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Carol Anne McNellis appointed executive director of Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Pennsylvania - Children’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services

 

Carol Anne McNellis, Psy.D.

Carol Anne McNellis, Psy.D., BCBA

Villanova, PA – July 24, 2018 – Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare in the nation, today announced that President and CEO Carl E. Clark II selected Carol Anne McNellis, Psy.D., BCBA, as the incoming executive director of the Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services (CIDDS) center, which is located in West Chester, Pa. 

McNellis, who currently serves as Devereux Pennsylvania CIDDS’ clinical director, will take on the executive director position effective Aug. 19, 2018. In this role, she will manage a wide variety of services that positively impact the lives of nearly 600 children and adolescents, including: residential, educational, community-based and foster care programs. 

McNellis succeeds Melanie Beidler, M.S., who, as part of a larger organizational redesign effort, was recently promoted to the position of operations vice president of children’s services. Beidler currently oversees the organization’s Pennsylvania operations, focusing on the care, education and treatment of children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral and cognitive differences.  

“Carol Anne’s expertise and knowledge of children’s behavioral health needs are second to none, and she has been instrumental in the development of innovative programs and services geared to support and treat the evolving needs of the individuals we serve every day,” Clark explained. “She has been a valuable member of the Devereux family for the last 30 years, and is an exceptional choice to lead our Devereux Pennsylvania CIDDS center.” 

About Carol Anne McNellis, Psy.D., BCBA

Carol Anne McNellis, Psy.D., BCBA, holds more than 30 years of experience in the behavioral healthcare field. She joined the Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services (CIDDS) center in 1989 as the coordinator of behavior management services. Since that time, McNellis has served in various roles of increasing responsibility. She was promoted to her most recent position – clinical director – in 2003, where she supervised a team of 21 psychologists, Board Certified Behavior Analysts and clinicians, and served as the primary clinical supervisor for CIDDS’ doctoral interns through Devereux’s APA-accredited psychology internship program. Her career highlights include: developing/opening a short-term, intensive residential program for children with autism and severe behavior problems, and opening the Devereux Pennsylvania Autism Assessment Center, which provides comprehensive autism diagnostic services. 

Prior to joining Devereux, McNellis was a core team coordinator for Applied Behavior Systems in Newtown Square, Pa., and owned a private practice behavioral consulting company. McNellis is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She holds a Doctor of Clinical Psychology from Immaculata University, and has presented locally and nationally on a variety of topics related to evidence-based assessment and treatment practices for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, autism and behavioral challenges. 

About Melanie Beidler, M.S. 

Melanie Beidler, M.S., serves as Devereux’s operations vice president of children's services. In this role, she oversees the organization’s Pennsylvania operations, focusing on the care, education and treatment of children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral and cognitive differences.  

Beidler joined Devereux Pennsylvania in 1982 as a group counselor for children with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since that time, she has taken on positions of increasing responsibility and authority, serving in multiple direct care and supervisory roles at three Devereux centers. She held the role of Devereux Pennsylvania CIDDS executive director since 2011.  

Beidler earned both a Bachelor of Science in Individual and Family Studies and Master of Science in Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University. She is a graduate of the Leadership Main Line Program, an intensive leadership program. Beidler sits on the boards of the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services (PCCYFS) and the PCCYFS’ Southeast Region Council. She also will serve as a board member of Devereux’s new staffing agency – QualityHealth Staffing, LLC. In addition, Beidler participates on the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association Pediatric Care Work Group and Residential Treatment Center Work Group, and was a former board member of Safe Harbor, a shelter providing housing and services for Chester County’s homeless population. 

About Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations providing services, insight and leadership in the evolving field of behavioral healthcare. Founded in 1912 by special education pioneer Helena Devereux, the organization operates a comprehensive national network of clinical, therapeutic, educational, and employment programs and services that positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of children, adults – and their families – every year. Focused on clinical advances emerging from a new understanding of the brain, its unique approach combines evidence-based interventions with compassionate family engagement.  

With approximately 7,500 employees working in programs across the nation, Devereux is a recognized partner for families, schools and communities, serving many of our country’s most vulnerable populations in the areas of autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, specialty mental health, and child welfare. Programs are offered in hospital, residential, community and school-based settings. They include: assessments; interventions and support; transition and independent life services; family and professional training; research and innovation; and advocacy and public education. For more than a century, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health has been guided by a simple and enduring mission: To change lives by unlocking and nurturing human potential for people living with emotional, behavioral or cognitive differences. www.devereux.org.

 

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