Welcome

Serving families of children with suspected developmental, behavioral or learning problems and children with known developmental disabilities.

The Center of Hope for Child Development offers services for families who are searching to find out why their child may be having a problem with walking, talking or learning or problems with behaviors. Our specialists in developmental-behavioral pediatrics work with families to identify a child's needs and assist in obtaining necessary help for the child. Some of the concerns commonly presenting to the clinic include developmental delays, learning problems or disorders, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, autism and Asperger syndrome.

The Center of Hope, formerly known as the Village of Hope, is a clinical program of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital, and is a teaching clinic for pediatric residents and other health care students. By participating in the clinic appointments, pediatric residents and students can learn how to work with children who have developmental and behavioral challenges.

The mission of the program is twofold:

• To enhance the quality of life of children with developmental, learning or behavioral problems or with disabilities by providing diagnostic and clinical services to the children and their families. These services will be offered in a family-centered, interdisciplinary, culturally competent and coordinated manner.
• To optimize the care of children with developmental, learning or behavioral problems or with disabilities by providing training for professionals with a focus on family-centered, culturally competent and coordinated care in community settings.

In 1986, the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio began providing evaluation services to children with suspected developmental delays or disabilities and children experiencing problems in school. At that time, clinics took place at the Brady Green Community Health Center.

In 1989, funds from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities enabled the creation of a University Affiliated Program (UAP). Although the UAP head office is housed in the Special Education Department at UT Austin, the Department of Pediatrics of UTHSCSA housed the pediatric fellowship training programs in Developmental Disabilities.

In 1993, the Board of Directors of Bexar County Hospital District BCHD-offered the "cottages" at the previous site of the Lutheran General Hospital to the Department of Pediatrics for its Developmental Disabilities Program. Grants from the BCHD Development Corporation, Charity Ball, Ronald McDonald's and Southwestern Bell Pioneers and St. Luke's Lutheran Ministries supported the project.

In 2007, due to increasing needs to serve this unique population of children, the clinical services of the Village of Hope were integrated into CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital to create the Center of Hope for Child Development.