History

From its beginning as an alternative school in Lower Kesington, NorthEast Treatment Centers (NET) has grown into one of the largest behavioral health and social services agencies in the Greater Philadelphia region and state of Delaware. We continue to address needs in populations with unmet needs through high-quality, innovative services and programs.

 

The image at the top of this page is just one section of the beautiful mural entitled “The Value of Family” along NET’s building at their 5th and Spring Garden, Philadelphia site. Click here to see the full-length mural and read about its important story.

1970
• The Lower Kensington Environmental Center develops an alternative school in Philadelphia for youth unable to thrive in a traditional public school setting. When the center goes into receivership, Lawrence J. Devlin, NET’s former Chairman of the Board, is appointed receiver. He hires Terence McSherry as Acting Executive Director, who later becomes NET’s first CEO and President.
1972
• The Firehouse and Wharton Programs open to provide long-term therapeutic communities for adults in Philadelphia.
• Bridge Street facility is purchased.
• The Crisis Center and Solvent Alcohol Abuse Program are developed.
1974
• Youth Service Division is created to manage long- and short-term group homes for dependent and delinquent youth in Philadelphia.
1981
• NET assumes management of a 28-day Residential Program contract and Detoxification Facilities on Delaware State Hospital grounds to provide services for Delaware State Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
1983
• Recovery Center of Delaware opens to offer specialized residential services to the public and private sector.
• Kirkwood Detoxification Center opens in Delaware.
1985
• The Youth Services Division implements short-term, community-based services.
1989
• Assertive Community Treatment Program, developed with University of Delaware and funded by NIDA, offers intensive treatment services to parolees in Delaware.
• Foster Care Services for dependent and abused children, including infants and toddlers, is first introduced.
1992
• Juvenile Justice Treatment Services (JJTS) and Children and Youth Dependent Services (CYDS) are incorporated into the restructured Youth Services Division.
1993
• Mental Health Outpatient Services is added for youth and families involved with JJTS and CYDS.
• Treatment Foster Families Program is developed to specifically deal with young people with special needs.
1994
• Youth Services Division adds licensed outpatient mental health clinic to its continuum of care.
• Forensic Intensive Recovery Program is initiated in Pennsylvania to help reduce prison population.
1995
• Managed Care Readiness Initiative starts.
1996
• NET begins to provide wrap-around services to children in their home and school.
• Firehouse Rehabilitation Program reopens for adolescent males awaiting judicial disposition.
• Ambulatory Medical Stabilization Program inaugurated in Pennsylvania.
• NET is included in list of top 25 nonprofit health care and social service agencies in the Delaware Valley
1997
• Outpatient Services expands to include outpatient psychiatric clinic, intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment and community outreach to youth.
• 499 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia (Spring Garden) site is purchased.
1998
• Renovations to the Spring Garden site increase space for administrative, social service and treatment facilities.
• Ambulatory Medical Stabilization Program expands to all sites in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
1999
• Children’s Behavioral Health Services expands into Philadelphia public schools and shelters.
• NET wins “Agency of the Year” award at Delaware Association of Alcoholism Counselors’ Conference.
2000
• MANOS program expands NET’s substance abuse services into minority communities in North Philadelphia.
• Making My Way, an Independent Living Skills Program/Family-Based Recovery Project, begins.
2001
• Wharton Center develops a variable length of stay program for the dually diagnosed patient.
• NET and the West Chester University Graduate School of Social Work jointly sponsor major workshops at the Training Center of NET.
2002
• Delaware receives grant renewals for its Family Recovery Project, Victims Project and Independent Living Program.
2003
• NET begins to provide Adoption Services.
2004
• NET Steps begins to offer services to inmates in the Philadelphia Prison System.
2005
• NET Steps is chosen as one of only 7 provider sites to participate in a NIDA-sponsored Clinical Trials Network protocol on the use of buprenorphine.
2006
• NET’s expansive mural at 499 N. 5th Street in Philadelphia, “The Value of Family”, is dedicated. (See the mural)
• The Family-Focused Behavioral Health Program and the Adolescent Violence Reduction Partnership (AVRP) are introduced.
2007
• NET establishes its Consumer Council and the Consumer Recognition Ceremony.
• A new Recovery Support Center is opened on Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia.
• NET acquires and begins operating Henry House, a community-based residential detention facility for adolescent females.
2008
• NET begins an affiliation with the Child Abuse Prevention Effort (CAPE) in NorthEast Philadelphia.
2009
• NET becomes one of the contractors for the In-Home Protective Services (IHPS) program in NorthEast Philadelphi
2010
• NET acquires Riverside Care, a provider of outpatient substance abuse treatment in Philadelphia, Easton and Bethlehem.
2011
• Delaware Children’s Behavioral Health Services is chosen to be the state’s sole provider of Individualized Residential Treatment (IRT), a treatment foster care model.
2012
• NET begins affiliation with and later acquires Best Nest to provide foster care and adoption services for children with significant physical, emotional and health care needs.
• Recognizing the need to foster leadership skills in youth committed to the agency, NET established its Youth Leadership Council, a voluntary enrollment program open to youth across all of NET’s programs.
2013
• Long-time Executive Director Terence McSherry retires and Regan P. Kelly is selected to lead NET as its new CEO and President.
• NET is selected to operate one of three Philadelphia Autism Centers of Excellence.
• NET is awarded the first contract by the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) to operate a Community Umbrella Agency (CUA 1) in the 25th Police District, a new community-based initiative to address child welfare issues.
2014
• Affiliate organization CAPE (Child Abuse Prevention Effort) merges with NET.
• NET is selected to operate a second Community Umbrella Agency (CUA 7) by DHS to serve families in the 22nd Police District of Philadelphia.
2015
• NET Steps expands to a second location at NET’s new community-based site at 7520 State Road in Philadelphia.
2016
• NET is awarded a contract by the City of Philadelphia to provide reintegration services to youth who are returning to their homes and communities after placement in a residential facility.
• NET is awarded a contract by the City of Philadelphia to expand mental health outpatient services to serve children, families and adults in the 19124 zip code at its Frankford Avenue location.
2017
• NET is chosen as one of 16 Pennsylvania providers to participate in Pennsylvania’s CCBHC planning grant by the PA Department of Human Services and receives its Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC) Certification. This federal initiative encourages states to adopt innovative approaches to community-based behavioral health services.