Available Services
In addition to the direct services provided by BCCYS staff, the agency has other available services to meet the specific needs of the children and their families who are active with the agency. Such services are required by Act 148 regulations.
Some of the services offered require that the family is active with the agency and others are provided to the community without having an active CYS case.
Absentee Prevention Program
The agency contracts with the Prevention Network for this program. Early Head Start Absentee Prevention Program is the result of a three-year Delinquency Prevention Grant and is geared toward children, ages six (6) to ten (10), identified as being at high risk for truancy or academic failure. The program not only identifies these children, but also works with them in the school setting and at home to facilitate the services needed to help the child and family. The program operates in eight school districts in Beaver County.
Adelphoi Village Academy of Beaver County
The agency contracts with Adelphoi Village to provide after-school programming for delinquent youth in Beaver County. This program is comprised of several components including: (1) Anger Management, (2) Life Facts, (3) Life Skills, (4) Stress Management, and (5) Victim Awareness.
After School / Summer School Program
Beaver County Children and Youth Services has contracted with Heritage Valley Health Services-Staunton Clinic-Rochester to provide the "After School Program." The program provides socialization, tutoring, interactive play, counseling and meals for children on Children and Youth Services' caseloads.
The program is a positive experience for children and their families and helps to reduce the stress levels of all family members by giving them time away.
Children from multi-problem families benefit from increasing their socialization skills and coping abilities, which in turn increases their self-esteem.
Alcohol Help
Alcohol prevention is one of the most effective ways to reduce alcohol-related costs and harm. Alcohol abuse is responsible for claiming the lives of tens of thousands of lives every year and causing painful health risks like liver damage, threats to one’s wellbeing, withdrawal symptoms, and dysfunctional relationships. For younger individuals, alcohol prevention can reduce the likelihood of developing substance use disorders as they age.
Batterers Program
The agency has a contract with Catholic Charities to provide group counseling services for men and women who present problems of physical aggressiveness, violent behaviors, and emotional abusiveness to partners and children. The program's objectives are:
- To assist with the protection of families from violent behavior and to enable families to live emotionally healthy lives without the threat of violence.
- To help abusers recognize what triggers violence in their lives.
- To help abusers take responsibility for the violence in their lives.
- To help abusers learn alternatives to conflict and practice behaviors that do not involve violence.
Bridge to Recovery (Harmony House)
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Drug and Alcohol Services of Beaver Valley to provide a residential program for recovering substance abusers and their children. The focus is on the addicts continuing in treatment while having their children reside with them. The family resides in one of the four apartments for a minimum of six months, and then transitions to independent housing in the community. During their stay at the Bridge, the family and children attend various social services at the house and in the community, which will address their addiction and parenting issues.
Behavioral Health / Drug and Alcohol
Child Assault Program
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with the Women's Center to provide the CAP program to elementary schools in Beaver County. The goals are to reduce the number of child sexual assault victims, to reduce child vulnerability to assault and to teach the child to be strong, safe and free. The program consists of four components: (1) a parent program; (2) teacher/staff in-service; (3) children's workshop; and (4) follow-up services.
Child Permanency Services
When a child is adjudicated by the Juvenile Court as a Dependent Child and placed into a substitute care facility, the agency is mandated to provide concurrent planning services intended to provide an alternative long term permanency plan for the child if unable to return to their own home. The agency works in conjunction with the State Wide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN). Permanency options include adoption and permanent legal guardianship, either with a relative or non-relative family.
Children’s Domestic Violence Intervention
The agency has a contract with the Women's Center of Beaver County to provide support play groups and individual counseling for children in the Shelter or those whose mothers are going to the Women's Center for domestic violence issues.
Crisis Daycare
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Lifesteps and Head Start to provide crisis daycare slots for clients. The goal of this program is to ensure the safety of the child in daycare while providing the parent with the opportunity to attend to their emergency.
Developmental Screening Services
The agency has contracted with Lifesteps of Beaver County to provide developmental screenings to as many Beaver County children as possible. These screenings can occur at Lifesteps, Brighton Township, and at preschools or daycare centers throughout Beaver County.
Drug and Alcohol Assesment Treatment
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Drug and Alcohol Services of Beaver Valley to provide the agency with assessments, recommendations, group and individual follow-up service and referrals for inpatient rehabilitation, as well as transportation to facilitate attendance at AA/NA meetings and other appointments.
Emergency Housing Program
Employment Mentoring
Family Based Mental Health
Family Development Credentialing Fatherhood Initiative
Family Group Decision Making
The Prevention Network provides the coordination of Family Group Decision Making meetings. This practice involves the family and the community in the planning necessary to maintain the child safely. The coordination of these meetings encourages the family to use community resources when available and to widen thefamily’s connections.
