• Our Locations
• Adult Services
• Children's Services
• Devereux CARES (Center for Autism Research and Educational Services)
• Devereux Day Academies
• Devereux Pocono Services
• Devereux Pocono Life Share
• Devereux TCV Community Services
• The Shops at Devereux
• The Daisy Shop

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services

Our services include:

• Acute care hospital
• Approved Private Day Schools
• Community-based employment training and social skills training
• Community-based mental health services
• Outpatient services
• Residential treatment programs
• For detailed information on our autism programs, please refer to our autism page.

We are proud to serve children and adults across the country. Individuals and families who are not located near our service areas are encouraged to contact an admissions specialist for help and information.

To learn more about our positive impact on youth and families, view Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services’ Outcomes Report for Fiscal Year 2023.

Education: Approved Private Schools

Referrals and admissions

• Please send day student referrals for any of Devereux’s six Approved Private Schools to the following email address: PAEducationReferrals@devereux.org.
• In order for us to process your referrals efficiently, please include the following information in each referral email:
• Please send day student referrals for any of Devereux’s six Approved Private Schools to the following email address: PAEducationReferrals@devereux.org.
• In order for us to process your referrals efficiently, please include the following information in each referral email:
• Student name, DOB and grade level (required)
• Documents for the admissions team to review—most recent IEP, ER/RR (required)
• Preferred program – The Brandywine School, The Mapleton School, The Devereux School for Integrated Learning, The CARES School (if known), Devereux Day Academy – Audubon, Devereux Day Academy – Landenberg
• Any additional educational records or information deemed relevant to the referral – psychiatric evaluation, attendance records, discipline records, etc. (optional and/or as requested)
• Contact an admissions specialist – The Brandywine or Mapleton Schools
• Contact an admissions specialist – The Devereux School for Integrated Learning
• Contact an admissions specialist – Devereux Day Academy – Audubon or Devereux Day Academy – Landenberg
• Learn more about Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health’s Education Health and Safety Plan and our Attestation Ensuring Implementation of Mitigation Efforts

For children with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, please visit Devereux CARES.

About Our Approved Private Schools

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services’ Approved Private Schools offer high quality, innovative special education programs that work in tandem with families and school districts to ensure students can return to their local schools and communities with the tools they need to succeed. Children, adolescents and young adults may come to Devereux as a day student, or as a part of residential treatment.

Each student has an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), which outlines goals for skill development and the best strategies by which the student can reach his/her goals. A multi-disciplinary team, including the individual’s parent(s) or guardian, regularly reviews the plan to discuss challenges, progress and adjustments to goals as appropriate.

The goal of our Approved Private Schools is to create individualized educational opportunities that enable each student to live as a positive, healthy and socially-connected individual in his or her community.

Brandywine and Mapleton Schools

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services’ Brandywine and Mapleton Schools offer an education curriculum to children functioning at all grade levels. A multi-sensory educational strategy is used at all schools, employing traditional instruction, hands-on and independent learning, as well as technology, to individualize a student’s progress in all academic areas, particularly math and reading. The transition from school to career, and all of the necessary interrelated skills, are a main focus of the school program.

Core Curriculum:

• English/language arts
• Mathematics, including personal finance
• Science
• Social studies
• Technology
• School-to-career
• Art
• Physical education
• Health and wellness

For more information/admissions:
Brandywine and Mapleton Schools
Erik Roussel, Education Director
Referrals can be sent to: PAEducationReferrals@devereux.org

The Devereux School for Integrated Learning

Devereux focuses on building upon the unique strengths of each student. Our school strives to offer a breadth of opportunities for students to express themselves and find personal levels of accomplishment through activities such as: Special Olympics, talent shows and school dances, student government, peer mentoring, service learning, community gardening, and employment education, both in the classroom and in the community.

Core Curriculum:

• Functional academics
• Social skills and language
• Daily living skills
• Technology
• Employment training\school-to-work
• Art
• Animal-assisted therapy
• Community service
• Leisure and recreation
• Health and wellness

For more information/admissions:
The Devereux School for Integrated Learning
Susan Nice, Education Director
390 East Boot Road
West Chester, PA 19380
(610) 431-8196
Referrals can be sent to: PAEducationReferrals@devereux.org

Devereux Day Academies

Our Devereux Day Academies offer special education programming for students who require a higher level of care than may be provided in their local schools. Learn more about our Devereux Day Academies.

