Pennsylvania has operated or contracted with dozens of juvenile detention centers, youth development centers, secure treatment units, residential treatment facilities, behavioral health campuses, and private youth programs over the past several decades.
For former residents and their families, identifying the correct name and location of a facility is often the first step toward understanding what happened there and what options may exist. Many facilities have changed ownership, closed, merged, or operated under multiple names over the years, which makes that first step harder than it should be.
This database is designed to help identify Pennsylvania juvenile facilities by county, address, and known alternative names. Where a facility has publicly reported lawsuits, government investigations, or criminal prosecutions connected to it, we reference those matters directly, with sources. If you don’t see a reported matter listed for a facility, that does not mean nothing happened there. It means we have not yet been able to independently verify a specific public record to report, and we would rather tell you that honestly than guess.
If you find a facility you were placed at, or if you only remember part of a name, contact us directly. Our team can often help identify the correct facility even from a partial memory or an old, unfamiliar name.
Table of Contents
- What Types of Juvenile Facilities Exist in Pennsylvania?
- State-Operated Youth Development Centers
- Juvenile Detention Centers
- Secure Treatment Units
- Private Residential Treatment Programs
- Behavioral Health Facilities
- Closed Facilities
- Facility Search by County
- Timeline of Major Pennsylvania Juvenile Facility Investigations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Resources
What Types of Juvenile Facilities Exist in Pennsylvania?
Juvenile Detention Centers are short-term, secure facilities that hold youth before a court hearing or while awaiting placement elsewhere. They are typically county-operated or county-contracted.
Youth Development Centers (YDCs) are longer-term, state-operated secure facilities for youth adjudicated delinquent, run by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Secure Treatment Units combine the security of a detention setting with a treatment program, often for youth with more serious offense histories or significant behavioral health needs.
Residential Treatment Facilities (RTFs) provide longer-term behavioral health treatment in a residential setting, often for youth with significant mental health, trauma, or substance use treatment needs, and are not always tied to the juvenile justice system directly.
Behavioral Health Hospitals provide inpatient psychiatric treatment and may house youth on a short-term or longer-term basis depending on clinical need.
Group Homes are smaller, community-based residential settings, typically housing a small number of youth with more day-to-day independence than a secure facility. Our companion guide on signs of abuse in group homes covers this setting specifically.
Shelter Care provides short-term, temporary housing for youth, often while a longer-term placement or family situation is being resolved.
Community Residential Programs offer a lower level of restriction than a secure facility, generally for youth closer to reintegration with their family or community.
State-Operated Youth Development Centers
Juvenile Detention Centers
Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
County: Allegheny
Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center
County: Delaware
Secure Treatment Units
Abraxas Academy
County: Berks Alternative Names: Cornell Abraxas Academy, Abraxas Secure Treatment, Abraxas Morgantown Facility Type: Secure juvenile treatment center
Pennsylvania Child Sexual Abuse Laws
Private Residential Treatment Programs
Devereux
Devereux operates multiple campuses across Pennsylvania and nationally under one organizational umbrella.
Summit Academy
County: Butler
George Junior Republic
VisionQuest
VisionQuest operated multiple program sites historically.
Pressley Ridge
County: Allegheny
Behavioral Health Facilities
Southwood Psychiatric Hospital
County: Allegheny
Glen Mills Schools
County: Delaware Address: Glen Mills, PA (Delaware County) — specific current address should be confirmed before publishing, since the campus has changed operating entities since 2019. Alternative Names: Glen Mills School, Clock Tower Schools (the entity formed to attempt to reopen the campus after Glen Mills’ 2019 closure) Facility Type: Historically, a residential reform school and juvenile placement facility for court-ordered boys, founded in 1826 as the Philadelphia House of Refuge. At its peak it housed more than 1,000 students from Pennsylvania and other states.
Publicly Reported Matters:
Starting in 2018, the Philadelphia Inquirer began publishing investigative reporting documenting decades of violent abuse and cover-ups at Glen Mills, including counselors beating boys and coercing them into silence with threats of longer placements. The reporting prompted investigations by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), the Pennsylvania Auditor General, the Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
In March 2019, DHS ordered an emergency removal of all remaining students. On April 8, 2019, DHS revoked all 14 of Glen Mills’ operating licenses, citing “gross incompetence, negligence, and misconduct” resulting in “mistreatment and abuse of children in care.”
