Detroit Institute for Children

The nonprofit Detroit Institute for Children (doing business as Boldi – Exceptional Youth Services beginning August 2024) has been providing specialized diagnostic, rehabilitative, and therapeutic services to children since 1920, when it was established as an orthopedic clinic to serve childhood victims of polio and tuberculosis in Detroit.  Focused on providing treatment to children regardless of a family's ability to pay, the clinic became a recognized leader in delivering advanced pediatric care.

Today, we utilize a decentralized approach to serve families “where they are” instead of requiring travel to a fixed clinical location (which often poses transportation issues for families).  As a result:

• We currently work with children enrolled at nearly 200 K-12 schools, Head Starts, and Early Childhood programs across Southeast and West Michigan providing more than 60,000 hours of speech, occupational, and socio-emotional therapy.
• The locations where we work enroll 49% of Michigan's more than 200,000 special education students (based on state data).  In addition, data also indicate 73% of these students are children of color, with 77% classified as "economically disadvantaged.”

We also have a set of robust community-based programs that are offered without cost to participants in underserved communities.

• These programs use a holistic approach to assist nearly 500 underserved families each year through academic and therapeutic services provided during the summer, after school, and in homes year-round.
• In particular, these programs have a focus on improving the Mental Health and Socio-Emotional Learning of children resulting from COVID-19.

While our work has evolved over the past 100 years in response to changing needs in the communities we serve, our mission and vision continue to primarily focus on the most vulnerable among us – underserved children with special needs and their families:

• Mission - We empower children to overcome challenges.
• Vision - Children with special needs and their families are all thriving members of the community.

As we move forward, two founding principles will continue to play a central role in guiding us and the care that we offer:

• Provide compassionate, expert care to children with special needs.
• Concentrate on treating the whole child, not just the disability.

All of Boldli’s work continues to be sustained and guided by our deep commitment to diversity.  With the formation of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-hate (IDEA) committees for board and staff, we believe it is extremely important to support and protect diversity by valuing individuals and groups, free from prejudice, and fostering a climate of equity and mutual respect.