Chenango County and beyond, providing a wide range of comprehensive, high-level community-based, mental health, educational, foster care and residential services.

Services currently housed in the CHWC Chenango County Community Based Services Building include:

• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) individualized, team-delivered services to adults aged 18 and older who have been diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness.

• Children & Family Treatment Support Services (CFTSS) gives youth and their families the power to improve their health, well-being, and quality of life by providing in-home/community and peer support services.

• Close to Home Foster Care identifies needs, provide resources, and develops individualized plans for children and families working toward stability and permanency for youth in foster care.

Health Homes  Community-based care management coordination services for youth through age 21.

• Safety, Security & Success Initiative (3SI) promotes family engagement and partnership program that helps parents and caregivers form strong relationships to improve family functioning and support healthy relationships

• Youth Empowerment and Support (YES)  is an intensive youth-focused program to provide a combination of family engagement, community support, and youth mentoring opportunities

  “Our philosophy emphasizes the importance of keeping individuals connected to their families and communities.  Bringing these services under one roof will help the Children’s Home remain committed to Chenango County from a centralized location helping us live out our Mission daily,” said CHWC Chenango County Director of Services, Terry Potter.

With over 100 years of experience in the Human Services field, CHWC is committed to improving the overall quality of life for those we serve and providing essential supports and related services. Our Mission is to partner with individuals, children, families, and communities to inspire hope, develop skills, and cultivate healthy relationships for positive futures. 

  CHWC has a long-standing history of delivering a wide range of family and child-focused programs across New York State, supporting over 800 youth and families annually with a dedicated team of more than 750 professionals.  The addition of the Children’s Home Chenango County Community Based Services Building is a natural extension of their expertise and commitment to providing comprehensive care.  For more information visit the Children’s Home website at www.chowc.org.

- Information from CHWC and Commerce Chenango