Rhode Island Opens Residential Care for Girls
South County Academy in Exeter becomes the state's first residential complex for girls with behavioral health needs.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Secondary Education
Rhode Island opened South County Academy, the state's first residential complex for girls with behavioral health needs. Family Service of Rhode Island welcomed the facility's first students shortly after the opening ceremony.
Why it matters
Previously, girls in the care of the Department of Children, Youth and Families had to travel out of state to receive specialized services. The facility allows teenage girls needing behavioral health treatment to receive that care within Rhode Island.
The 32,000-square-foot facility cost $45 million to build and includes two eight-bedroom dormitories. Construction broke ground in August 2024, and the extraction does not state the total number of beds or expected enrollment.
The players
Family Service of Rhode Island
A Rhode Island nonprofit that provides family and behavioral health services and will operate South County Academy.
Department of Children, Youth and Families
The Rhode Island state agency responsible for children in state care, whose girls previously had to travel out of state for specialized services.
The details
South County Academy includes classrooms, programming space, clinical areas, a media center, and indoor and outdoor recreational areas. Family Service of Rhode Island will operate the facility, which officials opened at a ceremony attended by state officials.
Timeline
August 2024: Officials broke ground on the facility.
Monday, November 3, 2026: Officials held the opening ceremony, and the first students arrived shortly after.
Secondary Education Landscape
The opening marks a shift away from Rhode Island's reliance on out-of-state residential placements for teenage girls in state custody who need behavioral health treatment. It brings in-state residential care for this population within the state's own youth services system.
Families in Rhode Island with girls who need residential behavioral health care can now access that treatment in-state rather than traveling out of state. Residents may see the facility's services expand as the program takes in more students.
The takeaway
Access to behavioral health care closer to home can ease the burden on families and keep young people connected to their communities during treatment. Readers seeking similar services can contact their state's youth services agency for guidance.
Further reading
Explore more on Secondary Education in Rhode Island for context on how the state supports young people's schooling and care.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WPRI.
