Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health (Devereux) operates mental health treatment facilities across the U.S. Like many other behavioral health companies, Devereux has come under scrutiny recently for neglecting patients, particularly juveniles, in its facilities and leaving them vulnerable to sexual abuse.
This page will look at sex abuse lawsuits against Devereux by former residential mental health patients who were sexually abused or assaulted while at a Devereux facility.
About Devereux
The Devereux Foundation, operating as Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, is a prominent behavioral health organization with a national presence. Devereux is one of the largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare services in the United States. Founded in 1912, it operates a network of centers offering specialized programs for individuals with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive disabilities.
Devereux serves children, adolescents, and adults with a wide range of needs, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and mental health challenges. The organization provides services such as residential treatment, outpatient therapy, special education, and support for families.
Devereux has 21 facilities across 13 states that treat 25,000 children and young adults annually. Devereux specializes in providing clinical, therapeutic, educational, and employment services to individuals with autism, intellectual, developmental, and mental health challenges. Its facilities include residential treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, group homes, schools, and outpatient programs. Devereux is headquartered in Villanova, Pennsylvania, where it manages its vast operations with more than 6,500 employees.
Various entities are affiliated with Devereux, including the Helena Devereux Foundation, Devereux Properties, Inc., Devereux Schools, Inc., and QualityHealth Staffing, LLC. These organizations are closely connected, operating under the oversight of the Devereux Foundation. QualityHealth Staffing, for instance, was formed to address staffing challenges in the behavioral health sector, providing recruitment services to behavioral health organizations.
Allegations of Neglect at Devereux Facilities
A number of recent reports and investigations have revealed systemic neglect within Devereux mental health facilities, putting young patients at risk of physical and sexual abuse. Devereux was one of several companies featured in a recent investigative report published by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
The Senate report found that children and teens in residential treatment facilities (like those operated by Devereux) are frequently subjected to physical and sexual abuse, while receiving minimal care or treatment. The report found that chronic understaffing and cost-cutting at these facilities has left juvenile patients with a lack of adequate supervision. The lack of supervision applies not only to the patients, but also to the staff members in charge of them.
According to the Senate report, instances of sexual abuse of children at residential treatment facilities is commonplace and often continue over long time period with any intervention. The report cites examples of staff members at these facilities sexually abusing resident child patients on a nightly basis while under their care and control.
The report further found that Devereux and other companies often employ unqualified or inadequately trained staff and that staff routinely fail to discharge their duties. These staffing issues expose child residents to significant risks of abuse.
In 2020, The Philadelphia Inquirer released an exposé alleging numerous incidents of sexual abuse of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) at Devereux facilities, which led to the city of Philadelphia immediately terminating its contract with Devereux.
Common Allegations Against Devereux
Recent lawsuits against Devereux describe disturbing incidents in which patients—many of them children or individuals with mental health conditions—were sexually abused by staff members or other patients. Specific allegations include:
Abuse of children in psychiatric care: Lawsuits allege that children admitted for treatment were sexually assaulted by both staff members and fellow patients. Many of these children had mental health issues, developmental disabilities, or chronic medical conditions, making them especially vulnerable. In essence, the lawsuits describe the exploitation of society’s most defenseless individuals in the worst possible way.
Failure to report or investigate abuse: Plaintiffs claim that Devereux facilities followed an unofficial policy of hiding abuse reports to protect their reputation, prioritizing profits over children’s safety. Staff were allegedly instructed to manage abuse allegations “internally,” avoiding involvement of law enforcement or outside authorities, even in cases of severe sexual misconduct.
Retaliation and manipulation: Some families report that when they tried to remove their children from Devereux facilities or raised concerns about the care provided, staff threatened to contact Child Protective Services (CPS). These threats, according to the lawsuits, were used to intimidate families and prevent their complaints from escalating.
Here’s a detailed reverse timeline summarizing key allegations of abuse at Devereux facilities:
- 2023: Six plaintiffs, including two minors through their parents, have come forward against the Devereux and its staffing affiliate, QualityHealth Staffing, LLC. The plaintiffs, from various states, claim they were sexually, physically, and emotionally abused while receiving care at Devereux facilities across the country. Key claims include violations of Title IX for fostering a sexually hostile environment and failing to address the risks of sexual harassment. The plaintiffs also bring multiple counts of negligence, including negligent hiring and supervision, and seek damages for the emotional and physical trauma they endured.
- 2022: A minor in Arizona files a lawsuit alleging years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse during his time in foster care under the supervision of the State of Arizona. The plaintiff, who was placed in foster care, claims that state agencies and private child welfare organizations, including the Devereux Foundation, negligently licensed, monitored, and retained the foster parents despite numerous red flags, including allegations of abuse in the home. The plaintiff further asserts that these entities failed to act on multiple reports of abuse over 12 years, resulting in significant harm.
