Bonnie Brae (accredited by JCAHO) models and provides a safe, supportive, educational and therapeutic environment for adolescent boys whose needs cannot be met by their families, schools, and communities. Bonnie Brae was founded in 1916 by a juvenile court judge in Essex County to provide a more appropriate setting than a State correctional facility. About 70 boys, age 11-18, receive round-the-clock care and protection in this residential treatment center, staff about 100, including professionals in psychology, psychiatry, social work and medicine.
Individualized treatment plans use Adventure Based Counseling, Structural Family Therapy, and Life Space Interviews. Therapeutic recreation provides children with various forms of play, enabling them to expand leisure activity options, and appreciate the value of positive recreation interaction. A strong academic program is part of the total program.