The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) today released the latest issue of Positive Approaches Journal, which aims to provide the latest research and resources for people with mental health and behavioral challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities to live everyday lives. This edition focuses on recent research on suicide risk and prevention […]

Jillian Hauser spent more than a decade addicted to drugs, went through six rounds of rehab, did time in jail and lost custody of her two daughters. She hit bottom when Westmoreland County Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio offered her one last chance to regain control of her life through the county’s drug court, a rigorous program […]

As much as parents and guardians want to, we cannot fully shield our children from the horrors of war. The digital age has made it impossible to do so. That point was made abundantly clear in a recent survey from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, an independent nonprofit that studies online platforms. ISD analyzed more than 300 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]