Title IX Policy and Procedures

What is Title IX?Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Sex discrimination includes sex-based harassment, discrimination on the basis of sex and retaliation related to complaints of sex discrimination. Sex-based harassment is unwelcome conduct, which includes both sexual harassment including, but not limited to, sexual assault, other forms of sexual violence and other sexual misconduct, and gender-based harassment. This applies to academic, educational, athletic and residential programs.

What is Different? The new Title IX regulation holds schools accountable for failure to respond equitably and promptly to sexual misconduct incidents and ensures a more reliable adjudication process that is fair to all students. The Final Regulations specify how recipients (defined as schools, LEAs, postsecondary institutions) of federal financial assistance must respond to allegations of sexual harassment consistent with Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination. They further specify how recipients (defined as schools, LEAs, postsecondary institutions) of federal financial assistance must respond to allegations of sexual harassment consistent with Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination.

Policy and Procedure Documents

• Policy 900 Attachment A Title IX Roles
• Policy 900 Attachment B Title IX Compliance Crosswalk
• Policy 900 Title IX Required Notices
• Policy 901 Attachment A Title IX Grievance Procedures Acknowledgement for Devereux Schools
• Policy 901 Title IX Grievance Procedures
• Policy 902 Title IX Investigation Process

Residential Programs

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services provides a rich, evolving continuum of 24-hour, out-of-home residential services for children and adolescents living with emotional, behavioral and cognitive differences. A team of caring, talented staff is dedicated to helping each individual achieve social, emotional, behavioral and educational goals, and return home to their local communities.

We offer several residential programs, each with their own focus. These programs are customized to serve the unique needs of children and adolescents. Common throughout all residential programs is the use of an evidence-based practice called Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS), which integrates all aspects of an individual’s care. Note: PBIS is a framework that helps schools and other organizations adopt evidence-based behavioral interventions to enhance the academic and social behavior outcomes for all individuals.

Learn more about Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services’ residential programs.

• Autism Intensive Residential Services
• Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ID/ASD) Residential Program
• Intellectual Disability and Mental Health Disorders Program (ID/MH)
• Behavioral Health Residential Treatment Program

Our residential programs provide each child, and their families, with the skills and resources needed to reach the greatest level of personal happiness and success. Our residential homes and cottages reflect a warm, home-like setting. This approach not only provides a safe, dignified environment for the children, but it also offers opportunities for experiential learning, where children can practice life skills needed as an adult, from cooking and cleaning, to positive communication, conflict resolution, cooperation and compromise.

Children and adolescents served by our residential programs attend the educational program that best suits their needs. These options include: public schools, intermediate unit programs, the Brandywine or Mapleton Schools or Devereux CARES.

Residential programs

Contact information/admissions:
Admissions Department: (484) 595-6797
Admissions Department Fax Number: (610) 296-6865
Email Referrals for Residential Services: PaChildrensReferrals@devereux.org

Contact our Admissions Specialist

About Our Residential Programs

Autism Intensive Residential Services
Our Autism Intensive Residential Services program is a neurobehavioral unit that provides intensive, autism-specific treatment for children, adolescents and young adults, ages 5 to 21, with severe behavioral challenges and skills deficits that have not responded to treatment in traditional community-based or residential settings.

Devereux’s Autism Intensive Residential Services employs evidence-based practices across a continuum of care. These practices include a foundation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) delivered in a treatment environment that is trauma-sensitive and trauma-informed. The continuum begins with a comprehensive, functional behavioral assessment in the family’s home, followed by intensive, clinical services for a period of three to six months on the Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services campus and concludes with discharge and after-care service planning. The team of professionals includes Board Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBAs), a clinical psychologist, a child psychiatrist, a special education teacher, nurses, a speech language therapist, a residential unit supervisor and direct care providers who are trained in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Individualized Positive Behavior Support.

Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ID/ASD) Program
Our Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum (ID/ASD) program serves boys and girls, ages 6 to 17, with a degree of intellectual and developmental disability, ranging from mild to severe, with IQ scores ranging from 20 to 55. These children also exhibit significant behavioral challenges, including self-injury, physical aggression and property destruction. The ID/ASD program teaches skill development, positive behavioral change, communication and self-care, enabling the youth to reach his or her fullest potential.