- 2020: After the Philadelphia Inquirer reported abuse at Devereux facilities, the City of Philadelphia announced that all youth would be removed from Philadelphia-area Devereux residential care facilities. Two Devereux employees in Florida were arrested for severely beating a child at the Viera facility. One employee reportedly held down the child with his knee while another tried to block security cameras, resulting in the child being covered in bruises and abrasions.
- 2019: A Devereux staff member in Texas was charged with sexually abusing four children, including a 12-year-old. Staff allegedly threatened one of the victims, a 16-year-old girl, to stay silent about the abuse.
- 2018–2019: A staff member at a Devereux facility in Arizona was accused of sexually abusing three girls in their bedrooms and the laundry room. The former staffer faced charges of aggravated assault and sexual abuse.
- 2018: At Devereux’s Brandywine facility in Pennsylvania, a 16-year-old boy with autism and developmental delays was reportedly sexually assaulted by a staff member. The boy later attempted suicide several times due to the trauma. His abuser was sentenced to eight years in prison for abusing him and two other children.
- 2018: At the Devereux Kanner Center in Pennsylvania, a staff member was accused of beating children, while two co-workers failed to report the abuse. One instance involved a 16-year-old suffering a broken arm after being thrown to the ground and struck by an employee.
- 2017: At Devereux’s Viera facility in Florida, a staff member was accused of raping a 15-year-old victim of child sex trafficking. The victim had reported escalating misconduct, but staff allegedly dismissed her complaints. The same staff member later allegedly found the victim through her trafficking name and assaulted her again. Police discovered a video of the sexual abuse after pulling him over during a traffic stop.
- 2016: A Devereux staff member in Viera, Florida, faced child abuse charges for hitting and elbowing a child multiple times in the face.
- 2014: A Devereux staff member at the Malvern, Pennsylvania, facility was accused of grooming and sexually abusing a girl under 15. Despite the knowledge of other staff, no actions were taken to protect her, and the abuse continued for months.
- 2012: In Georgia, a Devereux staff member sexually assaulted a girl through her bedroom window twice in one night. A jury later awarded the victim $50 million in punitive damages.
- 2001: At Devereux’s Malvern, Pennsylvania campus, a staff member allegedly raped a heavily medicated 15-year-old girl. Despite promises that it would not happen again, another staff member raped her two weeks later. The staffer was reportedly high at the time and later admitted in a letter from prison that Devereux was aware of his drug problem. The victim became pregnant and later underwent an abortion, leaving her deeply traumatized.
- 2000: A 14-year-old at Devereux’s Malvern facility reported being molested by a staff member who had initially been trusted with her care after she confided in him about abuse by a relative.
- 1996–1999: At Devereux’s Deerhaven facility in New Jersey, police reported that 16 girls were sexually abused by staff members. One incident involved a 13-year-old girl who revealed she had been molested after recognizing her abuser’s voice on a supervisor’s walkie-talkie.
Devereux Facilities
Below is the list of Devereux’s mental health facilities across the U.S.
Arizona
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Arizona
California
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health California
Connecticut
Delaware
Devereux School-Based Services
Florida
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Florida
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Florida
Georgia
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Georgia
Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Massachusetts and Rhode Island
New Jersey
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health New Jersey
New York
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health New York
Devereux New York CARES
Pennsylvania
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Pennsylvania – Adult Services
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Pennsylvania Children’s Services
Devereux CARES (Center for Autism Research and Educational Services)
Devereux PLEA
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Pocono
Devereux TCV Community Services
Texas
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Texas
QualityHealth Pharmacy
Devereux Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Patients who were sexually abused by staff or other patients at a Devereux residential treatment facility can file a civil lawsuit against Devereux and get financial compensation. Devereux, like all other healthcare companies with residential facilities, has a legal duty to ensure that residential patients, particularly children, are reasonably safe and not the victim of sexual abuse.
As detailed in the Senate report and the Philadelphia Inquirer story, Devereux has habitually breached this duty in a number of ways. Some level of negligence in patient care and safety exists at virtually all facilities operated by Devereux. This is primarily the result of understaffing problems at these facilities, which give sexual predators more opportunities to prey on vulnerable patients with less oversight.
Settlement Value of Devereux Sex Abuse Lawsuits
The amount of money you can get for bringing a successful sex abuse lawsuit against Devereux involving abuse at one of its residential facilities depends on various factors. Here are some of the most significant factor main things that impact the amount of potential settlement compensation:
- Severity of the Abuse: If the abuse was really bad or went on for a long time, your case could be worth more money than if it only happened once.
- Evidence: If you have solid evidence to prove that the abuse really happened (other than just your word) your case will likely be worth more money. Evidence can include things like witnesses, video, or internal reports.
- Impact on the Victim: The impact on the victim, including physical injuries, psychological trauma such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety, will also drive up the potential settlement value of a case.
- Age of Victim: Younger victims will typically receive higher settlement payouts because of the long-term impact on their development and life trajectory.
Contact Us About Devereux Sex Abuse Lawsuits
If you were sexually abused at a treatment facility owned or operated by Devereux, contact our national sex abuse lawyers today to see if you have a case. Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.