Children's Behavioral Health Center Selected for State Funding

Harrisburg, PA (December 15, 2025) - The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger announced the approval of $70 million through the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) to help low-income individuals and improve distressed areas in Pennsylvania communities. The program, which provides tax credits to businesses that contribute to nonprofit organizations’ efforts to revitalize communities, will support 405 projects across the Commonwealth, including Barber National Institute's new children's behavioral health center in downtown Erie.

"The demand for mental health services continues to rise; yet families struggle to access timely, comprehensive, and specialized care," said Barber National Institute Senior Vice President Robert Barber. "This funding is helping us to open Erie County's only comprehensive children's behavioral health center in downtown Erie that will provide essential mental  health services, diagnosis, and family support for children with an intellectual disability or austim diagnosis."

Barber National Institute received $130,000 in corporate contributions from Erie Insurance, UPMC Health Plan, Northwest Bank, Erie Strayer, DeSantis Supply, and Knox Law as well as a $100,000 grant from the Erie Community Foundation.

"This project has deepend our understanding of the urgent and growing need for accessible children's mental health services in our community. It also has revealed a strong desre for a coordinated system of care that addresses the whole child and supports families as partners in treatment," said Barber.

Read Governor Josh Shapiro's Announcement