Access Services - Creating Better Ways To Serve People With Special Needs

A history of service.

In 1976, a group of Christian social workers in Pennsylvania was frustrated by the gaps in services provided for individuals with mental retardation in their community. They formed Access Services to develop innovative ways to meet some of these needs.

The first community homes opened in Montgomery County in 1978 to accommodate individuals released from Pennhurst State Center and other large mental health facilities. Six years later, Access Services was asked to operate ten group homes in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Today, we have expanded our services to include other community-based specialized services for children and adults with mental health needs, and we have created new options for people with developmental disabilities. Since our inception our primary goal has been to provide more than basic care—we are constantly looking for innovative ways to raise the standard of care for all individuals with special needs to help them live rich, fulfilling lives.