A federal class action lawsuit was filed on April 11, 2019, by the Education Law Center, the Juvenile Law Center, and the law firm Dechert LLP in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
A June 2020 performance audit by the Pennsylvania Auditor General found Glen Mills failed to obtain required background checks for employees, failed to ensure staff received mandated child-abuse-recognition training, and lacked adequate grievance procedures for students, issuing 35 recommendations.
In August 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Department of Human Services agreed to a $450,000 settlement with former Glen Mills students in a case addressing denied meaningful education and abuse experienced at the facility, covering roughly 1,600 former students.
Separately, in 2021, an entity called Clock Tower Schools formed at Glen Mills’ original 800-acre campus and applied for a new operating license, which drew opposition from lawmakers and youth advocates.
As of 2024, reporting also noted nearly 70 additional individuals filing lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by staff across multiple Pennsylvania juvenile placement facilities, a broader statewide pattern beyond Glen Mills alone, referenced in our timeline section below.
Sources: Philadelphia Inquirer reporting (2018–2024), Pennsylvania Department of Human Services licensing action (April 2019), Pennsylvania Auditor General performance audit (June 2020), federal class action filing (April 2019), Glen Mills/Department of Education settlement reporting (August 2024).
Abuse in Youth Correctional Facilities, Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania Juvenile Detention Centers, Statute of Limitations for Group Home and Youth Facility Abuse
PA Child Care / Western PA Child Care
County: PA Child Care — Luzerne (Pittston Township). Western PA Child Care — Butler (Emlenton). Alternative Names: Referenced together in public reporting as the facilities at the center of the “Kids for Cash” scandal. Facility Type: For-profit juvenile detention facilities.
Publicly Reported Matters (sourced):
Between 2003 and 2008, Luzerne County Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan closed a county-run juvenile detention facility and funneled thousands of juveniles into PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care in exchange for approximately $2.8 million in kickbacks from the facilities’ builder and co-owner.
Ciavarella, presiding over juvenile court under a “zero tolerance” policy, sentenced juveniles as young as 8 to detention, frequently for minor, first-time offenses, often without legal counsel and without being properly informed of their rights.
Both judges were federally charged in January 2009. Conahan pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy in 2010 and was sentenced to over 17 years. Ciavarella was convicted at trial in February 2011 on 12 of 27 counts, including racketeering and conspiracy, and was sentenced to 28 years; his appeal for a lighter sentence was denied.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated approximately 4,000 convictions issued by Ciavarella between 2003 and 2008, finding he had violated juveniles’ constitutional rights, including the right to counsel.
In a related federal civil suit, a U.S. District Court judge ordered Ciavarella and Conahan to pay more than $200 million in compensatory and punitive damages to nearly 300 victims.
PA Child Care, Western PA Child Care, and Mid-Atlantic Youth Services Corp. separately settled civil claims brought by thousands of juveniles who had appeared before Ciavarella, with those settling parties specifically noting that claims regarding juveniles’ care and treatment while detained at the facilities were addressed through that settlement.
Sources: U.S. Department of Justice charging documents (2009), Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling vacating convictions, federal civil judgment reporting, Juvenile Law Center case history, contemporaneous and retrospective reporting from the Philadelphia Inquirer, AP, and regional Pennsylvania outlets.
Abuse in Youth Correctional Facilities, Statute of Limitations for Group Home and Youth Facility Abuse
Closed Pennsylvania Juvenile Facilities
Glen Mills Schools — Closed in its original form in April 2019 following DHS license revocation. See verified entry above. An entity called Clock Tower Schools subsequently sought to reopen operations at the same campus; current status should be confirmed before publishing.
Northwestern Academy
Many survivors remember facilities that no longer exist under their original name, or that have changed ownership since they were placed there. If you remember details about a facility but not its exact name, our team can often help identify it. Contact us with whatever details you recall.
Facility Search by County
Pennsylvania Juvenile Facility Database
Browse current and former juvenile detention centers, treatment programs, psychiatric facilities, shelters, and related youth programs by Pennsylvania county.
How to use: Open a county below to view its facilities. On a computer, press Ctrl + F (or Command + F on a Mac) to search for a facility or former name.
Allegheny County 12 records
Auberle – Residential Services
Also known as: Auberle
Familylinks – Youth Residential Programs
Also known as: Familylinks
Highland Detention
Also known as: Allegheny County Highland Detention
Holy Family Institute – Residential Services
Also known as: Holy Family
Pressley Ridge – Pittsburgh Campus
Also known as: Pressley Ridge
Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
Also known as: Shuman Center
Southwood Psychiatric Hospital
Also known as: Southwood
The Academy Schools – New Academy Charter School
Also known as: New Academy
The Academy Schools – New Outlook Academy
Also known as: New Outlook Academy
The Bradley Center
Also known as: Bradley Center
Ward Home
Also known as: Ward Home Inc.
