Augusta Levy Celebrates 20th Anniversary, Enters New Era as Behavioral Health Facility

Eric Ayres

WHEELING -- Augusta Levy Learning Center celebrated a milestone on Friday night -- marking 20 years of providing vital services to children in the community with autism and their families.

A special 20th anniversary celebration was held Friday at Waterfront Hall in Wheeling to mark the occasion, and to launch a new chapter for the center that continues to grow and expand services.

"We're also celebrating new programs that have been developed throughout this year, so it's kind of like a dual celebration," said Angie Wood, executive director of Augusta Levy Learning Center. "We just became a licensed behavioral health facility. Now we can provide different types of behavioral services and social services to our community. So our name is Augusta Levy Behavioral Services."

The new name, a new logo and a new component to the ever-growing spectrum of services was unveiled during Friday night's celebration.

"Our services at the center remain true -- we're serving children with autism, but now we can serve adults with behavioral needs, we can provide vocational services and independent living services," Wood said. "We get to help children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders."

Board members, community members, longtime volunteers, friends, colleagues, therapists and graduates were on hand. Longtime supporters Lisa and Barry Allen helped host the event.

Kathy Shapell, founder of Augusta Levy Learning Center, served as executive director for 12 years and still serves on the board of directors.

"Honestly, it's amazing to me that the 20 years has gone so quickly," Shapell said. "But I'm immensely proud of this milestone and all of the children and families that we've been able to serve over the last 20 years."

Shapell said the milestones reached by the children the center has served over the years are the No. 1 thing the group is celebrating, along with the accomplishments of the center in providing services that continue to expand to meet diverse needs of children and families across the tri-state area.

"Just as importantly, in a state that continues to lose jobs, I'm also proud that we've been a jobs creator," Shapell said. "Over the last 20 years, we've been able to create more than 60 new jobs in Wheeling."

The center first opened in 2005 in rented Sunday School rooms at Mount Zion Church. Wood said she started working for the center as a college intern in 2007.

"We only had like five kids," Wood said. "The model itself has stayed the same throughout the years. We're one-on-one with kids, we're serving children with autism, we're providing a behavioral analysis and using evidence-based services. But we have grown."

While the approach has remained the same over the years, the services have grown exponentially.

In 2008, the center relocated to Sacred Heart Church. Services expanded to children up to 8 years of age, and the number of children served grew to around nine or 10. Then services for adolescents were added, expanding the age range to 12 years. Then it was expanded to 15 years of age.

Wood noted that in 2018, there was a fire at the Sacred Heart Church. The building was lost, and it caused Augusta Levy Learning Center to lose its space.

"They do well with schedules, and that just rocked their world," Wood said of the children whose services were initially disrupted because of the fire at the church. "We had to figure out how to navigate that."

A temporary plan was implemented in the wake of the fire. Staff members went into homes of the families they served for about a month. With help from the community, a new space was made available on Main Street in Wheeling to allow them to continue services.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic impacted everyone in 2020, it was during this challenging time that Augusta Levy Learning Center was able to construct its current facility.

"Our current building was built during the pandemic," Wood said. "We opened before Christmas of 2020, and we have continued to grow and expand. This year, we launched an adult program. We've gone to 21 for ADA services, we're doing vocational services up to 64 for people with other disabilities - not just autism, but other behavioral needs."

Augusta Levy also provides consulting services in three local school districts.

"We started an early learners program this year to help children who were diagnosed from birth to 4 years old," Wood said. "That model looks very different from what you're going to do for a 5- to 7-year-old."

Wood indicated that staff members are specifically trained in focused areas to serve the needs of specific clients.

"We just hired our 70th employee," Wood said with a big smile. "So we just continue to expand services across a spectrum of needs."