Intellectual Disability and Mental Health (ID/MH) Program
The Intellectual Disability and Mental Health (ID/MH) program serves boys, ages 8 to 17, and girls, ages 12 to 17, with IQs ranging from 55 to 70, who display significant behavioral challenges, including physical aggression, property destruction and poor conflict resolution. This program focuses specifically on improving the emotional and behavioral condition of the child, as well as developing skills for communication, self-care and socialization in a nurturing and positive environment.

Diagnoses may include:

• Intellectual/developmental disabilities
• Dual diagnosis (mental health and I/DD)
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Behavioral disorders
• Affective disorders
• Neurological impairments
• Emotional disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Behavioral Health Residential Treatment Program
The Behavioral Health Psychiatric Residential Treatment Program (PRTF) provides 24-hour, out-of-home services for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral challenges who need intensive services. The program serves children and adolescents, inclusive of biological male youth who are 7 to 17 years old at the time of admission, and biological female youth who are 12 to 17 years old at the time of admission. The program is inclusive for all youth with respect to sexual orientation and gender identity. Trauma-informed care is the guiding treatment philosophy throughout the Brandywine program. Thus, it is a recovery-focused program based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which underscores most of the interventions utilized at Brandywine. CBT emphasizes the use of more adaptive behaviors to improve resilience and strengthen relationships. Additionally, the program includes a comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy model, ongoing assessment of needs and risks, and high levels of family engagement opportunities to support successful outcomes.

Program components/group therapies may include:

• Individual, group and family therapy
• Family support programs and parenting classes
• Behavior interventions
• Cognitive behavior therapy
• Anger management
• Trauma recovery
• Stress management and body awareness
• Psychiatric services
• Clinical services
• Social skills (empathy, cooperation, problem-solving, social perspective)
• Life skills training
• Problem-solving
• Substance abuse counseling
• Anti-bullying/social justice programs

Community-based and Other Specialized Services

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services believes in the importance of supporting children living with emotional, behavioral and cognitive differences – and their families – within their own neighborhoods.

Please look below to learn more about our community-based and other specialized services.

Assessment Services

Available to residents of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties

Call: (610) 422-1490

At Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services’ Autism Assessment Center, our licensed professionals have extensive training and experience delivering evidence-based assessments interventions.

• In-take evaluation (reviewing relevant history and background)
• ADOS-II (Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule)
• Assessments completed by master’s- or doctoral-level clinicians trained to clinical reliability standards on the ADOS-II, under the supervision of a licensed doctoral-level psychologist. Other professionals, such as speech/language therapists and psychiatrists, are available as needed for consultation or direct assessment
• Detailed evaluation report with diagnosis and recommendations
• Consultation meeting to discuss evaluation report
• Guidance on accessing appropriate community services available in the community

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services – Acute Care

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Behavioral Health Center (DCBHC)

655 Sugartown Road
Malvern, PA 19355

Admission services are available 24/7
(800) 935-6789 (main telephone) Hospital Admissions, press 1
John Mogaka, Lead Admissions Coordinator, jmogaka@devereux.org
Nicole Jerlinski, Clinical Supervisor, njerlins@devereux.org

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Behavioral Health Center (DCBHC) – the only free standing children’s psychiatric hospital in Chester County, Pennsylvania, – employs a team of acute care professionals dedicated to meeting the needs of children and adolescents, ages 5 to 18, and their families, in acute mental health crisis. Many of the individuals we serve are from southeast Pennsylvania, but DCBHC has served children and adolescents from other regions of Pennsylvania, as well as neighboring states.

Our treatment team, which may include psychiatrists, clinical case managers, nurses, teachers, licensed psychologists and clinical social workers, along with the family and child, work together to create a safety, stabilization and treatment plan that focuses on a successful discharge of the child back to his or her community, or lesser level of care. The majority of children stay at DCBHC between three days and 21 days. The stay could be longer based on the presenting symptoms.

Diagnoses may include: suicidal gestures and attempts, cutting and self-injurious behaviors, depression, aggression, psychosis, autism spectrum disorders and/or drug and alcohol issues. Treatment is individualized to your child’s needs, including trauma-informed care, DBT skills groups and extensive discharge planning to support successful transitions after an inpatient stay.

