In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that would allow for the use of "differential response" to reports of child abuse and neglect. My bill would amend Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to streamline the use of protective services and child protective services, as recommended by the Task Force on Child Protection.
The Task Force on Child Protection was established in late 2011. It was charged with reviewing Pennsylvania’s laws to determine how services can best be delivered to victims of child abuse, and issuing a report on its findings by November 30, 2012. One of the Task Force’s recommendations was to develop a "differential response" method to handle child abuse and neglect cases. Differential response is a practice that allows for more than one method of initial response to reports of child maltreatment.
Currently, Pennsylvania’s typical response to reports of child abuse is to employ the provisions of the child protective services law, or CPSL. While useful, the procedures under the CPSL as currently written and used are often adversarial and perceived as accusatory, as its primary end is to protect children from abuse. By allowing for the use of differential response, county children and youth agencies could assess a situation where there may not be abuse, but a child is not receiving proper care and, instead of beginning an investigation under the CPSL, could refer the case to other community agencies. It would be triggered in cases where protective services are not required but the child’s needs are not being met. Differential response endeavors to more carefully assess the needs of the mistreated child and his or her family and ensure that services—not necessarily child protective services—are provided. By amending our laws to provide for differential response, while keeping our current CPSL on the books, we would provide county children and youth agencies greatly needed flexibility in responding to different kinds of abuse or maltreatment based on the families’ particular needs.
It is my sincere hope that you will join me in this effort to better serve and protect the Commonwealth’s children. |
