Hoffman Homes – Littlestown

Literally the most traumatic gut wrenching treatment people they don't listen to anything you say unless you act out.

As a former patient at Hoffman Homes, almost 6 years later I’m able to properly look back on my care in their facility. It was horrendous and down right abusive. I was forced to urinate on myself multiple times due to… their “bathroom times” and not needing to go when they told you, you had to. Then not allowed to shower to properly clean myself, just made to change my clothing. I was refused dinner at night if the vegetables they gave weren’t fully eaten, regardless of dietary preferences, to the point I tried eating the carrots that I’ve never liked and threw up all over my tray. You weren’t allowed to enter or exit a room without standing in the doorway and asking staff if you could leave or enter. The staff were not equipped to actually help anyone, most of which were college students. I was pulled out of Hoffman homes before my treatment finished because luckily my family believed me when I told them of the awful things happening at that place. Staff allows patients to bully and assault other patients. I’ve witnessed more children hurting themselves on a daily basis than any of the other hospitals or placements I’ve been at, with little done to stop them. If you truly wish for your child to get help, this place is NOT it. They look good on paper but reality is VERY different.

I was in Hoffman in 2014 after I lost a family member and cys took custody my first day was fine but went through hell after my therapist was a male so I couldn't talk about my trauma the staff were insanely… disrespectful and basically tried everything in there power to make me miserable I had one friend and they moved her to another house because she got in a fight with a staff named miss jewels because she told my friend she was too fat and then my therapist convinced my cys worker that I needed foster care and the it was thru a company they worked with thru Hoffman the foster mom was a drunk and drank alcohol right in front of me when I did a supervised visit with the foster mom she was creepy they then made me live with her it was a month before she got behind the weel of a car drunk we crashed and I almost died I was like 15 years old and apparently that's normal because I called Hoffman with my case worker after the accident and they already knew what happened like what? Don't send your kids to Hoffman its a problem of its own nature

I was there back in the early 2000s wasn't a bad place sometimes I wish I was still a kid in their Is chaplain Kim still there Did Tamika King retire What about Mr Burger

So I went to Hoffman homes back in like 98 99 I believe something like that I'm talking before the horses came i belive I was one of the first kids to join there dog program I'll never forget they had a golden retriever… and he drug me threw the oval but in all seriousness from what I can remember they tried everything they could for me even started programs just for me to try and help me with my mental health and behavior but I was a lost cause I think I'm one of the very few people that was released from the program without any progress but one of my biggest dreams is to come back and talk to the kids that are sitting in the same seat I was at that age so if anybody could make that happen I would love to speak with you if not still thanks for the experience and trying you guys best ps look up my files im sure I'm famous lol

My experience with Hoffman Homes has left me deeply grateful that we have such a remarkable, although not well-known, organization in our community. I am privileged to have served on the Board of Directors for the past… six years. Hoffman Homes offers a variety of programs for healing and a fully accredited school. The Residential Treatment Program gives children who have suffered extreme trauma an opportunity to develop skills that can help them cope with their past and look forward to a brighter future. The Therapeutic Shelter Program houses and supports children in custody of the state or county children’s services. The Transitional Living Program gives girls aged 16-21 support and assistance to develop the life-skills needed to transition to independent living. In addition to traditional therapeutic methods, art, drama, and animal (including equine) therapies are available to the children at Hoffman. The recently added Outpatient Clinic offers support to individuals of any age, as well as group and family therapy. The Hoffman Academy is an accredited school, licensed by the state, that provides academic instruction and emotional support for children K-12 who reside at Hoffman and for children from the community. The Academy uses positive reinforcement and trauma-informed restorative practices.

