KINGSTON, N.Y. — Just months after a “soft opening” in October 2025, the Children’s Way Counseling Center is serving 86 children and families, a spokesperson said recently.
Children’s Way, which is housed at 368 Broadway, Suite 301, in the county’s Center for Well-Being, celebrated its official grand opening on Thursday, Jan. 15.
The Ulster County Center for Well-Being at 368 Broadway now houses the Children’s Way Counseling Center. (Photo provided)
As the first outpatient counseling center of its kind in Ulster County, Children’s Way provides early assessment, outpatient services, and behavioral health treatment to children, adolescents, and their families. The Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie administers the center.
Children’s Way provides parents and their children with “early assessment, crisis intervention, psychiatric care and counseling services” and “is a vital addition to the county’s Center for Well-Being,” Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said at the center’s Jan. 15 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Ulster County Center for Well-Being at 368 Broadway in Kingston, NY. Photo taken Thursday, April 4, 2024. As of October 2025, the Center houses the Children’s Way Counseling Center. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman)
Operated by the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie and approved by the Ulster County Legislature in 2024, the center was developed in response to the growing demand for youth mental health services locally, officials said.
“When we first envisioned the Center for Well‑Being, I spoke about creating a place where people of all ages could access the mental health care they need in a welcoming and supportive environment,” Metzger said. “Today’s ribbon-cutting is a major step in bringing this to life.”
Since its October debut, Children’s Way’s clients included not only multiple families, but even “children as young as 5 and their families,” Metzger said. She added that Children’s Way’s extended hours, opening until 8 p.m. four days a week, help working parents.
“This is exactly the kind of resource our community needs — one that meets children where they are, supports families, and provides the care they need,” she said.
The Children’s Way Counseling Center, housed at 368 Broadway, Suite 301, in the Center for Well-Being, celebrated its official grand opening on Thursday, Jan. 15. At the opening, Children’s Way Counseling Center staff display a certificate presented by Johanna Contreras of U.S. Rep, Pat Ryan’s office (Photo provided by the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie)
The ribbon cutting, hosted by the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, was attended by nearly 50 supporters. They included Metzger, state Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, and representatives from U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan’s office, along with Children’s Home staff and many community partners, Kate Guinan of the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie said in an email.
Clients of Children’s Way can receive individual and family psychotherapy, medication management, crisis intervention, complex care management, and referrals to other community-based services, officials said. They added that the center works closely with school-based mental health providers and the Ulster County Crisis Support Center, officials said.
“The long-term goal is to create a sustainable, accessible outpatient mental health option for children and families throughout Ulster County,” Guinan said.
For additional information or to request an evaluation by Children’s Way for a child, visit the center’s website at http://bit.ly/4qaPoxb.
Children’s Way is open Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on weekends. For additional information, call (845) 386-0083.
The Ulster County Crisis Support Center also recently opened at the county’s Center for Well-Being, which is quickly becoming a one-stop shop for mental health services. The Crisis Support Center provides immediate 24/7 support for youngsters and adults of all ages who are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
The Crisis Support Center is run by People USA, a peer-run mental health non-profit, in partnership with the Ulster County Department of Mental Health.
Services at the Crisis Support Center include clinical assessments, timely intervention, peer support, and coordinated follow-up care, with the goal of reducing immediate risks and helping individuals move toward lasting recovery, while offering a safe and welcoming space where people can feel comfortable and supported, a press release said.