Founded in 1952 by the Junior League of Wilmington, Delaware Guidance Services for Children & Youth, Inc. (DGS) has grown from a one-psychiatrist operation in loaned space, to the largest single not-for-profit provider of comprehensive psychiatric services for children and their families in Delaware with a staff of 200, a budget of $12M, and five locations statewide. As we look to the future, we will strive to make our services more accessible by increasing our outreach into the community and forming new partnerships with other organizations. With the expansion of research on the brain and mental health issues, new and more effective treatments are being developed. DGS stands committed to keeping abreast of these new treatments and utilizing a best practice approach to making them available to our clients. Delaware Guidance Services uses a multidisciplinary approach to help children and their families overcome obstacles presented by mental health challenges. Working as a team, we are able to ensure each child achieves his or her treatment goals. Our clinical staff is comprised of: child psychologists; child psychiatrists; clinical social workers; master’s level therapists; and advanced nurse practioners. Specifically trained in child, adolescent and family therapy, our clinicians maintain the highest standards of professional conduct and are well known for keeping abreast of emerging new theories and practices in the field.

The Delaware Guidance Services Advanced Clinical Training Program is a two year workforce development effort designed to train master's level graduates to become competent clinicians and obtain licensure. Through the generous funding support of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware's Blue Prints Community Grant, we have been able to implement this program and enhance the experience and expertise of therapists in Delaware, giving them an advantage in the marketplace and the ability to better serve the growing needs of Delaware's Children and Youth and their families.