FHR enters partnership with Elwyn to better treat patients

LINCOLN – Fellowship Health Resources Inc., a nonprofit behavioral health care organization with services spanning seven states, recently announced its partnership with Media, Pa.-based Elwyn, a nonprofit human services organization supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs in California, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

FHR will remain a separate entity using its current nonprofit tax identification number. The company will continue to operate its behavioral health programs, and its board of directors remains intact. Two FHR board members will join Elwyn’s board of directors, said FHR CEO Debra M. Paul.

The agreement is the result of a comprehensive process unanimously approved by both organizations’ board of directors. Upon consummation of the affiliation, Elwyn will become the sole member of FHR. Paul will continue to serve as CEO of FHR, and the current FHR programs will remain under the name Fellowship Health Resources Inc.

The partnership will allow the organizations to provide “a coast-to-coast continuum of care and enhanced services” to meet a wide range of intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health support for individuals and families of all ages, according to an announcement about the partnership from FHR.

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The affiliation enables both organizations, whose missions are aligned to support and empower individuals with diverse challenges, to draw on 209 combined years of clinical expertise and experience for accelerated strategic growth, FHR said.

“Our affiliation with FHR expands the footprint of our rapidly growing behavioral health division while presenting new network opportunities to leverage Elwyn’s educational, residential and employment services. This transaction is the first of several affiliations we expect to conclude in years ahead as we expand our current $400 million revenue base,” said Charles McLister, Elwyn president and CEO.

According to the National Association of Dually Diagnosed, the association for persons with developmental disabilities and mental health needs, statistics show that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have a significantly heightened risk of also having a mental illness – between 30-35 percent of all people with an intellectual or developmental disability are also diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

Living with a co-occurring disorder can have an adverse impact on a person’s quality of life and ability to function in society, including complications with residing in the community, taking part in educational and/or vocational opportunities, as well as maintaining family and peer relationships.

“By merging our service offerings, FHR and Elwyn will have the ability to better treat individuals as a whole, instead of requiring those in our care to seek treatment from multiple organizations to service their needs,” said Paul. “I know firsthand the talents of FHR’s dedicated team and have tremendous respect for Elwyn as providers and innovators. I am thrilled to begin this next chapter and partnership together.”

Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.