The PA Family Support Alliance (PFSA), in partnership with the state’s Department of Human Services, awarded Hailey Houk the PA Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids Award. The award is given to four individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support and protect Pennsylvania’s children. Houk has been a detective […]

“Lean on Me” resonated loudly throughout the State Capitol today as Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh, Attorney General Dave Sunday, child advocates, business leaders, students, and Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA) lifted up their collective voices together and honored four Pennsylvanians that have gone above and beyond the […]

April is child abuse prevention month. Today, dozens of advocates and state officials honored the memory of children who died from child abuse… while celebrating the efforts of workers who keep kids safe everyday. Volunteers planted blue and black flags all across State Street in front of the state capitol in Harrisburg this morning. In […]

Two juveniles charged with nearly 500 combined crimes for creating AI-generated nude images of students at Lancaster Country Day School raised questions about the responsibilities of mandated reporters in cases of child-on-child abuse. Cathleen Palm, child advocate from the Center for Children’s Justice, said the law is confusing. She said while “child on child” harm […]

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 […]