The Newell Children's Center, a co-educational, twelve-bed treatment facility provides a secure, intensive treatment option for youth in crisis.

The Newell Center was built in 1993 and is located adjacent to St. Joseph's main facility. The Newell Center's intensive treatment program is designed to stabilize youth and successfully transition them to less restrictive care in 30 to 60 days.

The Newell Center rounds out St. Joseph's comprehensive treatment program by providing behavioral and emotional stabilization for children at high risk for self-harm, running away and aggressive or defiant behavior. Another function of the Newell Center is to provide 30 to 45 day comprehensive evaluations and treatment recommendations for youth referred for this service. The evaluation is of valuable assistance to courts and social service agencies in determining final disposition and treatment needs for youth. By providing stabilization services, the Newell Center allows St. Joseph's main facility's program to serve youth who are traditionally too difficult for most residential programs. The Newell Center allows for the transfer of children from the less restrictive/open, long-term residential program during crisis periods without "failing" the entire treatment program.

The Newell Center provides comprehensive diagnostic assessments for children referred for evaluations by the court system and family services; the assessments are based on a 30 to 60 day stabilization and observation period. The intensive evaluations include practical recommendations that help judges and family service staff to plan each child's future treatment needs.

The Newell Center is a facility with state-of-the-art monitoring and security capabilities. A minimum ratio of one direct child care worker to three residents is maintained at all times. The facility is staffed by staff who are extensively trained to work with emotionally and behaviorally disturbed youth in a nurturing and highly structured manner. A Special Education Teaching Supervisor and two educational assistants provide a year-round school program, focusing on each child's needs for remedial education and on learning appropriate school behavior. A Treatment Coordinator, Clinical Psychologist and Registered Nurse provide direct services and administer the program. Psychiatric and medical services are provided as needed on an individual basis.