Wesley Family Services – Residential Programs
Also known as: Wesley Spectrum
Armstrong County 1 record
Adelphoi Village – Kittanning Campus
Also known as: Adelphoi Kittanning
Berks County 6 records
Abraxas Academy
Also known as: New Morgan; Morgantown Abraxas; Cornell Abraxas Academy
Abraxas Academy Shelter Program
Also known as: Academy Shelter
Berks County Youth Center
Also known as: Berks County Juvenile Detention Center
Bethany Children’s Home
Also known as: Bethany Home
Children’s Home of Reading
Also known as: CHOR
KidsPeace – Berks Campus
Also known as: KidsPeace Berks
Blair County 1 record
Pyramid Healthcare – Ridgeview Adolescent Program
Also known as: Ridgeview
Bucks County 2 records
Bucks County Youth Center
Also known as: BCYC
Foundations Behavioral Health
Also known as: Foundations
Butler County 5 records
Glade Run Lutheran Services – Residential Program
Also known as: Glade Run
Mars Home for Youth
Also known as: MHY Family Services
Summit Academy
Also known as: Summit Academy School
The Academy Schools – Summit Academy
Also known as: The Academy Schools
Western Secure Treatment Unit
Also known as: WSTU
Cambria County 3 records
Adelphoi Village – Ebensburg Campus
Also known as: Adelphoi Ebensburg
Cresson Secure Treatment Unit
Also known as: Cresson STU
Manor Detention – Adelphoi Village
Also known as: Manor Detention
Carbon County 1 record
Youth Forestry Camp #2
Also known as: YFC #2
Centre County 3 records
Central Counties Youth Center
Also known as: CCYC
The Meadows Psychiatric Center
Also known as: The Meadows
Youth Forestry Camp #4
Also known as: YFC #4
Chester County 5 records
Chester County Youth Center
Also known as: CCYC
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health – Brandywine Campus
Also known as: Devereux Brandywine
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health – Kanner Center
Also known as: Kanner Center
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health – Mapleton Campus
Also known as: Devereux Mapleton
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health – Whitlock Center
Also known as: Whitlock
Clarion County 1 record
Clarion Psychiatric Center
Also known as: Clarion Psychiatric
Crawford County 1 record
Bethesda Children’s Home
Also known as: Bethesda Lutheran Services
Cumberland County 2 records
Diakon Youth Services – Flight Program
Also known as: Diakon Flight
Diakon Youth Services – Turning Point
Also known as: Turning Point
Dauphin County 4 records
Alternative Rehabilitation Communities – Harrisburg
Also known as: ARC
Dauphin County Juvenile Detention Center
Also known as: Dauphin County JDC
Milton Hershey School
Also known as: MHS
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute – Child & Adolescent Services
Also known as: PPI
Delaware County 2 records
Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center
Also known as: Delaware County JDC
Glen Mills Schools
Also known as: Glen Mills
Erie County 5 records
Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Center
Also known as: ELTAC
Harborcreek Youth Services
Also known as: Harborcreek
Northwestern Regional Juvenile Detention Center
Also known as: Northwestern Regional JDC
Perseus House
Also known as: Perseus House Charter School
Sarah A. Reed Children’s Center – Residential Program
Also known as: Sarah Reed
Fayette County 1 record
Pressley Ridge – Ohiopyle Campus
Also known as: Pressley Ridge Ohiopyle
Forest County 4 records
Abraxas I
Also known as: Marienville Abraxas; Cornell Abraxas I
Abraxas I ARMHS Program
Also known as: ARMHS
Abraxas I Open Residential Program
Also known as: IORP
Abraxas I PRTF
Also known as: Abraxas PRTF
Franklin County 16 records
Abraxas Leadership Development Program
Also known as: LDP; South Mountain Building 6
Abraxas South Mountain Shelter
Also known as: South Mountain Shelter; Building 6
Abraxas Youth Center
Also known as: AYC; South Mountain Building 3
Abraxas Youth Center Firesetter Program
Also known as: Firesetter Program
