Our Children Are Our Future

Working to make sure the kids are alright

This session is the first time I serve in the role of minority chairman for The Children & Youth Committee (after having served as a rank-and-file member for four years). Chairmanships are awarded based on seniority and as the ranking member of this committee I look forward to influencing policy related to our child welfare system.

The Children & Youth Committee plays a vital role in the oversight and review of legislation related to children and youth welfare. Our committee’s jurisdiction includes issues covered by the Departments of Human Services, Education, Health, Insurance, Drug and Alcohol and the Courts. The committee researches, reviews, and votes on issues that affect many segments of our children and youth population.

My Plan
As minority chair, my plan is to ensure advocates and stakeholders have an opportunity for input in a consistent and timely fashion. These third parties represent many varied interests and are nuanced in the impact of the policy under discussion. I also plan to work across the aisle because I believe the best policy is developed by a joint effort.

Committee Progress
At of the time of this writing, the committee has convened four times, holding three informational hearings and one voting meeting.

The initial meeting focused on an overview of the child welfare system. Pennsylvania is one of only eleven ­states that operates in a decentralized manner, with each of its 67 counties operating its own children and youth agency (with oversight from the state).

Over the course of three informational meetings, our committee has examined the importance of several issues and initiatives:

  • The need for additional support for child caseworkers and the critical role played by the courts. We also examined the ChildLine hotline (800-932-0313), which provides citizens a 24/7 resource to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
  • The impact COVID-19 has had on working families and the state of childcare across the commonwealth. Since the pandemic began, some childcare facilities have closed and many people, especially women, have left the workforce to care for their young children. This sector is vitally important to economic recovery. Staff turnover and the inability to attract new hires continues to impact providers’ ability to operate efficiently. State subsidized childcare rates have not been raised in years. (I look forward to working with my colleagues in the legislature to find ways to help childcare providers recover economically.)
  • The Keystone STARS Program supports all early childcare and education programs to improve program quality and impacts services to the children and families using childcare in Pennsylvania.
  • Pennsylvania’s transition to the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. This Act represents the most significant reform to federal child welfare policy in decades. It includes historic reforms to help keep children safely with their families and avoid the traumatic experience of entering foster care, emphasizes the importance of children growing up in families, and when foster care is needed, helps ensure children are placed in the most family-like setting appropriate to their needs.

This hearing gave our committee a better understanding of the important role preventative care services, like mental health services and substance abuse treatment for parents, play in keeping children safe and families together.

During our first voting meeting, the committee passed two bills.

  1. HB 954 would allow law enforcement agencies to share investigative information related to child abuse cases with children and youth agencies, multidisciplinary teams, and other authorized entities who can collectively support investigations of child abuse. Currently, police departments are only allowed to share such information with other criminal justice agencies.
  2. HB 200 would qualify children born to mothers considered to be at high risk of postpartum depression to be screened for and, if needed, to receive early intervention services.

I will continue to listen to identify those areas of law that need to be enhanced or changed to better serve our children and their families. I look forward to building on this discussion with my colleagues and finding bipartisan solutions that strengthen the programs and services intended to put the safety of our children first.

Speak Up and Stay Informed
Thoughts? Suggestions? Concerns? Make your voice heard by calling (215) 482-8726 or emailing me at RepDeLissio@pahouse.net.

Stay in the know by signing up for my electronic newsletter (delivered twice monthly) or my paper newsletter (delivered twice a year) by calling my office at 215-482-8726.

About Pam DeLissio 43 Articles
Representative Pamela A. DeLissio serves the 194th Legislative District, which includes East Falls.

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