About Us
A Brief History: As Remembered by Dennis Felty
Mel Knowlton funds what will become Keystone
In 1971, Mel Knowlton heard about our group at the Harrisburg State Hospital and one afternoon came out to meet with us. Mel said, "I have funding for a group home for people who are living in State Centers, do you want some?" We said "yes" and Mel helped us write our first proposal. This "Yes" would be the first yes in a long series of yeses that would eventually impact the lives of thousands of people. Mel funded the project for $70,000. At the time Ralph Moyer had just started as the Dauphin County MH/MR Administrator following Gary Ellis and George Roessing.
Reverend Charles Dorsey chairs Board
Our Harrisburg State Hospital Group asked Reverend Charles Dorsey, Director of the Council of Churches (later Christian Churches United), to convene a community group that would form a new non profit agency. Edna Silberman, an outstanding community volunteer and Director of the Aurora Club, joined the group and we incorporated Keystone Residence in October of 1972. Keystone's incorporators were Barbara Scheffer, Evelyn Byron, Edna Silberman, Charles Dorsey, Iris Harad and myself. Reverend Dorsey served as our first Board Chairman.
After much time the Board had not been successful in hiring an Executive Director and Ellen Danfield encouraged me to apply. Ellen who was a close friend and the new Mental Retardation Coordinator for Dauphin County said "Dennis - this will be one of the biggest things you will ever be part of, you should do it." So at age 24 I resigned from Keystone's Board, applied for the position and was hired as Keystone's first Executive Director. Ellen Danfield would become a Keystone Board Member and remains a Member of the Corporation of Keystone Human Services today.
At the time, Dr Adlestein had finished his term as Commissioner of Mental Health and was then serving as the Medical Director of the new Harrisburg Hospital Community Mental Health Center located at Brady Hall on Front Street in Harrisburg. The Market Place was part of the Community Mental Health Center. When I had informed Dr. Adlestein that I had accepted the Executive Director's position of Keystone he offered a small ante room for use as Keystone's first office. Stephanie DeMuro and Gretchen Morgan were hired as Keystone's second and third employees. Stephanie would eventually be responsible for helping over one hundred people return home from state institutions as Director of Keystone's ICF/MR programs.
In 1972 Keystone opened its first home on Green Street (see the Green Street Society) and then a second home at 2104 North Third Street, Harrisburg. Governor and Mrs. Shapp personally co-signed the mortgage for the home. Mrs. Shapp was a co worker and family therapist at the Harrisburg Hospital Community Mental Health Center. In 1974 Keystone Residence opened its first group home for people with mental illness on Forster Street in Harrisburg.
Christmas at Keystone's first home 1974
These homes were followed by many other homes in Dauphin County over the ensuing years. This was a time of a sense of great social justice. We would visit state institutions and bring people home sometimes the very same day. I remember meeting with one elderly man at Selinsgrove State Center talking about the possibility of him leaving. His name was Don and he sat there not saying anything. With his giant hands folded, he finally, quietly said "where were you when I was young?"
Stan Sellers and Chip Beziat from the University of Maryland were our first consultants. Chip and Stan helped us develop our first Mission Statement that focused on "Change Agentry". At the time, Keystone had annual all staff retreats at Camp Shikelimy led by Stan and Chip. During this time Joann Mayhan served as Keystone's Administrative Officer and Rich Huber served as Chief Fiscal Officer. Rich would later found Huber Associates, however he continues as Keystone's Treasurer. Caldwell, Clouser & Kearns served as Keystone's law firm since its incorporation and Chuck DeHart has provided invaluable legal counsel to Keystone for most of those years.
Keystone Community Mental Health
The first home on Forster street was followed by a continuously expanding array of mental health services in Dauphin County. These were first under the leadership of Janelle Graham followed by Joan Rowlands and now Michael Grier.
ARC brings Pennhurst litigation
Early in the 1970s the Pennsylvania ARC and PHILCOP brought litigation against the Commonwealth over the horrendous conditions at the Pennhurst State Center in Spring City Pennsylvania. This case was finally settled in 1976 in a consent decree that committed the Commonwealth to closing Pennhurst. In its last year of operation Judge Broderick placed undercover federal marshals in Pennhurst to protect the residents.
In Pennhurst's last year of operation Secretary O'Bannon paid $10,000,000 in contempt of court citation fines to Judge Broderick's Court. At the same time the Commonwealth was in jeopardy of losing over a quarter billion dollars in Federal Medicaid reimbursement for overcrowding in its state centers, if O'Bannon did not reduce the State Center population by 300 persons by the close of the fiscal year.
Keystone had emerged as a major resource for these placements in Dauphin County.
However, Keystone's Board decided to not proceed with its ICF/MR development because of the chaotic reimbursement environment. When informed of Keystone's position, Secretary O'Bannon asked to meet with us and said "Dennis don't bring any board members along". In her office, Secretary O'Bannon said with great passion, while shaking her finger, "If you back out on me I will do what ever I can to s..... Keystone." She said "I am your only customer and if you don't give me what I want I don't want to do business with you anymore." Stan Mrozowski, the new Dauphin County MH/MR Administrator, attended the meeting. It was Stan's first day as County Administrator.
Secretary O'Bannon made a personal commitment to fix the financial problems of the ICF/MR system and with both the promises and the threats, Keystone said yes and proceeded with its ICF/MR development. At the time Keystone had a maximum line of credit of $40,000. Our receivables ballooned to over $400,000 before reimbursement started from the department.
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