The Abraxas Youth Center (AYC) is a 72 bed, residential facility, which provides treatment and educational services to troubled youth. AYC is located in South Mountain, PA, on the grounds of the South Mountain Restoration Center. South Mountain is about 20 minutes east of Chambersburg, PA.
The Abraxas Youth Center is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare as three separate residential programs. We also have an Alternative Education Program licensed through the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The following provides a description of each of these programs:
· Shelter: An 18 bed, non-secure unit primarily for non-adjudicated males and females between the ages of 10 and 17. The primary purpose of the unit is to provide emergency placement for residents who are not adjudicated and have no other acceptable placement options. Duration of stay is usually 30 days or less.
· Secure Detention: An 18 bed, secure unit for adjudicated and pre-adjudicated males and females between the ages of 10 and 17. The primary purpose of this unit is to provide a secure placement for youth who have been arrested and are awaiting trial and possible placement at another program. Duration of stay is usually 60 days or less.
· Long Term Secure: A 36 bed, secure unit for adjudicated males with firesetting issues. The primary purpose of this unit is to provide secure placement of youth with firesetting issues, and to address treatment issues in a comprehensive manner. Duration of stay is usually 52 weeks or more.
· Alternative Education: A 35 student alternative education school for males and females from local school districts who are having behavioral problems in their high schools. The primary purpose of this school is to provide educational services in a setting which promotes personal responsibility and to advance the educational progress of these students. These students are transported to and from their homes on a daily basis and attend a regular school day here at our facility.
Cornell Companies is the third largest corrections company in the United States, and operates adult and juvenile programs across the continental United States and Alaska. Abraxas has more than 30 programs in Pennsylvania alone. For more information, see our links page, or go to: www.cornellcompanies.com
Browse the sites below for information about Firesetters!
SOS FIRES:Juvenile Firesetting Intervention Resource Site
Junior Firesetter Resource Guide