Devereux Foundation

The Devereux Foundation is a nonprofit behavioral healthcare organization that operates a national network of programs and services to individuals of all ages who have emotional, developmental and behavioral needs. It is one of the oldest and largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare in the United States and recently celebrated its 103rd anniversary. Devereux currently has locations in 11 states. Services include psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, community-based group homes, respite care programs, supervised apartments, foster care homes, special education day schools, and vocational and pre-vocational training.

The Devereux School was founded in 1912 by pioneer in special education Helena T. Devereux. In 1908 Devereux taught the first special education class formed in the School District of Philadelphia. The class began with forty-three students and after one year thirty-three of them were able to return to their regular grade work. At the annual meeting of the American Academy of Political and Social Science in 1909, Lightner Witmer, known as the father of clinical psychology, said the “record she has made in advancing some of these children I think is a very remarkable one”. Helena Devereux’s talent was further recognized when in 1912 the School District of Philadelphia asked her to serve as the first director of special education. She turned down the job and instead rented a house in Philadelphia which became her first private school, and this marked the beginning of the Devereux Schools. By 1918, Devereux moved her operation to Devon, Pennsylvania and began acquiring properties throughout Chester County, Pennsylvania and along the Philadelphia Main Line to accommodate her rapidly expanding programs.

In 1938, the State of Pennsylvania granted a nonprofit charter, and the Devereux Foundation was established. As news of Helena Devereux's work spread, so did requests for admission from parents. Devereux was able to acquire additional properties and expand services largely through loans and donations from parents and benefactors.

The first major expansion of the organization to California was made possible with the help of Max Factor. In 1945, the Devereux Foundation opened a school on the 500 acre Campbell Ranch in Santa Barbara County, which became a student residence hall with residential treatment. Eventually the manor house was renamed for the school’s founder, Helena T. Devereux. Devereux Hall was designated Historical Landmark No. 27 by the County of Santa Barbara on September 8, 1987.

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