Find Healing & Hope

Who Is PWA?

Pierceton Woods Academy is a qualified residential treatment program offering placement for young men* with substance abuse issues or sexually maladaptive behaviors. PWA offers a holistic approach toward healing through therapy, education, vocational training, and aftercare. 

* substance abuse program is licensed for ages 15 – 21

sexually maladaptive program is licensed for ages 13 – 21

 Pierceton Woods Academy is a QRTP (Qualified Residential Treatment Program) Certified facility.

Eligibility

Boys With One or Both of the Following Needs:
  • Needing to complete the Sexual Health & Relapse Prevention (SHARP) program (Boys ages 13 -21) or Substance Abuse, Behavioral and Emotional Regulation (SABER) program (Boys ages 15 – 21)
  • Needs to learn independent living skills 

Experience

  •  On-site facilities include an alternative school, counseling center, dorms, cafeteria, gymnasium, athletic fields, and a chapel. 
  • The campus also provides a vocational program that includes woodworking, small engine shop, horticulture, and beekeeping to teach work ethic, confidence, and leadership. 

Setting

  • Nestled between South Bend and Fort Wayne in Pierceton, Indiana, the 94-acre PWA campus rests in a peaceful, wooded setting.

How to Enroll A Student

1

Identify Your Student's Needs

Does the student match our Eligibility criteria stated above? Contact us if you need help.

2

We’ll let you know what information we need.

3

We Evaluate the Referral

We’ll get back with you in 1-2 business days.

PWA Programs

PWA Programs utilize a Stages of Change model.

Celebrating our Students' Hard Work

Through our Vocational Program, the students at Pierceton Woods Academy are learning about and seeing the process of farm-to-table cooking and eating unfold.
Our Vocational Program helps equip our students with tangible skills and work experience to provide a greater opportunity to find employment after leaving our campus.
Good work, PWA students!

Stay In Touch

Keep up with our latest Projects and News!
We appreciate your support.

Get Help for Your Student Today

Contact Deb Johnson at djohnson@lastingchangeinc.org

Blog and news

Work That Rebuilds Confidence​: The PWA Vocational Program

For a lot of young people, the hardest part of getting back on track is believing they still have something meaningful to offer. School can help. Counseling can help. Structure definitely helps. But there’s also something quietly transformative about learning how to build, repair, cook, weld, or create something with

Read More »
teenage boy swinging a tennis racket at a ball

A winning approach to athletics

For several years, basketball was the only game in town at Pierceton Woods Academy. But it quickly became apparent that the boys who played basketball showed a marked improvement in behavior—and that it might be worth adding additional extracurricular sports to capitalize on the opportunities provided by athletics.

Read More »

Our Greatest Responsibility

There’s nothing more important to the staff at Pierceton Woods Academy than the well-being of the young men in our care. For nearly 20 years, we’ve provided our students with education, rehabilitation, and counseling services, and equipping them with coping strategies so they can become productive and responsible adults. It’s

Read More »