In 1981, Bethesda began as a research program within Central Oklahoma Community Mental Health Center, funded by the State of Oklahoma Department of Mental Health. Bethesda Alternative, as we were called at that time, specialized in treating selected men who had sexually abused children. Offenders who qualified were required to remain in counseling for a minimum of two years as an alternative to incarceration, with offenders agreeing to pay for their counseling.

In 1983, Bethesda separated from the Central Oklahoma Community Mental Health Center, incorporated, and moved to property owned by Dr. Lemon. The primary clients served remained the sexual offender. For five months, the program was funded by the State of Oklahoma Department of Corrections. With the abrupt downturn in the United States and Oklahoma economy, the DOC funding came to an end, and Dr. Lemon personally supported the program using his own resources.

In 1985, the program began serving children, youth and the non-offending adult members of families. It is a fact of our social history that at this time, men deemed not dangerous were allowed to remain in the community. Family reconciliation sometimes occurred once men completed a course of treatment at Bethesda and with family members conjointly being served as well. The primary source of funding for the program was from the treatment fees paid by the offenders.

In 1986, Dr. Lemon died, and in 1987, Dr. Mark Chaffin, served as the executive director and Dr. Candace McCaffery served as the clinical director. At approximately this same time, Bethesda moved all of its offices from Dr. Lemon’s property to an office complex at Sunnylane and Rock Road.

In 1990, another leadership change occurred when Dr. Chaffin relocated to the University of Arkansas. Dr. Candace McCaffery, assumed the position of executive director, while continuing to manage the clinical director responsibilities for the organization.

In the early 1990s, many changes occurred at Bethesda. Limited grant funding became available from the State of Oklahoma Department of Human Services. United Way also began providing funding for the organization.

In approximately 1994, Bethesda began providing therapeutic services to male children that were the victims of sexual abuse through its innovative Knight School, a therapy program that continues at Bethesda today. In the mid-1990s, Bethesda began receiving very limited funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) from the State Attorney General’s Office.

In 2001 Bethesda moved to its current location, an ideal setting for therapeutic services for children and families. Bethesda expanded its services to become Oklahoma’s only therapeutic center dedicated exclusively to comprehensive treatment of sexually abused children.

A leadership change occurred when Dr. McCaffery resigned as both the executive director and clinical director. Sandra Wellman was retained as the Clinical Director, and Carol Dillingham as Executive Director.

In 2004, counseling for the offenders was discontinued and services were specialized to treat only the abused child and the non-offending family member. In 2004, the name of the agency was officially changed to Bethesda, Inc., and Bethesda gained Kay Christiansen as its Executive Director.