Turning Dreams Into Reality

For video about Dr. Barber click here...
(produced courtesy of
WQLN Public Broadcasting).

The Barber National Institute was established in 1952 in Erie, Pennsylvania by our founder, Erie educator Dr. Gertrude A. Barber. We have grown into a multi-faceted organization that provides education, vocational, residential and behavioral health services to more than 3,500 children and adults annually.

The Southeastern Regional Program was opened in 1990 to serve the greater Philadelphia area, including Bucks and Montgomery counties. The Barber Institute is one of the largest providers of residential services in Pennsylvania, currently operating 25 group homes in the Southeastern Region as well as Lifesharing Through Family Living. We also offer employment and day services that are designed to honor individual choice and develop skills for fulfilling, productive lives.

For more facts about the Barber National Institute, download this pdf.