Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bethany Children’s Home?

Founded in 1863, Bethany Children’s Home provides residential services to a school-age, coed population who are unable to live with their own or substitute family. Typically, these young people require more structure, more elaborate programming and more highly-trained staff than is possible in a smaller group setting. Treatment services available on campus include psychiatric, psychological, music therapy, family counseling, recreational activities, medical, dental, and life skills education.

Does it cost anything to attend Bethany?

Referrals are accepted from any Commonwealth of Pennsylvania County Children and Youth Agency, Juvenile Probation Office, or other child-placing agencies with which Bethany has a service contract. Professional agencies that refer a youth pay Bethany for services rendered.

What are Bethany’s admission requirements?

To initiate a referral to Bethany Children's Home please call the Director of Social Services at 610.589.4501 to determine the appropriateness of the referral and the availability of bed space. Please send the following to the Director of Social Services, (fax) 610.589.5771

1. social history
2. recent psychiatric and/or psychological evaluation
3. summary of school records

Admission Criteria

• Bethany serves a coed, school-age population.
• These children and youth have been adjudicated dependent or delinquent and may have been diagnosed with emotional difficulties.
• They must be able to function in an open setting and attend public school.
• Youth may be enrolled in regular classes as well as classes for seriously emotionally disturbed, educable mentally retarded, or specific learning disabled students.
• There are no geographical limitations except those dictated by the specific cases under consideration, where distnace would make the delivery of service goals difficult or impossible.
• Families of youth referred to the Short Term Intensive Program must be willing and able to be involved in family counseling.
• Delinquents and youth so aggressive as to represent a threat to the physical safety of others are not accepted for service.
• Youth with extensive medical needs may not be appropriate for service.
• Youth whose needs are of a nature that would require the continuous and immediate presence of staff are not accepted.
• While many of the young people accepted have been diagnosed as manifesting mental health difficulties, youth who are identified as actively psychotic or requiring intensive psychiatric treatment would not be admitted.
• Youth who exhibit prolonged episodes of the aforementioned behaviors during their stay will have their services discontinued and will be referred elsewhere by their placing county agency for more appropriate services.

Procedures for Acceptance

• Intake procedure begins with the receipt of a social summary, psychiatric and/or psychological evaluation, and an educational assessment.
• In cases in which circumstances prevent a county from securing a recent psychological evaluation, this may be omitted if other material indicates that the referral is appropriated after discussion with the Director of Social Services.
• If referral information is deemed appropriate, the Director of Social Services sets up a pre-placement visit. Persons involved are the youth, his/her parents whenever possible, and referring agency personnel who are familiar with the youth. The following Bethany personnel participate: an administrator, director of social services, psychologist, social worker, and houseparent.

Who takes care of the kids?

Youth are cared for by a full complement of professional staff, including houseparents, relief houseparents, childcare workers, social workers, and therapists.

Where do the kids live?

In the Long-Term and Short-Term Residential Treatment programs, residents live in roomy cottages with their houseparents. Each home has a living room, dining room, shower facilities, full kitchen, recreation or TV room, and lots of bedrooms.

In the Shelter Care Program, the youth reside in The Henning Center, featuring four wings, each with its own bathroom and shower facilities. The building's recreational areas include TV rooms and a game and muti-purpose room. Youth reside in separate wings. Programming occurs only in areas designated as co-ed.

How long do kids stay at Bethany?

In the Long-Term Residential Treatment Program, the average stay is 14 months. The average stay for the 2007 senior class was five years.