What is The Birches of Lehigh Valley in Easton licensed to provide?
The Birches of Lehigh Valley is a personal care home at 5030 Freemansburg Ave, Easton 18045, licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2600 for up to 130 residents, including a secured dementia care unit for up to 57 residents; DHS lists it as license #232310, licensed on a full license running to February 13, 2027.
| Record | DHS data |
|---|---|
| DHS license number | 232310 |
| License category | Personal care home (PCH) |
| Regulation | 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2600 |
| Maximum capacity | 130 |
| License type | Full |
| Status | Licensed |
| Current license period | 02/13/2026 to 02/13/2027 |
| Dementia unit (from the certificate) | Secure Dementia Care Unit, 57 residents |
| Operation (DHS) | For-profit |
| Legal entity on the license | The Birches Of Lehigh Opco Llc |
| County | Northampton County |
Under Chapter 2600 the home must give each mobile resident at least one hour of personal care a day (two for residents with mobility needs); nursing tasks come from outside agencies.
What did DHS inspectors find at The Birches of Lehigh Valley?
DHS has posted 21 licensing inspection reports for The Birches of Lehigh Valley, 18 reports in the last 24 months, the newest dated July 22, 2026; the latest report we could read in full, from July 22, 2026, lists 0 violations.
| Report date | Violations | 55 Pa. Code sections cited | DHS report |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/22/2026 | 0 | No violations cited | |
| 06/10/2026 | 3 | 2600.15 Resident Abuse Report, 2600.42 Abuse | |
| 02/24/2026 | 0 | No violations cited | |
| 02/03/2026 | Report posted (not parsed) | — |
That is fewer than the Lehigh Valley median of 2 for a latest report.
The cover letter's conclusion reads: “no regulatory citations have been identified as a result of this inspection.”
How many DHS inspection reports does The Birches of Lehigh Valley have?
DHS's posted history for The Birches of Lehigh Valley runs back to 2024, with the most reports in 2025 (13); the 18 reports from the last 24 months are dated 07/22/2026, 06/10/2026, 02/24/2026, 02/03/2026, 01/15/2026, 11/25/2025, 10/30/2025, 10/15/2025, 09/25/2025, 09/11/2025, 06/10/2025, 06/05/2025….
Some reports are renewal inspections and others follow complaints or check a plan of correction; open the PDFs to see which.
Does The Birches of Lehigh Valley have a secured dementia unit?
Yes: its DHS certificate allows 57 of its 130 residents (44%) to live in a secured dementia care unit under 55 Pa. Code 2600.231.
Ask whether unit staff are permanently assigned and how many are on duty overnight.
How does The Birches of Lehigh Valley compare with nearby personal care homes?
On DHS's numbers, its 130-resident capacity is above the Lehigh Valley median of 72; it has 18 DHS reports in 24 months against a median of 5, and the nearest other licensed home is Arden Courts (Old Orchard) in Easton, about 0.0 miles away.
- Arden Courts (Old Orchard), Easton: 0.0 mi, capacity 65, unit 64
- Country Meadows of Bethlehem III, Bethlehem: 3.1 mi, capacity 100
- Country Meadows of Bethlehem V, Bethlehem: 3.1 mi, capacity 126
- Meadows Living Center at Country Meadows of Bethlehem, Bethlehem: 3.1 mi, capacity 64, unit 64
How far is The Birches of Lehigh Valley from a hospital?
The nearest acute-care hospital in CMS's data is St. Luke's Easton Campus, about 4.2 miles away in a straight line, followed by St. Luke's University Hospital (Bethlehem) at about 8.7 miles.
CMS gives St. Luke's Easton Campus an overall hospital rating of 4 of 5.
What should families ask The Birches of Lehigh Valley before signing?
These questions follow from what the state's own data shows:
- How many staff are on the dementia unit on each shift, and how many hours of dementia training have they completed this year?
- Can we have the full fee schedule, including care levels and the last two annual increases?
- How many direct care staff work each shift, including overnight?
- Which situations would lead you to issue a 30-day discharge notice?
- Do you accept residents who receive SSI with the personal care home supplement, and how many such residents live here?
- Which pharmacy supplies medications, and how are changes from doctors handled?
DHS records: inspection history · certificate history