Laughlin Children's Center

Alternate Name / Acronym

Mary & Alexander Laughlin Children's Center

Parent Organization

Sewickley Fresh Air Home

Options: Vision, Mission and/or Purpose of Organization

With roots stretching back to 1897, Laughlin Children's Center has a long tradition of offering multi-disciplinary educational support services to children from preschool through high school. Laughlin Center’s work focuses on five areas: academics, psychology, odcupational therapy, communication, and The Village Preschool. Although each department houses unique services, the departments and services work together comprehensively to provide support to children.

Laughlin Center offers academic testing, one on one and small group tutoring, psychological evaluations, child and family counseling, speech screenings and therapy, and a developmentally-appropriate preschool. Our mission to be provide a bridge to successful learning.

History of Organization:

The Mary and Alexander Laughlin Children’s Center, or “Laughlin Children’s Center” as it is known today, was founded in 1956, as the successor to two children’s service organizations - - Sewickley Fresh Air Home and Child Counseling Center of Sewickley Valley. From its founding in 1897 until its closure in 1952, the Sewickley Fresh Air Home provided summertime and eventually year-round care for as many as thirty to forty children at a time. Mrs. Alexander Laughlin was the home’s founder, president of its board of managers, and a driving force in the success of its program. When she died in 1953, leaving a sizeable bequest to the recently closed home, the trustees and surviving board members sought another organization providing service to children to be recipient of the gift.

In early 1951, the Child Counseling Center of Sewickley Valley was organized to provide counseling services for individual children and their families, and to conduct community awareness and education activities. There was significant community need for the agency’s services, but it lacked a long-term funding source. The two child service organizations had in common several active patrons and board members and, through those connections, it was arranged that the organizations would be merged into one, and the surviving organization would receive Mrs. Laughlin’s bequest.

In 1956, the Fresh Air Home’s original charter was amended to provide for its name to change to the “Mary and Alexander Laughlin Children’s Center.” LCC began providing services during that year, even before construction of its facility in Sewickley was completed. The Center’s earliest programs were described as “academic and emotional support for children who encounter problems in learning processes”, a description which still applies to our programs today.

An important part of Laughlin Children’s Center’s history and tradition is the original legacy from Mrs. Laughlin and the part it has played in the Center’s development. With the support of the bequest, the Center was able to charge nominal fees for services, and to provide financial aid for those families who could not afford to pay even those fees, enabling families to receive needed services without regard to their ability to pay. Through the years, with the support of generous individual and foundation donors, Laughlin Children’s Center has been able to build that base of financial security into a sustaining endowment, which we rely on today to be able to set fees at reasonable levels and provide a generous, responsible financial aid program for families requiring help.

Today’s array of services include academic evaluation and instruction (one on one and small group) for children from preschool through high school; psychological testing and therapy (individual and family); speech-language screenings and evaluations, as well as therapy; and the nationally-accredited Village Preschool.

Laughlin Children’s Center is proud of our continuing relationship with the Laughlin family. Alexander M. Laughlin, Mary and Alexander Laughlin’s grandson, has served as a trustee of the Center since 1957, and actively supports our work in many ways. His two sons, David W. Laughlin and Alexander M. Laughlin, Jr., are also trustees, continuing the family tradition of service and support.

Options: Accreditations and Licenses

The Village Preschool is the only area preschool accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). All of Laughlin's teachers, reading specialists, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, occupational therapists, and speech pathologists are highly-qualified, holding professional credentials from national and state organizations such as the PA Department of Education, the American Psychological Association, the American Association of School Psychologists, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Legal Structure

Local Government

Funding Sources

Fee-for-service
Donations from Individuals, Corporations, and Foundations

Leadership

Key Leaders

Name* Title/Description (Executive Director, Vice President, etc.) Phone Number 1 Phone Number 2 Fax Number Email Address
J. Douglas Florey Executive Director 412.741.4087 d.florey@laughlincenter.org
Karen Borland Academic Department Director 412.741.4087
Sharon Campbell Psychology Department Director 412.741.4087
Patti Bennett Speech Department Director 412.741.4087

Contact Information

Contact Person(s)

Name* Title/Description (Intake Specialist, Secretary, etc.) Phone Number 1 Phone Number 2 Fax Number Email Address
Douglas Florey Executive Director 412.741.4087 d.florey@laughlincenter.org

Contact Phone Numbers

Number* Title / Description (Telephone, Toll free, Fax, etc.)
(412) 741-4087 phone

Contact Emails

Email* Title / Description (Director, General, Intake, etc.)
info@laughlincenter.org

Web Addresses

Website* Title / Description (National, Local office, etc.)
www.laughlincenter.org

Primary Address

Address:

424 Frederick Avenue
Sewickley, PA 15143
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Service Area

Southwestern PA

Services Provided

Service Description

  • Laughlin Center is a privately-funded, non-profit organization dedicated to helping children reach their greatest potential, by providing support services for learning. Laughlin Center serves more than 600 children each year from many area of Allegheny and Beaver Counties. We provide a wide variety of services including preschool programs, speech and language therapies, psychological services, academic testing, and tutoring in reading, math, written language, goal-setting and study skills.

Available Hours

8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Friday (Saturday by appointment only)

Fees/Cost for Services

Varies/Financial Aid is available & Most Major Insurance Accepted

Eligibility Requirements

Children ages 2 - 18 years

How to Access Services or Schedule Appointments

Call 412.741.4087

Handicap Accessibility

Ramped entrances, ADA-compliant restrooms

Speaker Available

Yes

Volunteer Use

No

Volunteer Need

No

Thank You To Our Sponsors

We are grateful to our many partners who provide financial and operational support. 

OUR SUPPORTERS