On July 24, more than 70 people gathered at 1101 Adams Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia to break ground on a new, state-of-the-art facility for The Bridge Adolescent Treatment and Youth Opportunity Program, an affiliate of PHMC and the only adolescent residential substance abuse treatment program in Philadelphia. The groundbreaking brought together city officials, board members, Bridge employees, current Bridge residents, neighborhood residents and other supporters.

Sade Ali, Deputy Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual disABILITY Services, spoke at the event.  Attendees also included Roland Lamb, Director of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Addiction Services (OAS) and Marvin F. Levine, Deputy Director at OAS. The Bridge’s new facility will transform a once-vacant urban lot into a vibrant space that provides housing and treatment space for up to 51 adolescent males (ages 14-18), an area for outpatient services, a school room, plus a game room, fitness room, workshop and theater.