BLAIR COUNTY CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES
Blair County Courthouse
423 Allegheny St, Suite 132
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648-2022 |
|
Agency Type: Public
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM
Agency provides protective services for children birth to 18 years of age that are or are potentially "dependent" or "abused" as defined by the Pennsylvania Juvenile Act and the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.
ADOPTION SERVICES
This is a permanent placement for children whose natural parents can no longer care for them. Before a child can be placed for adoption the Court must terminate all rights and responsibilities of the natural parents. Families who are interested in adopting a child must be evaluated and approved before any placement can be considered.
FOSTER CARE SERVICES
This is a temporary placement service for children that are "dependent" or "abused" who cannot be maintained safely in their own home. Family services plans are developed with the family outlining what goals need to be met in order to reunite the family. Agency foster homes are initially evaluated and annually reevaluated and approved to provide temporary care for the child. If the natural parent is unable to resume care, adoption is pursued.
GENERAL PROTECTIVE SERVICES
These counseling intervention services are provided to children and families in their own homes, the main goal being to keep the family together while working through the existing problems. Some of the problems dealt with include: physical neglect or abuse, parent-child conflict, and runaway and ungovernable behavior. The assigned caseworker attempts to help the family develop better coping and communication skills to help with their own problems.
Eligibility: None.
INSTITUTION & GROUP HOME SERVICES
These services are reserved for the few children whose very special needs cannot be met in their own homes or in foster homes. They require the more intensive services offered in the structure that only a group home or institution can provide.
INTAKE SERVICES
This service screens and investigates new referrals coming into the agency and can help parents who need only brief services to overcome difficulties in meeting the needs of their children, or who need information about or referral to another community resource. When ongoing services are required, the intake staff evaluate the nature of the problem and help the family plan for the most appropriate services with this agency or another.
NURTURING PROGRAM
The service provides educational workshops to enhance parents in "bonding" with the child as well as education in child development and proper disciplining techniques. Program is run in conjunction with Child Advocates of Blair County.
PROTECTIVE (CHILD ABUSE) SERVICES
This service specializes in investigating reports of suspected child abuse and in providing services to families where the report is deemed "indicated." This service is responsible to see that all reports regarding suspected child abuse are registered with the Central Child Abuse Registry in Harrisburg.
Eligibility: None.
BLAIR COUNTY COLLABORATIVE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM
The Blair County Collaborative Delinquency Prevention Program (BCCDPP) will serve youths in elementary, middle, and junior high school who exhibit pre-delinquent behaviors such as truancy, tardiness, runaway behavior, status or summary offenses, and incorrigible behavior. The program is designed to engage children and their parents in a motivational & skill building program which connects the family with parenting education and provides support and counseling both in and outside the home. Referrals to the program will be made by Children & Youth, Juvenile Probation, and their Peer Jury, Blair County School Districts, the Family Resource Center of Blair County, other social service agencies, as well as self-referral.
|
