NHS Human Services To Merge with Allegheny Valley School

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  February 18, 2008

 

CONTACT: 

Richard Scott, Senior Corporate Director of Communications

Phone: 610.260.4613

Leah Pason, Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning and Policy

Phone: 610.260.4620

 

NHS Human Services, one of Pennsylvania’s largest not-for-profit providers of human services headquartered in Lafayette Hill, PA, and Allegheny Valley School (AVS) located in Allegheny County, signed an agreement yesterday to merge their services.  NHS will provide management supports and AVS will continue to operate as they have for the last 48 years.

 

NHS, which was one of the original base service units in Philadelphia, now provides care to over 50,000 individuals a year in five states.  They provide services in the areas of behavioral health, intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), addictive diseases, autism, juvenile justice, elder care and foster care.  This merger will make NHS one of the country’s largest non-profit providers.

 

Allegheny Valley School, with programs in 9 Pennsylvania counties, provides outstanding community residential services and therapeutic programs to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Many of the individuals served by AVS also have multiple physical handicaps, medical complications and behavioral management needs. They currently serve 900 consumers between the ages of 10 and 90 at 126 facilities.

 

Patricia Miller Duggan, Board Chairperson of AVS, stated, “NHS offers the best of quality clinical ability combined with cutting edge technology and access to capital which will allow AVS to secure our historic mission long into the future.”

 

NHS Chairman and CEO, the Honorable M. Joseph Rocks commented, “this transaction with AVS, one of the most significant providers of care to individuals with IDD, will be one of the most significant mergers effecting this vulnerable population.  We share the same keen sense of mission and commitment to quality of life issues for the people in our care.  Our combined staffs represent the best of clinical talent and technology.  This combined expertise will enhance our ability to provide more innovative care to some of the nation’s most vulnerable people.”

February 19, 2008

 

Allegheny Valley School has been providing quality care to some of our most vulnerable citizens for 48 years.  Following the merger, the AVS management team and workforce will remain intact and will continue to build upon AVS’ successful history of providing innovative supports and services to people with intellectual developmental disabilities. 

 

Merging with NHS provides a tremendous opportunity to broaden and strengthen our services and to enhance our economic viability. After many months of thoughtful review, the Boards of AVS and NHS approved a final agreement to merge their missions, governance and operations.  Allegheny Valley School has an unwavering commitment to our employees and the families we serve, and this constructive merger will better position our organization for the future.

Miss Pennsylvania 2007, Rachel Brooks, visited the residents of the Pittsburgh Campus and the Edward J. Zapp Center on July 17, 2007.  She toured the facilities and experienced first-hand the many activities that take place at AVS. She visited residents as they received aquatic therapy in the pool, participated in classroom activities and completed employment tasks in the workshop.  Tony demonstrated his communication device by selecting words on the screen to talk for him.  He stated who he was and that it was nice to meet her.

 

Many of the residents waited anxiously for a photo with Miss Pennsylvania wearing her crown!  Her visit was the topic of discussion for weeks.

 

Click here to view photos from Miss Pennsylvania's visit.