Our Legacy
Founded in 1988 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Rochester, Daystar Kids was originally a foster home for medically fragile infants. In 2001, Daystar Kids became authorized under New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) as a day-respite provider to help families effectively cope with the demands of caring for a little one with complex special needs, while supporting each child's individualized goals. With advances in medicine and technology increasing, the demands on the health care system and saving the lives of even more infants and children with complex medical conditions, the need for comprehensive, coordinated supports is even greater, yet resources have become even more difficult for families to access.
Today, Daystar Kids has continued to build its services and has become New York State's first and only Pediatric Center- the leader for comprehensive, center-based services for families charged with the responsibilities of managing and caring for their child’s special health care and developmental needs after their child is discharged from the hospital, and supporting their family all the way until their child successfully enrolls in kindergarten. Daystar Kids is licensed under New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), New York State Office for Children and Family Services (OCFS), and New York State Department of Health (DOH).
Expansion
In January 2013, Daystar Kids opened its new Pediatric Center in Brighton, NY. The expansion served as a catalyst for Daystar Kids to dramatically expand the scope of its services and to offer up to forty full-time openings for children from ages six months to six years old, across three dedicated classrooms.
Today, Daystar Kids one-of-a-kind model incorporates expert pediatric nursing, therapeutic services, inclusive educational enrichment programs, and family support, training, and care coordination services to medically fragile children through age six who are braving serious, and often life-threatening medical and developmental conditions. Daystar Kids provides seamless coordination of other required therapies such as physical, speech and vision, working cooperatively with Monroe County’s Early Intervention program and area school districts, and offers music therapy and individualized educational programming for all program participants.