Abraxas Youth Center HEALSS Program
Also known as: HEALSS
Abraxas Youth Center ReSET Program
Also known as: ReSET
Cornell Abraxas – Specialized Treatment Program
Also known as: STP
Manito – Day Treatment and Residential Programs
Also known as: Manito
Scotland School for Veterans’ Children
Also known as: Scotland School
South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit
Also known as: SMSTU
South Mountain Youth Development Center
Also known as: South Mountain YDC
VisionQuest – Lee Prep Academy
Also known as: Lee Prep
VisionQuest – Madalyn Program
Also known as: Madalyn Program
VisionQuest – Pathfinders
Also known as: Pathfinders
VisionQuest – South Mountain Lodge
Also known as: South Mountain Lodge
Youth Forestry Camp #5
Also known as: YFC #5
Huntingdon County 1 record
Youth Forestry Camp #3
Also known as: YFC #3
Lancaster County 1 record
Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center
Also known as: YIC
Lawrence County 1 record
New Castle Youth Development Center
Also known as: New Castle YDC
Lehigh County 4 records
KidsPeace – Broadway Campus
Also known as: KidsPeace Hospital
KidsPeace – Orchard Hills Campus
Also known as: KidsPeace Orefield
Lehigh County Juvenile Detention Center
Also known as: Lehigh County JDC
Pinebrook Family Answers – Residential Programs
Also known as: Pinebrook
Luzerne County 3 records
First Hospital Wyoming Valley
Also known as: Commonwealth Health First Hospital
Luzerne County Juvenile Detention Center
Also known as: Luzerne County JDC
North East Secure Treatment Unit
Also known as: NESTU
McKean County 1 record
Beacon Light Behavioral Health – Residential Program
Also known as: Beacon Light
Mercer County 4 records
George Junior Republic
Also known as: GJR
George Junior Republic Drug and Alcohol Program
Also known as: GJR D&A
George Junior Republic Special Needs Program
Also known as: GJR Special Needs
George Junior Republic – Secure Detention
Also known as: GJR Secure Detention
Monroe County 1 record
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health – Pocono Center
Also known as: Devereux Pocono
Montgomery County 8 records
Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital
Also known as: Brooke Glen
Carson Valley Children’s Aid – Flourtown Campus
Also known as: Carson Valley School
Carson Valley Children’s Aid – Norristown Campus
Also known as: Carson Valley
Montgomery County Youth Center
Also known as: MCYC
Silver Springs – Martin Luther School
Also known as: Gemma Services; Silver Springs
St. Gabriel’s Hall
Also known as: Saint Gabriel's Hall
The Horsham Clinic
Also known as: Horsham Clinic
The Village – Residential Treatment
Also known as: The Village Services
Montour County 4 records
North Central Secure Detention Center
Also known as: North Central Detention
North Central Secure Treatment Unit – Boys Program
Also known as: NCSTU Boys
North Central Secure Treatment Unit – Girls Program
Also known as: NCSTU Girls
North Central Youth Development Center
Also known as: North Central YDC
Northampton County 2 records
Children’s Home of Easton
Also known as: The Children's Home of Easton
Northampton County Juvenile Justice Center
Also known as: NCJJC
Northumberland County 1 record
Northwestern Academy
Also known as: Northwestern Human Services Academy
Perry County 2 records
Loysville Youth Development Center
Also known as: LYDC
Youth Forestry Camp #1
Also known as: YFC #1
Philadelphia County 13 records
Belmont Behavioral Health System
Also known as: Belmont
Community Specialists Corporation
Also known as: CSC
Covenant House Pennsylvania
Also known as: Covenant House PA
Fairmount Behavioral Health System
Also known as: Fairmount
Girard College
Also known as: Girard
Lutheran Settlement House – Youth Programs
Also known as: LSH
Methodist Services – Residential Program
Also known as: Methodist Home for Children
Northern Children – Residential Services
Also known as: Northern Children's Services
Path – Residential Treatment Services
Also known as: PATH Inc.
Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center
Also known as: PJJSC
Southeast Youth Development Center
Also known as: SEYDC
Turning Points for Children – Residential Services
Also known as: Turning Points
Wordsworth Academy
Also known as: Wordsworth
Washington County 1 record
Mel Blount Youth Home
Also known as: Mel Blount Youth Leadership Initiative
Westmoreland County 3 records
Adelphoi Village – Latrobe Campus
Also known as: Adelphoi
Middle Creek Detention Center
Also known as: Middle Creek
Westmoreland County Regional Youth Services Center
Also known as: Regional Youth Services Center
York County 3 records
Alternative Rehabilitation Communities – York
Also known as: ARC York
Pressley Ridge – York Campus
Also known as: Pressley Ridge York
York County Youth Development Center
Also known as: York County YDC
Multiple County 8 records
CONCERN – Residential Programs
Also known as: CONCERN Professional Services
George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania – Community Programs
Also known as: GJR Community Programs
George Junior Republic – Preventative Aftercare
Also known as: Preventative Aftercare
Merakey – AVS Youth Residential Programs
Also known as: Merakey
Pathways Adolescent Center
Also known as: Pathways
The Bair Foundation – Pennsylvania Programs
Also known as: Bair Foundation
Valley Youth House – Residential Programs
Also known as: Valley Youth House
Youth Services Agency of Pennsylvania
Also known as: YSA
Important: Inclusion in this directory does not imply misconduct, wrongdoing, or liability. Facility names, operators, programs, and operating status can change. Entries marked “Status being verified” should be checked against current licensing and historical records before publication.
Timeline of Major Pennsylvania Juvenile Facility Investigations
2003–2008: Luzerne County judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan funnel thousands of juveniles into PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care in exchange for kickbacks, later known as the Kids for Cash scandal.
2009: Federal prosecutors charge Ciavarella and Conahan. The scandal becomes national news.
2011: Ciavarella convicted at trial; the Pennsylvania Supreme Court later vacates approximately 4,000 juvenile convictions connected to his rulings.
2018–2019: Philadelphia Inquirer investigation exposes decades of abuse and cover-ups at Glen Mills Schools, prompting DHS, Auditor General, Inspector General, District Attorney, and federal DOJ investigations. DHS revokes all 14 Glen Mills operating licenses in April 2019.
2020: Pennsylvania Auditor General releases a performance audit of Glen Mills with 35 corrective recommendations.
2024: Pennsylvania Department of Education and DHS settle with former Glen Mills students for $450,000. Separately, reporting describes nearly 70 individuals filing new lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by staff across multiple Pennsylvania juvenile placement facilities, indicating a broader statewide pattern of litigation beyond any single facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many juvenile detention centers are in Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania has operated and contracted with numerous juvenile detention centers, youth development centers, and residential treatment facilities over the decades, with the specific number changing over time as facilities open, close, merge, or change operators. This database is being built out as an ongoing resource rather than a single fixed count.
What is the difference between a juvenile detention center and a residential treatment facility? A juvenile detention center is generally a short-term, secure facility holding youth before a hearing or pending placement, while a residential treatment facility provides longer-term behavioral health treatment in a residential setting, which may or may not be directly tied to the juvenile justice system.
What if I only remember part of the facility’s name? This is extremely common, especially for placements that happened years or decades ago. Contact us with whatever details you remember, including approximate dates, general location, or descriptions of the facility, and our team can often help identify it.
Can facilities change names? Yes, frequently. Facilities can be renamed, sold to new operators, merged with other programs, or rebranded, sometimes more than once over several decades. This is one of the main reasons this database tracks alternative and historical names alongside current ones.
What if the facility has closed? A closed facility does not prevent you from pursuing a claim related to what happened there. Responsibility can extend to the organization that operated it, related corporate entities, or in some cases a government agency involved in oversight or placement, depending on the facility and circumstances.
Can I obtain records from a closed juvenile facility? In many cases, yes, though the process depends on who currently holds those records, which can be a successor organization, a state agency, or a court. An attorney can help identify where relevant records may be held and how to request them.
Related Resources
- Pennsylvania Child Sexual Abuse Laws / Statute of Limitations
- Signs of Abuse in Group Homes
- Sexual Abuse in Group Homes: Understanding Your Legal Rights
- Who Can Be Held Liable for Group Home Abuse
- Abuse in Youth Correctional Facilities
- Sexual Abuse in Pennsylvania Juvenile Detention Centers
If You Recognize a Facility on This Page
Whether the facility you were placed at is fully documented above or still marked under review, that doesn’t determine whether you have a case. Many of the most significant matters in Pennsylvania’s history, including Glen Mills and Kids for Cash, only became public because survivors and families came forward. Pisanchyn Law Firm has represented survivors and families in Pennsylvania institutional abuse cases for over 20 years, and we do not charge a fee unless we win. Call 1-800-444-5309 for a free, confidential case review.
This page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Facility names, statuses, and reported matters are subject to change and ongoing verification. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you are in immediate danger, please contact 911 or the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
