A History of Meeting the Greatest Needs

1896

The King’s Daughters, a women’s service organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in our community, hires nurse Edith Nason to help care for the sick in Norfolk’s poorest neighborhoods. Those who could not pay for her services received them for free, establishing the charitable mission that still guides us today.

1984

Children’s Health System is established with The King’s Daughters as its Class A members, creating the region’s only pediatric healthcare system. By now, inpatient admissions are double what they were when the hospital opened.

1985

1901

The King’s Daughters’ first clinic opens at 304 Charlotte Street.

1916

After working out of several different locations in Norfolk, the group purchases a residence at 300 W. York Street for their headquarters, which they named The King’s Daughters Children’s Clinic.

1954-1961

The hospital establishes the region’s first exclusively pediatric surgery program with the addition of eight operating rooms.

1994

A major expansion and renovation triples the size of CHKD. This facility provides the region’s only pediatric emergency center, expands outpatient services, and houses 166 inpatient beds.

1996

In 1954, The King’s Daughters, now an even bigger and more powerful organization, announces plans to build a full-service children’s hospital. The group raises almost $1 million and breaks ground in 1959. The 88-bed hospital is dedicated on April 23, 1961.

1979

With the addition of two floors, the five-story hospital houses a full-service lab, dietary services, diagnostic clinics, nephrology and psychology services, a neonatal ICU, and a pediatric ICU. CHKD expands its care when five primary care pediatric practices join Children’s Health System, marking the beginning of CHKD Medical Group. The following year, Children’s Surgical Specialty Group is established – the region’s only multidisciplinary pediatric surgery practice.

1999

CHKD opens the first and only pediatric inpatient rehabilitation unit in Virginia.

1896 1901

1954-1961 1994

2000

CHKD opens its first multiservice, community-based CHKD Health Center in the Greenbrier area of Chesapeake, bringing services closer to families. Today, CHKD operates 14 community-based health centers.

2004

CHKD opens the region’s first pediatric outpatient surgery center exclusively for children on the Peninsula in our Health and Surgery Center at Oyster Point. In 2008, a second outpatient surgery center opens in the Health and Surgery Center at Concert Drive in Virginia Beach.

2011

After its 1994 expansion, CHKD gradually increases its number of licensed beds to meet demand. In 2011, the hospital became licensed for 206 beds, our current number for the main hospital.

2015 2018

CHKD’s board of directors votes to expand the hospital’s mission by recommending the establishment of inpatient psychiatric services at CHKD. In July of 2018, CHKD receives state approval to build a 60-bed pediatric mental health hospital to help meet the critical shortage of services.

2019

On September 17, 2019, Governor Ralph Northam joins state and local legislators, community leaders, and CHKD officials at a groundbreaking ceremony to launch construction of CHKD’s $224 million mental health hospital – a facility expected to transform mental health care for children across the state and the nation.

2020

A “topping off” ceremony on August 11, 2020, marks the symbolic completion of the structural phase of Children’s Pavilion as the highest beam is placed on the 60-bed, 14-story mental health hospital and outpatient center.

CHKD opens the region’s first urgent care center just for kids on Volvo Parkway in Chesapeake. Today, with additional locations open, more than 60,000 visits are made each year to CHKD urgent care centers in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Newport News.

2015 2022

Children’s Pavilion, opens in April to outpatient services including primary care at General Academic Pediatrics, a sports medicine clinic, lab and radiology services, and outpatient mental health therapy. October marks the launch of inpatient mental health care with the opening of the first 12-bed unit. The remaining 48 beds will open in phases through 2023.