Founded in 1899 by Harry Augustus Pevear of Lynn, MA, the Stetson School was originally an orphanage known as the Stetson Home. The Stetson School is located on 200 acres, and is a long-term (average stay is about 18-months), 120-bed residential treatment center for sexually reactive boys ages 9-21 who have engaged in sexually abusive behaviors.
Stetson utilizes an integrated relapse prevention model with 'state-of-the-art' stage system of treatment. The boys are assigned to teams based on their age and maturity levels. The academic component is a fully licensed, Massachusetts State Chapter 766 approved school for students working at or above their grade level, as well as for students who have specific learning disabilities. Stetson currently treats a population with a wide scope of inappropriate sexual behaviors. These treatment programs include Adolescent Sexual Abusers, the latency-aged Sexually Reactive program, the Alternative Learning Program (ALP's) for cognitively impaired students, and the Sexual Misconduct program.
Stetson also offers an extended youth services component for boy’s ages 18-21, who are transitioning from another sexual offender program and motivated to continue treatment. These students must be physically and mentally able to participate in the treatment program and have a history of sexually offending behaviors.