The organization will honor child advocates; debut videos from government and elected officials; host educational webinars for individuals to learn about child abuse prevention Harrisburg, Pa.– Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA), the state’s leader in child abuse prevention has brought together local child advocates, elected officials, members from the business community, and nationally recognized experts—all […]
National Child Abuse Prevention Month: Preview of Events
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and PA Family Support Alliance (PFSA) is committed to promoting awareness and providing education to communities and stakeholders across the commonwealth. Throughout April, PFSA is scheduled to host a variety of activities and events, including its annual flag planting event at the Harrisburg Capitol, a virtual fundraiser to […]
Ending the Stigma Around Child Abuse
A classic stereotype is that men are supposed to be tough, stoic and that they do not talk much—if at all—about abuses that they or those in their family might have faced. This stereotype is often true in the rap and hip-hop community. However, rapper Paul Wall, who was very popular in the mid-2000s recently […]
Racial Equity in Pennsylvania’s Child Welfare Systems
Black History Month is a significant month for our nation. It is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate, honor, and recognize the contributions and impact that Black Americans have made to our nation, and it should be a time to celebrate the diversity that strengthens our nation. This should also be a time […]
How to Lookout for Warning Signs of Child Abuse
Seven-year-old Harmony Montgomery has been missing since October of 2019. Her disappearance was reported to police at the end of 2021—over 2 years later. As soon as the authorities were notified, they launched an investigation and recently arrested her father on charges relating to her disappearance, including assault and endangering the welfare of a child. […]
Staff Spotlight: David Merrill, PFSA’s Own David Hasselhoff
“A lot of friends of mine have told me that I look like David Hasselhoff or Jim Carey or a combination of the two,” David Merrill, Director of Finance at the Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA) laughingly recounts. “I always tell them that I will take that—even if they don’t mean it as a compliment!” […]
How You Can Help to Prevent Human Trafficking
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and believe it or not, human trafficking—especially the trafficking of children—is a massive problem in the United States. There are many forms of human trafficking such as forced labor, debt bondage, domestic servitude, forced child labor, sex trafficking, and child sex trafficking. And human trafficking is a problem […]
PA Family Support Alliance Welcomes New Board Vice-Chair and Members
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA), the state leader in child abuse prevention, today announced the appointment of a new Vice-Chair and five new members to its Governing Board for the 2021-2022 term. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated experts and leaders in their fields serve on our Board of Directors […]
Ways to Help Stop Child Abuse
On December 9, former reality tv star Josh Duggar from the show 19 Kids and Counting, was convicted of being in possession of child pornography and now faces up to 20 years in prison. This guilty verdict shows that no one is above the law and stopping those possessing this type of material is a […]
PFSA’s Look Back at 2021
In April, we observe National Child Abuse Prevention Month and typically have our annual PA Blue Ribbon Champions for Safe Kids ceremony in the Capitol rotunda in Harrisburg. Due to COVID-19, this event has looked very different for the past two years. In 2021, we recognized community leaders dedicated to protecting PA children from abuse […]