Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle

What Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle does

Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle e.V. is a registered non-profit association (e.V.) founded in 1951 in Gießen, Hessen, Germany, operating as one of the largest youth welfare providers (Jugendhilfeträger) in the Mittelhessen region with more than 550 employees. The association delivers comprehensive pedagogical, psychological, and medical youth welfare services across six core facilities: Leppermühle (psychotherapeutic residential home for young people with mental illness), Adalbert-Focken-Haus (psychotherapeutic youth welfare facility for ages 14 to early 20s), Berthold-Martin-Haus (fully stationary youth welfare), Ärztlich-Psychologische Beratungsstelle (medical-psychological counseling center operating since 1953), Martin-Luther-Schule (state-recognized Ersatzschule für Kranke across four locations), and Heilpädagogische Tagesstätte (special-needs day care for children aged 6–13). Supporting programs include Internes Arbeitstraining (IAT) vocational training across 15 vocational areas, Mutter-/Vater-Kind-Gruppen, Sozialpädagogische Kindertagesgruppen at three locations with 32 placements, and co-therapeutic offerings (ergotherapy, equine therapy, sports therapy, Heilpädagogik, ecotrophology).

The organization is governed by a three-person board (Berthold Martin as Chair, Ina Köhl for Personnel & Administration, Peter Siemon for Youth Welfare) and operates as a member of Diakonie Hessen, following AVR-HN collective bargaining. The underlying technical infrastructure is conventional: standard hosted web presence (SSL/TLS, Borlabs Cookie consent, Google Analytics, Maps and reCAPTCHA integrations), a multi-facility intake management system with dedicated coordinators and email addresses per care type, a secure counseling portal powered by Diakonie Deutschland webmail, and Marte Meo video-based interaction analysis for parent-child coaching. No public-facing API, SDK, or AI/ML capabilities are offered.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through statutory public funding. The core stream consists of per-placement Entgeltvereinbarungen with the Jugendämter of Gießen, Wetterau, Vogelsberg, and Fulda under §§ 27, 28, 32 SGB VIII (German Social Code Book VIII). The Ärztlich-Psychologische Beratungsstelle is separately co-funded by Stadt and Landkreis Gießen together with the Evangelische Kirche in Hessen und Nassau, with services offered free of charge to clients. Distribution is institutional rather than commercial: services are accessed via Jugendamt referrals, clinical referrals from Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie clinics, and direct family access to the counseling center, with no consumer pricing or transactional revenue model. The organization celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2026.

Name

Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle

Legal name

Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle e.V.

Website

https://vfj-giessen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founded 1951 in Gießen, Germany, Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle e.V. is a Diakonie-affiliated non-profit operating 550+ staff across six facilities providing psychotherapeutic residential care, day groups, counseling, special education, and parent-child services for mentally ill children, adolescents, and young adults in the Mittelhessen region, funded by public Jugendämter under SGB VIII.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Youth welfare services
• Residential care
• Psychotherapy facilities
• Family counseling
• Special education

Headquarters

HQ city

Giessen, Hessen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Youth Welfare Funding (SGB VIII): Core revenue is derived from cost agreements (Entgeltvereinbarungen) with public youth welfare offices (Jugendämter) in Gießen, Wetterau, Vogelsberg, and Fulda districts, billed per resident/placements under §§ 27, 32 SGB VIII. Rates are governed by performance agreements (Leistungsvereinbarungen) and compensation agreements (Entgeltvereinbarungen) filed annually.
2. Church and Municipal Co-Funding: The Ärztlich-Psychologische Beratungsstelle is co-funded by municipalities (Stadt and Landkreis Gießen) and the Evangelische Kirche in Hessen und Nassau. Counseling services are provided free of charge to clients, funded entirely by these public and church partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle e.V. operates a vertically integrated portfolio of youth welfare services for children, adolescents, and young adults with mental health conditions across Hessen, Germany. Through six core facilities (Leppermühle, Adalbert-Focken-Haus, Berthold-Martin-Haus, Ärztlich-Psychologische Beratungsstelle, Martin-Luther-Schule, and Heilpädagogische Tagesstätte), the organization provides psychotherapeutic residential care, day groups, mother/father-child programs, family counseling, and state-recognized special education for sick students.

Product overview

Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle e.V. operates as a comprehensive youth welfare provider offering a multi-facility portfolio of residential, semi-residential, and outpatient services for mentally ill children, adolescents, and young adults. The organization comprises six main facilities: Leppermühle (psychotherapeutic residential home), Adalbert-Focken-Haus (psychotherapeutic youth welfare facility), Berthold-Martin-Haus (fully stationary youth welfare), Ärztlich-Psychologische Beratungsstelle (medical-psychological counseling center), Martin-Luther-Schule (state-recognized school for ill students), and Heilpädagogische Tagesstätte (special needs day care). Supporting services include the Internes Arbeitstraining (IAT) vocational training program, Mutter-/Vater-Kind-Gruppen (parent-child residential groups), and Sozialpädagogische Kindertagesgruppen (socio-pedagogical day groups). The organization also provides co-therapeutic offerings such as ergotherapy, equine therapy, sports therapy, and ecotrophology. With over 550 employees across facilities in the districts of Gießen, Wetterau, Vogelsberg, and Fulda, the association is one of the largest youth welfare providers in the region and a member of Diakonie Hessen.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VfJ Gießen: Abgekürzte Bezeichnung des Vereins für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle e.V.

