Monroe County Executive Adam Bello honors 35 years of dedicated foster care health services at Starlight Pediatrics alongside founder Dr. Moira Szilagyi

Monroe County, New York – In a heartfelt celebration that blended gratitude, reflection, and hope, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello joined Dr. Moira Szilagyi to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Starlight Pediatrics — a unique and pioneering clinic that has changed the lives of thousands of children in foster care.

Held on the Monroe Community Hospital campus, where the clinic is housed, the anniversary event recognized more than just a milestone. It celebrated a vision born in 1990, when Starlight Pediatrics opened its doors under a different name: the Monroe County Foster Care Pediatric Clinic. At its core was a mission — one that centered on trauma-informed, whole-child healthcare for the region’s most vulnerable youth.

A Vision Realized and a Legacy Cemented

Back in 1990, Dr. Szilagyi saw a gap in how foster children were cared for medically. With her leadership and commitment, she helped build a clinic that prioritized not just physical checkups, but also the mental and emotional well-being of children often caught in uncertain and unstable life situations.

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“Starlight Pediatrics was developed as a joint effort between the Monroe County Departments of Social Services and Public Health to improve the health care and outcomes of children in foster care in Monroe County,” said Dr. Szilagyi. “It is a concrete, visual representation of their commitment to improving the health care and outcomes for children and teens in foster care. I am so proud to wish Starlight Pediatrics and all who made it possible a very Happy 35th Anniversary.”

Dr. Szilagyi’s idea was ahead of its time. The model she helped develop would later influence national guidelines and inspire reforms across the country. Today, Starlight is seen as more than a clinic—it’s a blueprint for how to care for kids with complex histories.

A Building With Purpose, A Mission With Heart

In 2011, a major boost came from the Sands Family, whose $1 million donation enabled the completion of the clinic’s current facility. Located on the Monroe Community Hospital campus, the space symbolizes permanence and care—two things that foster children often lack.

“Starlight Pediatrics was one of the first clinics in the nation to provide children in the foster care system with healthcare that sees them fully – body, mind, and spirit,” said County Executive Bello. “The vision that Dr. Moira Szilagyi brought to Monroe County continues to be carried out by a dedicated team of caregivers who offer consistency, dignity, and healing to children who often don’t have stability in other areas of their lives.”

County Executive Bello emphasized not just the clinic’s past achievements but also its lasting significance in the present. With ongoing support from Monroe County and its partners, the clinic remains a critical source of stability and healing.

Healing from the Inside Out

Children in foster care frequently experience layers of trauma—abuse, neglect, separation—and often, multiple foster placements. This leads to deep emotional and psychological wounds. That’s where trauma-informed care becomes not just helpful, but essential.

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“It is our privilege to care for these children with the compassion, respect and consistency they need to heal from their past traumas. Children in foster care often face complex physical, mental, and behavioral health needs and benefit from consistent, trauma-informed care,” said Dr. Marielena Vélez de Brown, Commissioner of Public Health. “I thank County Executive Bello for his support, our partners in the Child Protective Services division of the Department of Human Services, our nurse practitioners and clinic staff, as well as all the people and community organizations who help make this work possible. I especially thank Dr. Szilagyi for her vision and the foundational work that Starlight stands upon today as a national model for providing primary medical care to children involved in CPS.”

That model—care centered on understanding trauma, not just treating symptoms—has elevated Starlight Pediatrics to national recognition. It’s been a guiding light in how the American Academy of Pediatrics views children in foster care, now officially recognized as having “special health care needs.”

From Rochester Roots to National Reach

Dr. Szilagyi’s work didn’t stop at the clinic’s walls. After years on the faculty at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Golisano Children’s Hospital, she rose to national prominence. She eventually led the American Academy of Pediatrics and now serves on the faculty at UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital, continuing her advocacy and research.

Meanwhile, the legacy she helped build in Rochester remains strong. Starlight Pediatrics continues to adapt, evolve, and support children in need — while remaining firmly grounded in the values it was founded upon: consistency, compassion, and community.

Looking Ahead, Holding Onto the Why

As Monroe County officials, healthcare leaders, and clinic staff gathered to celebrate, it was clear that the 35th anniversary was more than a ceremonial event. It was a reaffirmation of a promise—to never let children in the foster care system fall through the cracks.

In a world where instability is often the norm for foster children, Starlight Pediatrics stands as a steady force. And after 35 years, its mission remains as urgent and as powerful as ever.