Company Timeline

Northeast Erie County Corporation 2, the emergent Horizon, becomes operational. It is established based on Erie County’s new design for the delivery of mental health services. Corporation 2 is to serve one of six geographic catchments with approximately 200,000 residents including urban, suburban and rural populations in the county’s northeast corridor. Corporation 2, a not-for-profit corporation, is supported by direct government deficit funding and is charged with the responsibility of designing services consistent with the unique needs of its communities.

Corporation 2 terminates its government deficit funding as it becomes increasingly clear this funding limits the efficiency, flexibility and innovative development of needed community services. Corporation 2 entirely restructures its fiscal, personnel and service delivery systems to assure that third party revenues can support its services and continued growth.

Corporation 2 expands its range and quality of services, while staying true to its core mission. Included in this expansion is the implementation of comprehensive chemical dependency services at several locations, and establishment of services beyond the catchment geographic boundary.

To more accurately reflect the corporation’s independent status and the increasing range of recovery and rehabilitation services provided, Corporation 2 changes its name to Horizon Human Services.

Hak Ko, M.D. is appointed Medical Director.

A more flexible and responsive management structure is required due to the growth and proliferation of services and facilities, and our ongoing commitment to innovation and quality, leading to the establishment of the Health Management Group.

Anne Constantino is appointed president and CEO of Horizon Human Services.

May 1994
Horizon opens Horizon Village, the first public intensive drug residential treatment center in Western New York. The impetus for the development of Horizon Village arose from the need for alternatives for persons with chemical dependency who required comprehensive, intermediate length of stay residential treatment.

Horizon Human Services is renamed Horizon Health Services. This name change reflects the implementation of medical services and their integration into Horizon’s behavioral health service compendium. The need for these medical services arose from our recognition of the critical relationship between client medical and behavioral health, and our client’s challenges in receiving appropriate medical care from other community providers not attuned to serve them.

Horizon expands its clinical services into Niagara County, establishing outpatient mental health and chemical dependency programs in Niagara Falls.

Horizon establishes a corporate intranet that greatly enhances the accessibility and efficiency of communication of information and resources across the organization.

Horizon adds vocational services to its growing spectrum of services in Niagara Falls.

Horizon is instrumental in the development and operation of several area drug courts, including the preparation of federal establishment grants and preparing process and outcome evaluations.

Horizon partners with several other providers of mental health and substance abuse services to establish CAIN, the Coordinated Access Integration Network, which is successful in securing contracts and delivering managed and coordinated services across multiple levels of care across Erie County.

Horizon expands its vocational services for persons with chemical dependency, including the integration of vocational staff into program teams based on our recognition of the importance of meaningful employment in clilent recovery.

Horizon implements chemical dependency treatment services in the City of Lockport, thereby extending service availability to clients residing in the eastern half of Niagara County.

Horizon celebrates its 25th anniversary of providing behavioral health services to the residents of Western New York. The celebration includes a gala affair attended by representatives of the behavioral health, government, criminal justice and recipient communities.

Horizon establishes specialized educational linkage services for Niagara County residents with behavioral health disorders.

Horizon establishes intensive and supportive mental health case management services in Niagara County, leading to the establishment of its Pine Avenue location in Niagara Falls. These services provide home- and community-based support to persons with the most severe and persistent mental health disorders.

Horizon establishes acupuncture services at all of its chemical dependency outpatient clinics and at Horizon Village. Acupuncture services have subsequently been introduced in Horizon’s mental health programs.

Horizon initiates a multi-year implementation of a comprehensive, state-of-the-art computerized medical record system. This includes the restructuring of all scheduling, billing, reporting and clinical documentation and communication systems. This also includes the establishment of universal computer access for all staff, and the training of all staff in both basic computer skills and the new medical records system.

Horizon establishes a Continuous Quality Improvement Department, thereby centralizing the management and development of Horizon’s several quality assurance and quality improvement initiatives.

Horizon is able to entirely eliminate its long-term debt (in the amount of $1.2 million) as result of the introduction of multiple efficiencies and prudent fiscal management.

Implements the Brief Strategic Family Therapy program, a new and expanded service component for families, with an $111,000 grant from the Peter & Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation.

Completes construction and program development for women’s specific services at Horizon Village.

Hires full-time psychiatrist with expertise in women’s treatment.

Completes significant renovations to several facilities as per our capital plan.

Horizon opens the Horizon Village Recovery Center in Batavia, providing substance abuse counseling services to residents of Genesee and Orleans Counties.

Horizon develops long-term strategic plan for development at Horizon Village. The envisioned campus will include a wellness and recreation center, a young adult treatment center, housing and educational facilities.

Plans to construct a 15,700-square-foot facility at Horizon Village are also announced. The new facility, which will contain 25 beds and be adjacent to the existing facility, will provide specialized chemical dependency and mental health services for veterans and is funded by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.

Horizon Village is awarded a $150,000 grant by the Grigg Lewis Foundation, which is to be used toward the construction of the adjacent Wellness facility.

Horizon Health Services introduces a new treatment program for mental illness called Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS). The new program is met with stunning success in its first year.

In January, the 11th Horizon clinic opens at Union and Losson Roads in Cheektowaga, NY. The clinic specializes in substance abuse services.

Ground is broken in February for the 12th Horizon clinic, located in East Amherst, NY. This is the first treatment facility for Horizon in the East Amherst/Clarence suburbs. The Family Recovery Center will focus on substance abuse services for adolescents and young adults.

In March, the Horizon Family Recovery Center, the 12th Horizon clinic, opens on Transit Road in East Amherst. The clinic offers both traditional and non-traditional therapies for adolescents, young adults and adults for substance abuse in a secluded setting that will focus on including the entire family in the treatment process.

In October Horizon Family Recovery Center began offering specialized adolescent psychiatry services and mental health counseling for adults, young adults and adolescents.

Horizon University began operating as a state-of-the-art training facility for all employees.

Horizon breaks ground on its 13,000 sq. ft. Wellness and Primary Care Center on the Horizon Village campus in Sanborn, NY.

Horizon opens the Wellness and Primary Care Center which houses the Sanborn Counseling Center and the Sanborn Health Center.

For the third consecutive year Horizon is honored as Best Place to Work in New York State and WNY.

Horizon partners with Catholic Health to offer on-site behavioral health services at its M. Steven Piver, M.D. Center for Women’s Health and Wellness at Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo, NY.

In November, Horizon opens new Family Treatment Center in Orchard Park, NY.

Horizon breaks ground in Sanborn, NY for an 11,730 square foot, 25 bed Freedom House facility for veterans.