Natalie Hoprich remembers the call that changed her life. Hoprich had one hour to get home, a worker from Luzerne County Children and Youth Services told her, or else her two grandsons would enter foster care. Instead of preparing to retire, Hoprich and her husband, Steve, became caretakers of 4- and 6-year-old boys. When the […]
Huntingdon Daily News: MUASD is flagship district for new program
A program created locally to make sure children receive support services and care when tragedy impacts their lives has its first flagship school district. Huntingdon Borough Police Chief Charles Streightiff and his wife Kristen announced plans for the Huntingdon Endangered At-Risk Youth Response Team (HEART) at the Huntingdon Borough Council public safety committee meeting in […]
#ProtectPAKids: Children and the opioid/fentanyl epidemic
A one-year-old in New York City. A 2-year-old in Seattle. A 10-month-old in San Fransisco. All dead from fentanyl overdoses. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid typically used to treat patients with chronic severe pain or severe pain following surgery, has become popular for illicit use for two key reasons: it’s cheaper to make than other opioids […]
MyChesCo: Pennsylvania Joins Multi-State Lawsuit Against Meta, PFSA Advocates for Family Digital Wellness
Pennsylvania has joined 32 other states in a federal lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit alleges that Meta’s social media platforms violate consumer protection laws by exposing young users to harmful, manipulative, and addictive content. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry has voiced strong opposition against these practices, […]
#ProtectPAKids: Catching Up with Chief Charles Streightiff
With nominations open for our 2024 Blue Ribbon Champions for Safe Kids Awards, the Pa Family Support Alliance team wanted to catch up with a past winner, and one name immediately came to mind: Chief Charles T. Streightiff. The Huntingdon Borough Police Department chief — who was the first law enforcement official to receive this […]
PennWatch: Pa Family Support Alliance Seeks Nominations to Honor Child Advocates
Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA), a nonprofit organization and the state leader in child abuse prevention, is accepting nominations for its 2024 Blue Ribbon Champions for Safe Kids Awards. The nomination period ends at 5 p.m., October 20, and awards will be given next year to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the prevention […]
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Children’s mental health event at Latrobe Hospital focuses on caring for youth in time of need
Amidst rising mental health concerns for Pennsylvania youths, Independence Health System is bringing back an annual children’s mental health education event for therapists and other care providers for the first time since the start of the pandemic. The Children’s Mental Health Symposium, scheduled at Latrobe Hospital on Oct. 5, will provide free continuing education training […]
Pa Family Support Alliance Seeks Nominations to Honor Child Advocates with Awards
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA), a nonprofit organization and the state leader in child abuse prevention, is accepting nominations for its 2024 Blue Ribbon Champions for Safe Kids Awards. The nomination period ends at 5 p.m., October 20, and awards will be given next year to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional contributions […]
Protecting Kids Online: Bringing Awareness to Senate Bill 22
A Pennsylvania Senate panel this week unanimously approved Senate Bill 22, which sets conditions for minors using social media. If adopted by the General Assembly, SB22 would: SB22 was sponsored by Sens. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) and Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) in May 2022. The PFSA team has been monitoring this issue, and we have been out […]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Opinion: Angela Liddle: How parents can help their children resist social media
Technology will always make sure that parenting will never be easy. More than half of parents surveyed in a recent Pew Research study said that social media makes parenting harder than it was 20 years ago. The reasons are well-known: Almost three-fourths of kids see sexual or violent content while doing their homework. One-fifth of […]
