JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — April is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Every year in April, the PA Family Support Alliance (PFSA) honors individuals from across the Commonwealth who go above and beyond the call to protect kids from abuse and neglect. A program director who works in Johnstown is one of four people in Pennsylvania […]

Tyler Smay’s child advocacy role at Beginnings Inc. is a behind-the-scenes position, he said, which made it a humbling surprise when he received the Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon Champions for Safe Kids award this year. Smay, 32, is Beginnings Inc.’s program director for Court Appointed Special Advocates of the Laurel Highlands. A court-appointed special advocate, or […]

Imagine a child starting their school day exhausted, not because of a late-night study session but because they spent the night in a car. For tens of thousands of children, this is not just a bad day; it’s their everyday reality. Tens of thousands of children in Pennsylvania are unhoused, which not only disrupts their […]

Back-to-school season is here, bringing excitement for new classes, teachers, and supplies. However, it also brings the challenge of managing digital devices. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of U.S. high school teachers consider cellphone distraction a major classroom problem. In response, schools in Pennsylvania have implemented strict “no cellphone” policies, requiring […]

According to the most recent Department of Human Services (DHS) 2023 Child Protective Services report, the number of fatalities and near fatalities have trended downward since 2022. However, director of bureau programs, policy and operation within the Department, Amanda Dorris said the numbers are still too high. According to the recent report, there were 57 […]

Each year, the Department of Human Services (DHS) releases an annual report highlighting the trends of the child welfare system. According to the 2023 Annual Child Protective Services report, there were a total of 40,301 reports of child abuse in 2023. That’s 1,208 more total cases than in 2022. The recent report reads that the […]

Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA), a nonprofit organization and the state leader in child abuse prevention, is accepting nominations for its 2025 Blue Ribbon Champions for Safe Kids Awards. The nomination period ends at 5 p.m., November 13, and awards will be given next year to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the prevention […]

Child abuse cases are on the rise, and advocates say better community support and training could make the difference in ensuring those numbers don’t continue to climb. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services released its latest data on child abuse and neglect in its annual Child Protective Services Report. After a notable drop in reports […]

One Lancaster County police department is investigating a case of artificially generated nude photos that use the faces of more than 20 Lancaster Country Day School female teenage students. The Victim In May, one Lancaster Country Day student told News 8 she found out her face was one of them. After months of hoping for […]

A small, immobile lump concealed by layers of hand-stitched quilts caught the Amish woman’s eye as she stepped into her youngest child’s bedroom. Pulling back the covers, she discovered her then-6-year-old daughter curled in a ball. “Mom, there is only one way I’m going to go to school today,” the woman, granted anonymity over concerns […]