Therapeutic approaches include:

• Individual, group and milieu therapies
• Behavioral management
• Family therapy/counseling and support
• Psychiatric, psychological and educational interventions
• Problem-solving groups and community interventions

Note: Learn more about the Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Behavioral Health Center
"Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy" (2020-2022)
Links to appendices: Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C.

View the Financial Assistance Policy and Application. View the Plain Language Summary of the Financial Assistance Policy.

In accordance with Affordable Care Act requirements, view standard charges for Children’s Behavioral Health Services Center.

Outpatient and Evidence-Based Services

100 Deerfield Lane, Suite 100
Malvern PA 19355
Phone: (610) 422-1490

Outpatient Services
Available to residents of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties
Intake Specialist: (610) 422-1490

Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services’ Community-based Outpatient Services team provides behavioral health services for children, adolescents and young adults, ages 2 to 19, who are diagnosed with depression, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, bipolar disorder and poor impulse control.

We offer individual therapy, as well as family therapy. Individual therapy identifies a child’s specific behavioral challenges and develops the use of skills to enhance the individual’s strengths through various forms of therapy. Family therapy focuses on improving and enhancing family communication and positive support through parent education and family system therapy. During therapy, parents and caregivers are provided with parenting strategies and techniques that enable them to provide the best support for their children.

Other outpatient services offered at our Malvern, Pennsylvania, location include:

• Medication management
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Parent-Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT)
• Psychiatric and psychological evaluations

Blended Case Management Services (BCM)
Our Blended Case Management Services help children, adolescents and young adults, ages 2 to 21, and their families navigate the world of social services. Our team works collaboratively with family members, funders and service providers to advocate on behalf of the child, ensuring care is coordinated, effective and responsive to the needs of each individual. Resources could include: behavioral health services, education, housing, employment, healthcare, legal aid and social skills. Through this program, individuals are required to meet with a case manager two times per month to ensure the effectiveness of the program. A 24-hour on-call service is available for individuals and their families for emergency crisis situations.

Family-Based Services
Available to residents of Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties

Our Family-Based Services support children, adolescents and young adults, ages 2 to 21 – with significant behavioral and emotional challenges – to live successfully with their families in their own communities. This program incorporates families and caregivers in the treatment process to ensure a child’s positive involvement in their home, school or community – and to reduce the possibility of placement in residential treatment, psychiatric hospitals or foster placements.

To reach this goal, clinicians visit children and families within their homes. Parents acquire effective management skills and approaches to improve the child’s well-being, while the child, adolescent or young adult learns skills to become successful in school, follow directions at home, develop and maintain positive relationships within the community, and reach expected emotional, social and academic achievements.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is offered to youth, ages 13 to 20 (though some 12-year-olds may qualify). DBT teaches youth how to manage their emotions and behaviors more effectively so they can lead meaningful, productive and socially-connected lives.

DBT requires a six-month commitment; youth will participate in skills group therapy, individual therapy and family group sessions. Phone coaching is available 24/7 to promote real-life skills practice.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy aims to reduce negative emotional and behavioral responses to trauma; correct maladaptive or unhelpful beliefs related to abusive experiences; provide support and skills to the non-offending caregivers; and be able to respond to, and support, the youth in our care.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy is offered to parents of children, ages 2 ½ to 7, who exhibit behaviors, such as anxiety, moodiness, temper tantrums, aggression, inability to play alone and other challenging behaviors. PCIT has been shown to enhance a positive relationship between a parent and child to promote effective behavior management and discipline techniques.

Student Assistance Program (SAP)
Available to students enrolled in Chester County schools

The Student Assistance Program team is comprised of school staff (teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, school nurse, etc.) and agency staff, including a SAP Liaison from Devereux. The team is trained to identify students who are experiencing barriers to learning and success in school. These barriers may include, but are not limited to, attendance issues, academic difficulties, mental health concerns, substance use and grief.

Youth Peer Support
Certified Peer Specialists serve as role models, drawing upon their own personal experiences to help guide individuals in their recovery. These team members offer valuable knowledge and first-hand experiences that other behavior health professionals may be unable to provide. Specifically, our Certified Peer Specialists provide support in helping the individuals we serve: 1) become involved in the community; 2) understand the importance of self-advocacy; 3) learn the ins and outs (and risks) of social networking; 4) assist with employment activities; and 5) gain a sense of personal empowerment.