The Lehman Center (TLC), opened in 1987, was the vision of Murray Lehman and Charles McCaffery who recognized the need for a place for children in crisis to go for temporary safety and shelter.  They also recognized the need to offer education and support to parents whose families were in crisis.  Mr. and Mrs. Lehman were crucial to the fund-raising efforts to establish The Lehman Center.

 

At The Lehman Center, we operate four essential programs: a 24-hour crisis nursery that provides emergency, temporary respite for children birth through age 6; outpatient art therapy counseling; case management services; and parent support groups.

 

For key staff at TLC, click here.

 

Services

 

Crisis Nursery:

The Crisis Nursery offers respite for children from birth to age six.  Respite is available 24 hours a day, essentially 365 days a year.  Quality care and structured activities are provided daily by professionally trained staff.  Parents are encouraged to visit with their child/children daily via phone or in person.   Parents are asked to call in advance, before bringing their children in.

 

Staff also perform developmental screenings to identify possible developmental delays for which the children might need specialized services.

 

Art Therapy:

Art Therapy is provided to children experiencing significant life events including conflict, divorce, school problems, mental illness, a form of abuse, and/or behavioral problems.  Art Therapists assist children to express their feelings through art and image-making in an attempt to identify the underlying issue and to help in the healing process.

 

Case Management:

Case Managers help families to identify and access resources in the community that will assist in stabilizing the family.  Case Managers will visit a family either at the Center or at the family’s home.

 

Parent Support Groups:

These support groups meet in various communities, at the York County Prison and at The Lehman Center. Trained facilitators follow a model.   Parents are encouraged to be open in sharing their issues and are offered support in a confidential environment.

What Is Art Therapy?

 

Art Therapy is a mental health and human service profession that uses art media, images, the creative process, and client responses to help individuals deal with their feelings, build self esteem, and reconcile their internal conflicts.  Art Therapy began in the 1930s as a non-verbal form of psychotherapy which helps to give a voice to a child’s internal struggles through the images he/she creates.

 

Who Can Benefit from Art Therapy?

 

A child who is struggling with:

 

· Feelings of depression, sadness or low self-esteem 

· Feelings of loss, abandonment or separation from family

· Feelings of anger

· Abuse

· Behavior problems

· Significant changes in life, such as divorce

· Mental illness

· Post trauma

 

Art Therapists at TLC

 

Art Therapists either have Masters degrees or are supervised by Master level professionals as required by the American Art Therapy Association quality and ethical standards.  Art Therapists:

 

· are proficient in a broad range of art media,

· are knowledgeable of the properties of art media and the child’s reactions that may occur with each of them,

· have a foundation in psychotherapeutic principles and art therapy theory,

· provide client assessments,

· evaluate a child’s  art process and product to determine functional abilities, developmental levels, and personal needs,

· help the child to understand self and to work through his/her issues through art.

 

At TLC, Art Therapists provide weekly, ongoing, outpatient Art Therapy for children between the ages of 2 and 18.  Therapists conduct Art Therapy assessments , including those mandated by the court system, to identify the issues which need to be addressed in order for the child to improve his/her functioning.   Therapists also conduct treatment team meetings, conduct family sessions, and testify in court.