The Germaine Lawrence Campus

Located in suburban Arlington, Massachusetts, Germaine Lawrence has a beautiful tree lined, 3 acre campus that integrates well with the character of the surrounding residential neighborhood. On our campus we have six treatment centers, our main administration and school building, and plenty of open space for recreational and outdoor activities. A group home is located nearby in the community.

Most of our treatment centers are self-contained units, with kitchen and dining facilities, lounges, classrooms, staff offices and indoor recreation space. Our main building contains classrooms, library, art room, gymnasium, exercise room and kitchen and dining facilities. We have a turf playing field for outdoor recreation opportunities on campus. We are walking distance to the Arlington Heights business and shopping district and have easy access by public transportation to the many cultural and historic attractions in nearby Cambridge and Boston.

Campus Master Plan

In 2001, Germaine Lawrence adopted a Campus Master Plan to upgrade our space and create a state-of-the-art campus that can serve as a national model for other residential treatment centers.
Now completed, our multi-facility campus gives us resources to serve youth more effectively.
We have on our campus a continuum of care in which youth can seamlessly transition from one facility to another as their needs change.

Facility Design

Germaine Lawrence has constructed four, custom designed treatment centers.

• The Jane Addams Treatment Center, completed in 1994, won a national design award sponsored by the American Institute of Architecture.
• The Saul M. Hirshberg Treatment Center was completed in 2001.
• The Cynthia Browning Treatment Center was completed in 2005.
• The Katharine E. Merck Treatment Center was completed in 2008.

In all cases, staff and students love the new buildings. Students like the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, the general spaciousness, and color. Staff appreciate the open sight lines, the larger classrooms, the offices that make communication easier, and most importantly, the reduction in dangerous incidents. It is easier to keep the girls safe, and staff can put more energy into helping the girls develop relationships and learn to be more successful.