Mercyhurst University partnership helps inspire national leadership award for Harborcreek Youth Services CEO

Mercyhurst University is proud to recognize its long-standing partnership with Harborcreek Youth Services (HYS) and to congratulate CEO John Petulla on receiving the 2026 Leadership and Innovation Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS)—one of the nation’s leading professional organizations in criminal justice and behavioral health.

Petulla will be honored on Friday, March 6, 2026, during the ACJS Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon in Philadelphia, recognizing more than 23 years of leadership guiding Harborcreek Youth Services’ evolution and strengthening its role as a respected provider of trauma-informed behavioral health treatment for adolescent males.

In 2014, Mercyhurst faculty and alumni partnered with HYS to further develop and deliver evidence-based expressive therapies, including Art, Music, and Movement Therapy as part of a comprehensive, trauma-informed model of care. Today, these programs and others form the foundation of HYS’s Developmental Trauma Model.

“These partnerships reflect Mercyhurst’s mission of service and our belief in the power of education, creativity, and evidence-based practice to transform lives,” said Maria L. Garase, Ph.D., dean of the school of social & behavioral sciences and associate professor of criminology & criminal justice at Mercyhurst. “Mercyhurst faculty and alumni have helped shape therapeutic programs at HYS that are nationally respected and deeply impactful, and John Petulla’s leadership has been instrumental in making that vision a reality.”

“As an Erie native and Mercyhurst alumnus, it has been rewarding to create and sustain a Music Therapy program within our community for over ten years,” said Sam Krahe, BM, MT-BC, music therapist at HYS. “It also allows me to work with current Mercyhurst students through our internship program, where they continue their educational journey as prospective music therapists.”

Garase brings both institutional and governance experience to the partnership, having previously served on the HYS Board of Directors and continuing her involvement through the Operations Committee. Dr. Peter J. Benekos, professor emeritus of criminology and criminal justice, has also provided long-standing leadership and support through board and committee service.

These efforts have supported HYS’s continued growth as an accredited Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) and a recognized leader in trauma-informed care operating within the Sanctuary® Model framework.

Originally founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1911, HYS is an accredited behavioral health treatment organization dedicated to helping youth heal from trauma, build emotional regulation skills, and develop the resilience needed for long-term success. All HYS clients are referred based on medical necessity, though their care may intersect with juvenile justice, child welfare, or other community systems.

Mercyhurst faculty members and alumni—including Art Therapist Erica Schwartz, ATR-BC, LCAT; Music Therapist Sam Krahe, BM, MT-BC; and Mercyhurst alumnus Craig Stevens, MA, MT-BC, NMT—have contributed to the design and delivery of these therapeutic programs in tandem with HYS’s Clinical Department and Administration.

Petulla’s ACJS Leadership and Innovation Award recognizes his commitment to advancing trauma-informed approaches for helping youth and forward-thinking treatment models now being replicated across the country. A nationally respected leader in child welfare and behavioral health systems for more than five decades, Petulla has served as CEO of HYS since 2003, leading innovative psychiatric residential and community-based alternatives to juvenile justice involvement.

Previously, he held senior leadership roles with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and the Erie County Department of Human Services, where he oversaw large-scale child welfare, mental health, and juvenile systems. His work exemplifies collaborative, community-centered leadership that advances safety, accountability, and healing for vulnerable youth.

About Harborcreek Youth Services

Harborcreek Youth Services is a trauma-informed behavioral healthcare agency that provides a wide range of residential and in-home services to children and their families from across Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit www.hys-erie.org
Explore HYS Music Therapy: soundcloud.com/hys-music-therapy