St. Francis Center

Saint Margaret Mercy opened the St. Francis Center in August 1998, in response to a shortage of residential beds for adolescents in Lake County. Struggling teens were often sent elsewhere in the state, or if unavailable in-state, then out-of-state. By keeping our young people close to home, an integral key to successful treatment is possible – family involvement.

Today, The St. Francis Center provides an adolescent resident treatment program for male and female youths, who would be unsuccessful unless in a highly structured environment.

The center, located at Saint Margaret Mercy’s Dyer Campus, offers two levels of care in a nurturing, therapeutic and secure environment. Our goal is to assist residents in developing the skills necessary for independent living and decision making, so they can successfully reintegrate with the community and their families. The center also provides a self-contained school with certified teachers.