SCI Phoenix.
The new Montgomery County dentention center will increase the Commonwealth’s capacity to care for and treat adjudicated youth and reduce the waitlist for residential treatment.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh announced Friday that DHS has begun serving youth at the Southeast Youth Development Center (YDC), a new secure residential facility in on the grounds of SCI Phoenix on Monkychic Road in Skippack Township, Montgomery County that will increase DHS’ capacity to treat delinquent youth adjudicated to state care by county juvenile courts.
This announcement comes as DHS continues its work to reduce the length of time that youth ordered to DHS’ treatment centers wait for placement, including placement for those at Philadelphia’s Juvenile Justice Services Center where overcrowding has been a n issue outside of DHS’ control.
“DHS, county partners, and private providers all play a role in providing supportive and therapeutic services to children involved in the juvenile justice system, and by working together on prevention, intervention, and diversion strategies, we work to support and engage youth prior to involvement with the justice system,” said Arkoosh. “While DHS does not control admissions to or discharges from our facilities, we also know that when judges adjudicate youth to our facilities, we need to have the capacity to serve them and provide them with the care and treatment they deserve to be successful. The opening of the Southeast YDC is an important investment in high quality care and support for adjudicated youth.”
DHS’ Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services (BJJS) operates other secure facilities in Franklin, Luzerne, Montour, Perry, and Butler counties. Each of these facilities serve adjudicated delinquent youth who are ordered by a juvenile court judge to receive treatment and rehabilitation. Length of stay required of youth is set by the judge, and DHS works to provide trauma-informed care and treatment to youth during their commitment as well as education and training opportunities to help prepare youth for a successful return home.
The Southeast YDC opened for care on July 23, 2024, and will be operated and overseen by BJJS; the maximum capacity of the facility is 40 youth.
Programming and treatment offered at Southeast YDC mirrors the offerings throughout the BJJS system; youth will have the opportunity to obtain credit towards a Pennsylvania High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED), and the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit #23 is responsible for providing and delivering those educational services.
The Shapiro Administration continues to work with private providers and other state and county partners to expand available treatment beds and explore options to establish additional care options to help youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Southeast YDC follows the opening last year of the Western Secure Treatment Unit in Butler County to help meet systemic challenges currently facing the juvenile justice system.
