The Center for Discovery
The Center for Discovery is an advocacy group that provides health care, educational, and residential services for people with autism and other complex disabilities. 1 The center, based in Harris, New York, claims to be the largest employer in Sullivan County and to have generated over $3 billion in “economic impact” in the state from 2010 to 2025, or almost $250 million annually. 2
Contents
Background
The Center for Discovery is an advocacy group that provides health care, educational, and residential services for people with autism and other complex disabilities. 1 It reports a full-time staff of 1,800 and claims to serve 1,700 people annually. 2
The group claims to be the largest Children’s Residential Project (CRP) in the state of New York and touts its research that has influenced tools and interventions for caring for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s, in addition to autism and “rare syndromes.” 3
Activities
The Center for Discovery has several programs: a children’s specialty hospital, pediatric and adult programs, medical and clinical services, and training and consultation services. 4
The Children’s Specialty Hospital has 18 beds, 12 of which are designated for children with both severe autism and medical needs, such as self-harm or aggression. The other six beds are for children with medical frailties who need intensive care. The hospital also has classrooms onsite to prepare students for a traditional school setting by fostering communication and social interaction skills. As of February 2025, the center planned to create a 40-bed unit “for adults with severe medical and deli-mental needs.” 5
The pediatric program has 256 day students and 164 residential students between the ages of five and 21. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) certifies this program and the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) certifies the residences. Some students remain in the program until they reach the age of 21 or graduate, while others are downgraded to a lower level of care after a shorter stay. 6
The adult program serves 182 people from 21 to seniors and includes residential options. There is also a Day Habilitation Program which offers adult residents vocational opportunities, particularly in the arts. 7
Medical and clinical services are provided through the Discovery Health Center, a multispecialty clinic with all sorts of healthcare professionals, including dentists, occupational therapists, nutritionists and medical specialists. 8
The center also boasts an Animal Assisted Intervention and Education program, which involves well-trained animals in lessons and therapy sessions. In addition to an equine program offering therapeutic horsemanship, the center also has a variety of farm animals, miniature horses, dogs, rabbits and reptiles and amphibians, among others. 8
Financials
In 2024, the Center for Discovery reported a total revenue of $171,035,671 and total expenses of $152,633,620. 9 The Center allocated $1,156,870 to the Center for Discovery Magnet Services Corporation. 10
The group received $14,412 from the New York-based Community Foundation of Orange County in the fiscal year ending in June 2025. 11 In 2024, the Dolber Family Foundation gave $41,000, 12 the Kittay Foundation gave $10,000 in research funding 13 and Greenbean Ventures, which supports people with autism, gave $125,000 to the Center for Discovery in 2024. 14 In 2013, the center received $60,000 from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations. 15
Leadership
Dr. Theresa Hamlin is President and CEO, Matthew Brescia is Chief Financial Officer and Amy Davidoff is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. 16
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
| Year | Total Assets | Total Revenue | Total Expenses | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $177,181,998 | $171,035,671 | $152,633,620 | View |
| 2023 | $172,436,783 | $141,719,626 | $139,822,590 | View |
| 2022 | $164,140,348 | $140,577,114 | $135,758,607 | View |
| 2021 | $136,967,391 | $121,112,657 | $124,880,099 | View |
| 2020 | $132,387,424 | $116,526,640 | $120,561,619 | View |
Prior year filings: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
Revenue Detail
Expenses Detail
Employee Compensation
- Number of Employees: 2194
Highest Earning Employees
Grant Activity
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $61,161,612
- Number of Grants: 536
- Number of Funders: 176
Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:
All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $1,156,870
- Number of Grants: 1
- Number of Recipients: 1
Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:
| Amount | Year | Funder | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,156,870 | 2024 | Center for Discovery Magnet Services Corporation | Forgiveness of accumulated amount owed from a related party, of which the proceeds were used to support residential, day, and school services for out-of-state individuals. |