Foster Parent Support Program
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Pressley Ridge to provide in-home educational services to foster parents in order to prevent placement disruption. A 24-hour emergency number is available to assist in crises. The program is contracted to provide support to the foster parents of Beaver County.
Foster Parent / Kinship Training
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Pressley Ridge to provide training for foster parents. Providing initial and ongoing training to foster parents to enhance their skills is the stated purpose and focus of this program.
Homemakers
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Homemaker/Home Health Aide Service of Beaver County to provide a homemaker for clients. The goal of the program is to assist and educate the families in learning proper home maintenance skills. Home safety evaluations and Chore services are available to assist in maintaining the home at a minimum safety level.
In-Home Youth Program
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Community Alternatives to provide a community-based program that utilizes intensive support and guidance to children and their families. An advocate spends a minimum of three hours per week with the child individually, in a group and with the family.
Independent Living Services
Independent Living (IL) services are offered to every youth, age 16 years and older, that is, or comes into, formal substitute care pursuant to having been adjudicated by the Juvenile Court as a dependent, and/or delinquent child. The purpose of the IL program is to offer life skills training and preparation to older teens who are approaching the responsibilities of legal adulthood and personal independence. One special feature of the IL program is that eligible youth are eligible to participate in the program until their 21st birthday, whether they remain in care, or are discharged from care. Life skills offered to these youth emphasize education, housing, family and community supports and connections, prevention and wellness, and employment.
Intensive In-Home Support Program
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with HVHS / Staunton Clinic for an in-home therapeutic program designed to assist families in caring for children with multiple disabilities. The PATHWAYS Program is available to both natural families and foster families, and it's goal is to prevent placements, the need for more secure placements and to assist in the reunification of families.
Intensive In-Home Support Services
The agency contracts with The Children's Institute / Project STAR to serve infants and children considered as having "special needs.” Often the parent also has "special needs" and this combination proves especially challenging. The focus of this program is to ensure the health, safety, and well being of the child in the natural family. Assisting the family in the development and implementation of the plan to correct the areas that challenge the family's ability to remain intact is a primary goal.
Jail Forensic Program
The Prevention Network provides parenting and anger management classes to inmates at the Beaver County Jail. These programs focus on strengthening the families and reducing the dysfunctional characteristics and recidivism in the family and community.
Multisystemic Therapy
Parenting Education
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with HVHS / Staunton Clinic to provide parent education for clients involved with the agency. The goal of this program is to integrate new discipline techniques into the home and to develop a positive discipline relationship pattern for the family. This program also has a group component, which focuses on developing a support network while continuing the educational goals of the sessions.
Parenting Evaluations
Parenting for Teens
Psycho-Social Assessments
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with Northwestern Human Services for this service to provide psycho-social assessments for youth at the Allencrest Shelter or Detention Center. These assessments assist in the appropriate placement of the youth of Beaver County.
Sexual Abuse Identification Services
Beaver County Children and Youth Services contracts with HVHS / Staunton Clinic to provide a therapist to identify and treat sexually abused and psychologically abused children. The identification of sexual abuse helps in investigations under the Child Protective Services Act. Observations of these initial interviews are available to the District Attorney's office, investigating police officers and the Women's Center. The therapist also provides diagnostic and prognostic services for parenting evaluations.
Sexual Abuse Perpetrator Program (Adult and Juvenile)
The agency contracts with Toni Gohean of Beaver County Psychiatric Services to provide diagnostic evaluations and/or group counseling for perpetrators of sexual abuse, identified under the Child Protective Services Act. When appropriate, reunification issues are part of the therapy for the entire family.
Teen Diversion Program
Truancy Academic Disruption Program
The Prevention Network is contracted to provide a truancy preventative program in Beaver County. This program operates in schools throughout the county, as a first line of defense, to direct the schools and parents in addressing truancy issues prior to coming to the attention of the Juvenile Court.
Truancy Intervention Program (TIP)
Truancy Intervention Program (TIP) is Beaver County’s Children and Youth Services’ effort to reduce truancy in our local schools. The program is used by the District Magisterial Justice Office as an alternative to fining parents and children for first time truancy offences. It is a collaborative effort teaming together local social service agencies. School districts, Beaver County Court and Juvenile Services Division with Beaver County Children and Youth Services to provide parents and their students opportunities to develop a new strategy in improving school attendance and improving chances for a more successful future.
TIP is now partnering with various community resources and local agencies to provide support to the family. Examples of these agencies include PA Career Link/ Beaver County Job Training, as well as Fatherhood Initiative.
Visitation Program (PACT)
Project STAR operates the Project P.A.C.T. (Parent and Child Together) program to supervise visitations for families whose children are placed in foster care. The goal of Project P.A.C.T. is to offer a more frequent opportunity for visitation, and whenever possible, to hold visits in the most homelike setting. Since parental visitation is a primary predictor on reunification, the program works to maintain and strengthen the bond between parents and children.