A Decade of Recovery and Progress: New Vitae Celebrates 10 Years in Philadelphia
Ten years ago, New Vitae Wellness and Recovery answered a call and opened a new door to recovery in Philadelphia.
In 2016, after more than three decades of providing behavioral health services, New Vitae expanded its mission into Philadelphia with the opening of its first Residential Treatment Facility for Adults (RTFA).
The program was developed during an important period of change in Pennsylvania’s forensic behavioral health system. A federal class-action lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Pennsylvania challenged lengthy delays that left individuals with serious mental illness waiting in correctional facilities for court-ordered competency treatment. The lawsuit also highlighted challenges involving individuals who remained in forensic hospital settings despite being ready for a different level of care.
The need was clear: additional treatment and residential placement options were necessary.
In response to these challenges and the need for additional treatment options, Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to expand specialized residential services. New Vitae was selected through this process to establish Residential Treatment Facilities for Adults in Philadelphia, providing a therapeutic setting for individuals with complex behavioral health and forensic histories.
It Started at “South”
New Vitae answered that need by opening 1909 South 6th Street, affectionately known as “South.” The 12-bed program created an opportunity for individuals who had spent significant time in state hospitals and correctional settings, including those determined unlikely to regain competency, to transition into a therapeutic residential setting.
After a year of supporting residents at South, New Vitae continued to grow its Philadelphia presence with the opening of 5644–46 Walnut Street, known simply as “West.” West consists of two licensed RTFAs that share common spaces and together can support 24 residents, bringing New Vitae’s total Philadelphia RTFA capacity to 36 residents.
Our RTFAs serve adult men with complex behavioral health and forensic histories. This includes individuals who may require specialized support and thoughtful risk-management planning related to past sexual behaviors or other complex histories. Rather than defining residents by their past, our teams focus on strengths, recovery, safety, personal growth, and the possibilities ahead.
More Than a Place to Live
The RTFA is a bundled service model, bringing many of the supports residents need together under one roof. Our multidisciplinary team provides psychiatry, psychology, individual and group therapy, mentoring, care coordination, peer support through Certified Peer Specialists (CPS), and 24/7 nursing and mentoring support.
But treatment does not happen only inside the walls of the RTFA.
On any given day, a resident may be participating in a therapeutic group, enjoying an activity with peers, playing basketball at the YMCA, attending a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) appointment, participating in a court status hearing, taking a fresh-air walk with staff, working at a job, or independently navigating the neighborhood through an approved pass.
These everyday experiences are an important part of recovery.
Building a Life Beyond the RTFA
At the heart of our approach is Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R), a strengths-based model that focuses on engaging individuals in meaningful activities, identifying aspirations, developing relationships, and building toward the life they want for themselves.
Our teams work alongside residents to strengthen Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), including budgeting, shopping, transportation, scheduling appointments, maintaining a home, and navigating available resources. The goal is not simply stability. It is greater independence, purpose, and choice.
Today, the average length of stay in our Philadelphia RTFAs is approximately 1½ to 2 years. Graduation looks different for every resident. Some transition to Community Residential Rehabilitation (CRR) programs, Long-Term Structured Residences (LTSR), or Personal Care Homes (PCH). Others reunify with family or move toward independent living.
Each transition represents progress and another chapter.
Celebrating a Decade of Service
To recognize this milestone, New Vitae recently hosted a 10th anniversary celebration at its Chestnut Street location, bringing together approximately 100 guests, including current residents, program graduates, families, staff, and valued partners from the Behavioral Health and Justice Division (BHJD) of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS).
Residents and staff from all three Philadelphia programs joined the festivities, which featured pumpkin painting, cornhole, pumpkin ring toss, games, music from a DJ, and catered food. Residents and staff also received commemorative 10th anniversary T-shirts to mark the occasion.
One of the highlights of the celebration was the opportunity to welcome back graduates of the RTFA program. Their participation was a meaningful reminder of the progress residents have made over the years and the lasting impact of the program’s work.
The gathering also provided an opportunity to recognize the dedication of New Vitae’s Philadelphia team and the partnerships that have supported the program throughout its history.
Ten Years Later
Over the past decade, the Philadelphia RTFA program has grown from one 12-bed home in South Philadelphia into three licensed programs serving up to 36 individuals across the city.
The buildings and programs have grown, but the purpose remains the same: to see the person beyond the diagnosis or history, recognize strengths, create opportunities, and support each resident in building a meaningful life.
As New Vitae Wellness and Recovery celebrates 10 years of the Philadelphia RTFA program, we recognize our residents, past and present, and the dedicated team members, families, and partners who have made this work possible.
Ten years in Philadelphia. Countless steps toward recovery. And many more possibilities ahead.
Samara Speakes, MEd
Administrator, Philadelphia Residential Treatment Facilities for Adults
To learn more about New Vitae’s Philadelphia Residential Treatment Facilities for Adults (RTFA) and the services offered, visit our RTFA program page.
