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Family Services of Northwestern Michigan
3785 Veterans Drive
Traverse City, MI 49684
231.946.8975
3434 M-119, Suite F
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
231.347.4463
- strengthening the fabric of the family since 1937 -
| In the 1930s Dr. Mark Osterlin began searching for safe havens for mistreated and ailing Northwestern Michigan children. The respected and renowned pediatrician had come to Traverse City to practice at the Children’s Clinic, where some rural patients needed medical treatment but did not require hospitalization. He also treated battered children, yet had no alternative but to return them to unsafe homes, fearing they would again suffer abuse. The region’s children needed a refuge, Dr. Osterlin believed. Some needed temporary boarding; others needed permanent adoptive homes. |
| Dr. Osterlin turned to the Michigan Children’s Aid Society, whose efforts on behalf of children elsewhere in the state were gaining recognition. In 1937, at Dr. Osterlin’s invitation, the Society opened an office in Traverse City. Through this office, rural children were able to receive needed medical attention, and battered or neglected children found temporary safe harbor in boarding homes and with adoptive families. |
| Dr. Osterlin exemplified the lasting impact one person could have on future generations. He was a mentor, an innovator, and an advocate for children. Because of his wisdom, compassion and foresight, thousands of children have grown up in safe homes and become productive citizens. That is his legacy. The work he began in 1937 continues today at Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan. |
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Funded in part by United Way and the |
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Provide the Following CARF Accredited Programs Adoption 
Counseling
Crisis & Planned Respite
General, Specialized &Treatment Foster Care
Families Know Best
Family Group Decision Making 
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