Manchester — A nonprofit human service agency in New Hampshire that traces its roots back to the late 1800s has a new name that officials say better reflects its evolution over the decades.

Child and Family Services is now Waypoint, a word that means a place at which a path is changed. Officials say the name fits the purpose of the organization’s programs: changing the course for those who need help negotiating life’s challenges. The previous name created confusion because it sounded like a government agency.

Waypoint has 14 offices, including one in Lebanon, offering programs for all ages, including child abuse prevention, home care for seniors and people with disabilities and mental health counseling.

The organization grew out of several groups, including one created in 1850 to help millworkers’ families in Manchester.