Products and services

• Leppermühle Psychotherapeutic residential home for young people with mental illness, offering comprehensive therapeutic, educational, and medical support services including internal work training, co-therapeutic offerings, and mother/father-child groups.
• Adalbert-Focken-Haus Psychotherapeutic youth welfare facility specializing in care and treatment of mentally ill young people aged 14 to early 20s, combining group pedagogical care with psychotherapy. Offers 20 places with exclusively single rooms.
• Berthold-Martin-Haus Fully stationary youth welfare facility providing residential care and support for young people in need.
• Ärztlich-Psychologische Beratungsstelle Medical-psychological counseling center offering family counseling, educational counseling, individual/couples counseling, psychological diagnostics, and professional consultation for institutions. Services are provided free of charge to clients.
• Martin-Luther-Schule State-recognized replacement school for ill students (Ersatzschule für Kranke) offering Berufsorientierter Abschluss (BO), Hauptschulabschluss, erweiterter Hauptschulabschluss, and Realschulabschluss across 4 locations.
• Heilpädagogische Tagesstätte Day care facility providing support and care for children aged 6-13 with special support needs, focusing on social, emotional, and academic development.
• Sozialpädagogische Kindertagesgruppen Socio-pedagogical day groups at three locations providing 32 placements for children and youth aged 7-16 with social, emotional, and academic difficulties. Average stay is 2-3 years.
• Mutter-/Vater-Kind-Gruppen Mother/father-child groups offering residential mother/father-child care in two modules (full-stationary and intensive day care) to develop parenting competencies and independence for expectant and parenting minors and young adults with children up to age 6.
• Internes Arbeitstraining (IAT) Day-structuring program for non-school-age youth and young adults providing practical work experience across 15 different vocational areas including office work, gardening, gastronomy, kitchen, horse care, and crafts at the Georgenhammer location.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average stay in day groups: 2–3 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Diakonie HessencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association is a member of Diakonie Hessen, its primary umbrella organization. It follows the Diakonie's positions on democracy and human rights (shared extremism statement), uses Diakonie's legal framework (AVR-HN Dienstvertragsrecht) for employee compensation, and coordinates voluntary services (FSJ/BFD/FÖJ) through Diakonisches Werk Hessen und Nassau. Funded by Evangelische Kirche in Hessen und Nassau for counseling services.
• Stadt and Landkreis Gießen (Municipalities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding agreement with the cities and districts of Gießen for the Ärztlich-Psychologische Beratungsstelle, providing Erziehungs- und Familienberatung free of charge to residents. This partnership ensures the counseling center's statutory mandate under SGB VIII is fulfilled.
• JLU Gießen (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen), Fachbereich PsychologiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose cooperation for Masterstudiengang Psychotherapie (BQT II) practical training and Ausbildung zum Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapeut (PT II) with 600-hour placements. Zuteilung (allocation) for BQT II is managed through the university psychology department.
• Institut für Verhaltenstherapie und Verhaltensmedizin, MarburgmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institute for Ausbildung zum Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapeut PT II placements (600 hours). Students must have an existing training contract with the institute before being accepted for PT II internship at the association's facilities.
• Hochschule Fulda (Fulda University of Applied Sciences)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for the dual BASA Bachelor of Arts: Soziale Arbeit program. 4-year program combining practice (20 hours/week in association facilities) with online and monthly on-site modules at Hochschule Fulda.
• Partner Vocational Schools (Käthe-Kollwitz-Schule Marburg/Wetzlar, Aliceschule Gießen, Berufliche Schulen am Gradierwerk Bad Nauheim, Gewerbliche Schulen Dillenburg, Marburger Bibelseminar)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner schools for educator (Erzieher) training (PivA and classic pathways). Students complete theoretical training at these partner schools while completing their practical year at association facilities.
• Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Federal Employment Agency for external measures that may follow the Internal Work Training (IAT) program, supporting transition to external vocational rehabilitation or employment.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stiftung Hephata: Diaconal non-profit in Hessen/NRW offering residential, semi-residential, and outpatient youth welfare and disability services, including psychotherapeutic care, vocational training, and special education — directly comparable in mission, Diakonie affiliation, and multi-facility operating model.
• Bethanien Diakonie Hilfezentrum: Diaconal provider of psychotherapeutic youth welfare and residential care for mentally ill adolescents in Germany — closely comparable to Adalbert-Focken-Haus in target population and clinical service model.
• Graf Recke Stiftung: Diaconal non-profit in NRW operating residential youth welfare, special education schools (Ersatzschulen), and psychotherapeutic services — comparable integrated model combining Leppermühle-style residential care with Martin-Luther-Schule-style special education.
• Wichern Diakonie Frankfurt: Diaconal provider in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region operating residential youth welfare facilities, mother/father-child units, and youth psychiatry services under SGB VIII — same operating model, similar psychotherapeutic-pedagogic orientation, and overlapping church funder base.
• Caritasverband Gießen e.V. Catholic-affiliated social services provider operating in the same Gießen region with youth welfare, family counseling (Erziehungsberatung), and psychotherapeutic services — competes directly for Jugendamt commissioning and Diakonie/Caritas funding streams.

Broad incumbents

• SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. National-scale non-profit operating residential and family-style youth welfare facilities across Germany, including therapeutic residential groups and youth counseling — comparable core service lines but operating at significantly larger geographic and brand scale.
• Stiftung Marienhaus (Benediktiner-Abrens): Multi-state Catholic non-profit running hospitals, elderly care, and youth welfare services across western Germany — overlaps in residential youth welfare offerings but operates across much broader service verticals.

Regional players

• Stiftung ICP München: Diaconal non-profit in Munich operating integrated youth welfare, special education, and psychotherapeutic residential services under SGB VIII — comparable vertically integrated model but serving a different (Bavarian) geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9sqA0HLqq3b-j_B-eCBpng/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/vereinfuerjugendhilfenleppermuehleev
• Instagraminstagram.com/vfj_leppermuehle_ev
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verein-f%C3%BCr-jugendhilfen-lepperm%C3%BChle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Verein für Jugendhilfen Leppermühle