About Us

Our Mission

Fitzmaurice Community Services, Inc. is an organization dedicated to building bright futures for people with disabilities, their families, and the staff who support them in reaching their goals. Fitzmaurice Community Services, Inc. creates an environment that fosters independence, individuality, productivity and inclusion in the community through customized services provided by highly-qualified and motivated employees.

Our Promise and Vision
Our individuals, their families, our employees, and our community deserve our best.  To achieve our mission and vision, we must put our ideas into action, be innovative in our field, contributors of knowledge, investors of solutions, and explorers of ideas.

We intend to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem, and support our organization and our mission through personal commitment, professionalism, good character, pride, honesty, and teamwork.

We treat those we serve with compassion and respect. We demand the best of ourselves and the people that work and interface with us.

Value Statement
As a Provider, Employer and Charity of Choice in our community, Fitzmaurice Community Services, Inc. is committed to continually expanding services through innovative projects.

Our History

Johanna Fitzmaurice, the founder of Fitzmaurice Community Services, was a pioneer in life adjustment, transitional and community based services for persons with disabilities. Years before the exposure of the deplorable institutional practice of “warehousing,” Johanna established innovative support services, including one of the very first community group homes in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Following her death in 1978, her daughter, Elizabeth Koster, continued those services and developed and grew other ground-breaking initiatives such as housing services, community living services, day services, family support and recreation, specialized psychiatric services, employment initiatives, and camping and travel.  In short, many of the services that those with disabilities need to succeed.

Just a few decades ago, conventional wisdom held that people with developmental and behavioral health disorders were best served in state institutions or mental hospitals.  However, they were often treated cruelly and subjected to inhumane medical procedures and practices.  Thanks to the efforts of families, professionals and pioneers like Johanna Fitzmaurice, since the 1970’s, community-based services have become the option of choice for people with developmental and behavioral health disorders.

Through the creation of innovative programs, training, education and advocacy, Fitzmaurice Community Services has helped lead a revolution–professionalizing the field, transforming the public’s perception and advocating for basic human rights.