Murphy-Harpst Children’s Center, an independent not-for-profit organization that delivers innovative clinical, therapeutic and residential services to foster children across the state of Georgia, wrapped up its 100th year of operations on a high note after achieving several memorable milestones over the past twelve months.

Just days after the organization celebrated its centennial anniversary at a special gala event in Atlanta, Murphy-Harpst received the 2024 Outstanding Agency award from the Georgia Conference on Children and Families. The annual honor is given to a foster care agency that has demonstrated outstanding service to children. 

Murphy-Harpst plays a pivotal role on the front lines of Georgia’s recent surge in foster care cases, providing nurturing care and healing for vulnerable youths who are often not ready or eligible to be placed in a traditional foster care home. All programs maintain A or A+ ratings on Georgia Scorecards, demonstrating a commitment to excellence and capacity to serve children with the highest possible standards.

Murphy-Harpst also launched its new Quality Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) in Q4, a first-of-its-kind program in Georgia that provides specialized psychiatric services to children who reside at the main campus in Cedartown. Additional staff have been hired to help oversee the program, which will become fully operational next year. QRT falls under the bipartisan Family First Prevention Services Act passed by Congress in 2018, creating new pathways for federal dollars needed to fund vital mental health services.

In addition, the organization continued to expand its Evolve initiative by opening two new homes in Augusta over the last twelve months, with three more set to open in 2025. Four foster youths live in one home anchored by two teams of foster parents, with round-the-clock therapeutic services available. 82% of youths who have completed the program reported decreased destructive or self-harming behaviors, with nearly 90% increasing life skills and behavior management capacity.

Murphy-Harpst also announced plans for a new autism program that will launch in 2025 at the main campus. Operating out of the Oasis cottage, the program will serve up to ten autistic youths at a time with a full menu of educational, behavorial and therapeutic services available. The initiative is made possible with support from DFCS and Amerigroup. Recent data shows 11% of youths in Georgia’s foster care system have some form of autism, highlighting the need for additional resources.

Other notable achievements from the past year include:

“This past year was one for the books and reflects the incredible commitment and Christ-like love displayed by our wonderful staff and volunteers day in and day out,” said Scott Merritt, president and CEO of Murphy-Harpst. “There’s no greater mission than protecting and healing the life of a child who has dealt with the trauma of abuse, neglect and other injustices that often lead to foster care. We’re beyond thankful for the countless churches, businesses and private donors who have joined in the cause and made each of these victories possible. Our team has a full head of steam heading into 2025, and we look forward to sharing more news on our progress in the months ahead.”

Murphy-Harpst’s official founding dates back to 1924, when Ethel Harpst, a missionary affiliated with the Methodist church, established an orphanage in Cedartown that was initially known as the Harpst Home. A few years later, fellow Christian pioneer and trailblazer Sarah Murphy opened a one-room schoolhouse in nearby Rockmart, Georgia, which later morphed into an orphanage that housed predominantly African-American children. The two entities merged in the 1980s to form the modern-day Murphy-Harpst Children’s Center, with the main campus spread across 160 acres of greenspace in Polk County.

For more information, please visit https://murphyharpst.org/.