Our History – Celebrating 40 Years!
Richcroft was incorporated in June, 1983 with the opening of 8 group homes in Howard County. Of the original 24 individuals supported by Richcroft, most came to us from state-run institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. In 1989, following the retirement of Founder and CEO Richard Moll, Dave Coughlin was brought on to lead Richcroft as CEO. Dave would spend more than 30 years at the helm and his leadership helped build Richcroft’s stellar reputation.
From 1989 to 1992, Richcroft expanded, first to serve individuals in Carroll County, then to Harford, and finally to Baltimore County. Our 55 residential homes are scattered throughout 4 counties of central Maryland, and all are located in safe, welcoming suburban neighborhoods – communities that anyone would be proud to call home.
In 1997, Richcroft began offering Personal Support Services to individuals living in their own homes or with family. With one-on-one support from a caring team member, these individually tailored services help people be active in the community, explore personal interests, develop friendships and relationships, and learn skills for independent living. Richcroft was one of the first agencies in the region to offer Personal Supports, and today we are proud to serve nearly 100 individuals annually in our Support Services Department.
In 2007, as a result of our growing programs, Richcroft’s main office moved from 9 Schilling Road to our current headquarters at the Executive Plaza in Hunt Valley. At present, 34 administrative staff work at the office, supporting more than 400 full and part-time Direct Support Professionals.
In 2013, Richcroft began construction on several custom-built homes. The homes were built using the concept of universal design, which focuses on making the house safe and accessible for everyone, regardless of age, physical ability, or stature. While universal design concepts are largely invisible to the casual observer, elements such as wider doors and hallways, smooth floor surfaces that are slip resistant, zero threshold entranceways, and bright lighting, make homes much more comfortable and user-friendly. Since this time we have been retrofitting many of our existing homes with universally designed bathrooms, kitchens and recreational areas.
In April of 2020, following the retirement of our longtime CEO Dave Coughlin, the Richcroft Board of Directors hired Kevin Drumheller to lead the organization. Initially charged with steering us through an unprecedented global pandemic, Kevin’s efforts in his first months were focused on keeping supported individuals and staff healthy and safe. In 2021, the organization underwent a major rebranding campaign, including a new website, new logo, and new mission statement. Additionally, significant efforts were taken to increase the agency’s visibility in the community and raise funds and support for our growing programs and participants.
In 2022, the Richcroft Foundation was established to ensure the future of Richcroft’s programming and extend confidence in Richcroft’s financial strength to various stakeholders. The intent of the Richcroft Foundation is to produce much-needed discretionary dollars that can be used to further the agency’s mission well into the future. Additionally in 2022, Richcroft began offering Community Development Services (CDS), a 100% community-based day service designed to provide individuals the opportunity to develop new skills, expand social networks, and build independence. This represents the agency’s first venture into providing meaningful day supports, an area of great need within the disability community, and our most significant expansion in more than 20 years.
Richcroft currently serves over 300 individuals in Residential, Personal Supports, Community Development Services, Shared Living, Supported Living and Respite Programs. In the years ahead, we will be working to continue to expand our quality supports in order to help more individuals flourish, grow and thrive.
(Pictured – front row, right: Personal Supports Participant Michael Townsend with President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter, at a Habitat for Humanity dedication ceremony. President & Mrs. Carter volunteered with the Georgia-based charity for much of their lives, and supported efforts to build an accessible home for Michael, fulfilling his long-time dream and personal goal of owning his own home.)