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 and developmental disabilities (I/DD), 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 I/DD, 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.”

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.