I enrolled my 11-year-old daughter in this residential treatment program hoping it would provide the safe, therapeutic environment she desperately needs. Instead, it has been a nightmare of neglect, safety failures, and… what feels like outright retaliation. We've had multiple Childline reports due to the ongoing issues here, and nothing has improved – in fact, it's gotten worse. This place prioritizes filling beds for insurance reimbursements over actual care, and it's endangering vulnerable kids like my daughter. From day one, they mishandled her placement. As an 11-year-old girl, she was thrown into a unit with much older 15- and 17-year-old girls simply because they didn't have space in the appropriate age group. It was clear this was all about securing funding rather than her well-being. The older kids quickly targeted her, with multiple incidents of sexual acting out that left her traumatized. Only after repeated complaints did they move her to a unit with peers aged 9-13, but even that hasn't solved the problems. Therapy has been a joke. The family sessions, which were supposed to happen weekly, were abruptly stopped by the therapist because I was accused of recording our conversations. There was zero evidence or proof provided – just an excuse to avoid accountability. Now, communication feels even more restricted. The final straw came just a couple of days ago when my daughter was physically attacked by another child on the unit. This same child has a history of sexually acting out toward her, and the staff's response? They claimed they "can't help her outbursts" because the attacker "hears voices," and that they simply can't prevent these incidents. How is that acceptable in a place supposed to protect and treat children? My daughter's safety and mental health are paramount to our family, but this facility has failed her at every turn. I strongly believe this program should be shut down. The recurring issues feel like retaliation against my daughter for speaking up about the mistreatment. We're done waiting – my next steps are contacting an attorney and state regulators to investigate why these dangerous conditions are allowed to continue. If you're considering this place for your child, run the other way. It's not treatment; it's a liability.

Having beenfamiliar and a supporter of Hoffman Homes through the former Penn West Conference of the United Church of Christ, for nearly 22 years now; my first comment when someone inquires about the organization, is… that they do amazing work, and offer much needed resources. Over the past year I have become even more aware of the dedication, compassion, and informed care that is afforded to all who pass through the organization. I am looking forward to what the future brings as services are expanded and futher opportunities for meaningful engagement with youth continue to expand

Hoffman Homes is such an amazing organization that provides wonderful services. We are blessed to have Hoffman Homes in our community!

Huge thanks to the incredible team at Hoffman Homes for the work they do to support children as they work through and recover from traumatic experiences. This organization profoundly improves our community and the… future of these beautiful children. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hoffman Homes is amazing and does so much necessary work for the youth they serve. They are a much needed resource in the community and have an amazing staff.

This is such an amazing organization! They do so much for the community.

Such an amazing organization! The services Hoffman Homes provide for our community, children, and families is beyond exceptional! Their empathy and compassion really creates an environment that is so uplifting. Thank… you to Becky and the entire team for being such great stewards of support for Adams, York Counties, and well beyond.

Hi! My name is Josiah and I went there about 2 years ago in 2024- early 2025 and I have been to a lot of in patients when I was younger cuz I was a crazy child and this place was the only helpful one! Hoffman academy… was a great school. I'm finally stable cuz the coping skills they taught me actually help and the staff at muslman were kind

Hoffman Homes for Youth is an outstanding organization making a profound impact in our community. They are doing incredibly important work, and I am grateful to have witnessed it firsthand. I had the privilege of… volunteering at their Gala this past November and later visiting their facility. Through this, and through my connection with Janise Bankard, I have been able to see even more closely the heart and dedication behind their mission. Janise’s commitment, passion, and genuine care for the youth they serve truly exemplifies what Hoffman Homes stands for. Her energy and compassion reflect the spirit of an organization that is determined to lift up young people who have endured incredibly difficult circumstances. Every staff member I have encountered shares that same drive to make a DIFFERENCE! Their patience, compassion, and unwavering support to help their youth grow, recover, and rebuild their futures is truly outstanding!! I strongly encourage anyone reading this review to support Hoffman Homes for Youth in any way they can; whether by volunteering, attending events, or offering financial contributions. Organizations like this change lives, and they thrive because of community involvement. I will be volunteering again and helping any way that I can!

As a former resident I was pleased to find out that my former "home" now offers outpatient therapy. The therapist has been wonderful, patient, and is highly qualified. The rest of the staff is on the ball, making all… aspects of my visits comfortable. Many years ago I lived at this facility. As a young person I felt safe and received the help I needed to navigate life as an adult. Looking back all I can say is thank you.

My son went to Hoffman Academy after being bullied through middle school in New Oxford. The amount of effort and support that was given to him was unbelievable. They took the time to see my son not just his behavioral… issues. The staff is amazing. Mr Daniel one of his teachers even mentored my son on grooming and was an excellent male role model above and beyond teaching. Ms Courtney is another teacher that made a lasting impression. My son is attending Gettysburg High now and I attribute the hard work of all the staff at Hoffman Academy for him accomplishing his goals. Thank you to all of the staff for all that you do.

