Elwyn Cuts Ribbon on Young Adult Residential Treatment Facility

MEDIA, Pa., March 3, 2025 – Elwyn, the internationally recognized nonprofit human services organization, was pleased to celebrate the completed Young Adult Residential Treatment Facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday. Intended to bridge the gap between children and adult residential treatment services, it’s the first program of its kind in Delaware County.

The new facility will house a new program as Elwyn expands its services and capabilities on its Media campus to address the surrounding community’s growing needs. The new facility and accompanying program will provide care to adults between the ages of 18 and 26 years old who have autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and other related behavioral health challenges. The facility and its new programming will complement Elwyn’s existing programs and facilities for children and adults and address the needs for transitional-age young adults who are experiencing an acute exacerbation of symptoms.

“It’s imperative that we support people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities at every stage of their life and equip with them the tools to be successful,” said Charles “Chuck” S. McLister, Elwyn’s President and CEO. “This facility and new programming will provide holistic care so that our young adults can thrive to reach their goals while still having access to a community of support. Elwyn is proud to have Delaware County as a key partner in providing services to fill cracks in the system of care, and we are grateful to county council for being a strong champion of this project.”

The program, set to begin at the end of March, will welcome 16 adults of all genders. The residential six- to 12-month program will offer all the components of psychiatric rehabilitation in its day-to-day treatment with specific attention on critical skills such as financial planning, time management, cooking, cleaning, social skills, vocational skills, and emotional expression and coping skills. This program is an alternative to inpatient admission as well as a resource to shorten the length of stay for those who have already been admitted.

Delaware County awarded Elwyn the request for proposal to run this new program in 2022 because of the organization's longstanding reputation of providing the best care to underserved populations with disabilities of all types. 

“It’s deeply inspiring to witness the positive impact of addressing a critical need,” said Dr. Monica Taylor, Chair of Delaware County Council. “For years, a gap has existed between child and adult residential services, and Council is proud to partner with Elwyn to transform this vision into a reality.”

About Elwyn

Elwyn is the national leader in education, treatment, and support services for over 25,000 children and adults, and proudly serves 10,000 families annually as the exclusive provider of early intervention services to children ages 3-5 in Philadelphia. Our mission remains steadfast, we make life better for people with developmental and behavioral health challenges. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in Media, PA, Elwyn has grown to become one of the largest and most respected human services organizations in the industry. Please visit www.elwyn.org for more information.