⸻ I don’t understand how this place is still operating. I was there about five years ago in the RTF program, and again about a year ago in the independent living program. When I was in the independent living part, a lot… of kids were bringing in drugs and other things that should have never been allowed. One staff member even stole my Cash App card, which had $80 on it. The girls there were dirty, and the staff did nothing to help. We were only given $50 a week to buy food, which isn’t nearly enough—especially with how expensive food has been since COVID-19. I wasn’t there when it happened, but another girl told me that two girls made her drink bleach and shoved her head in a toilet. That’s horrifying. I was also one of the girls who ran away, and when the police brought me in, they asked me questions about girls being sexually harassed. At first, I thought those were just rumors—but they turned out to be true. It’s even been on the news. Back when I was there the first time, in the RTF part, I developed an eating disorder because staff constantly focused on our weight. I was already self-conscious, and that made it worse.

i am writing my experience as a patient at hoffman homes. parents, please listen. you could be saving your child from further damage to their mental health and well being. during my stay at hoffman homes i have… witnessed many different types of things. almost borderline verbal abuse, physical abuse, and just overall poor treatment towards the patients. if you had the misfortune of being a less popular child with the staff you most likely did not receive the fullest potential of care that hoffman claims to provide. children who had more severe behavioral problems were often verbally attacked by staff because the staff cannot control their anger. hoffman homes staff are not properly equipped to deal with the issues that these children come in with, thus the kids not receiving fair/proper treatment. some staff will leave within 2 months of the job because they don’t understand what they’re getting themselves into. don’t get me wrong, there are staff who do care. and they give their all to help these kids. but there are staff who are there just for the money rather then the opportunity to help children with mental health issues. hoffman hires about anyone that applies because they are severely understaffed. and then there were times when they didn’t even try to meet the ratio and instead went against their own regulations. for example, the female houses are technically not supposed to leave the girls alone with male staff. but of course, hoffman bends their own rules and doesn’t follow them which has led to patients getting harmed by the male staff. if you’re picking up what i’m putting down. PLEASE do your research about hoffman. there have been male staff who have come in here with a clean record and left with multiple felonies. parents, i urge you from the bottom of my heart and with my entire soul.. PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD HERE!

Hoffman Homes seemed to make a really positive impact in my experience, and provided support, monthly team meetings (with willingness to have phone calls and team meetings more frequently if needed) and did so well with… discharge planning. It was really helpful and appreciated. The animal therapies and groups also seem to be really helpful.

My name is Chailyn I went there in 2019 the staff was amazing and kind and could form real connections with the kids that was supportive and effective the therapy I got there was amazing I was nearly a different person… when I came out if your child doesn’t want the help or is combative the longer you stay i remember the reward system and it was so helpful

My.son suffered with mental health he went in on 12 27 23 he was only 6 he was very sad and angry he was such a sweet kid but lost himself when he arrived at hoffman homes I spoke to the sweetest therapist jen minner… she took time to help me cope with my son being away he spent 2 years up there an the staff was absolutely amazing jen minner Mrs Swansen and Mr Keith thank you for helping my son he has been home for 3 days an im already seeing improvement I love u guys so much I miss u guys thabk you for all you have done for.my sweet noah

My child had a suicide attempt WHILE on intensive supervision. TWICE!!! And they didn't notify me until the next afternoon!!! She was not given medical attention until I demanded it (yes I have pictures of her… injuries). Awful place to send your child. Not only is their living situation disgusting, the staff are extremely under trained and lack basic mental health knowledge. It's impossible to speak with a supervisor and when you do they are rude and disrespectful and are of no help. My child declined significantly during her time there. I had to pick her up against medical advice because it got to the point where she was no longer physically or emotionally safe there. She left there so much worse than when she started. And I am a real mom giving a real review so I hope whoever is reading this will think twice before choosing this placement.Oh by the way, she was there for 6th months and NEVER saw a horse.

This place was great for my son and our family! He experienced success at Hoffman that he hadn’t had in several years. I felt the staff was trauma and FASD informed and how that affects brain and behaviors. My son… enjoyed the equine therapy and the animal assisted therapy. He is the most stable he has been in years and has gained skills he can use to continue that success. It was a long process to get into Hoffman but in the end it was worth the wait.