PRINTER'S NO. 2209
No. 228 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY HARHART, SCHULER, SATHER, PISTELLA, ADOLPH,
ARGALL, BARRAR, BATTISTO, BEBKO-JONES, BENNINGHOFF, BISHOP,
BROWNE, L. I. COHEN, DAILEY, DALLY, FICHTER, GIGLIOTTI,
GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HANNA, HARHAI, HENNESSEY, KENNEY, LYNCH,
MAJOR, McILHINNEY, S. MILLER, NAILOR, NICKOL, ORIE, PHILLIPS,
PLATTS, SANTONI, SEYFERT, SHANER, E. Z. TAYLOR, TRUE,
WILLIAMS, WILT, WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD, AUGUST 23, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, AUGUST 23, 1999
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a
2 task force to study issues relating to the Commonwealth's
3 children and youth services delivery system on an ongoing
4 basis and to make recommendations to the General Assembly.
5 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth's children and youth services
6 delivery system is a joint responsibility of the Department of
7 Public Welfare and county government; and
8 WHEREAS, Each county is responsible for developing and
9 administering a program of services designed to treat and
10 prevent child abuse, neglect and exploitation; and
11 WHEREAS, It is anticipated that changes will continue to
12 occur in the children and youth services delivery system and in
13 the dynamics of children's issues in the future; and
14 WHEREAS, The mission of children and youth services, to first
15 serve those children most at risk of abuse, neglect and
16 exploitation, is difficult to fulfill because of the severity of
1 child abuse cases and the escalating incidence of child sexual
2 abuse cases; and
3 WHEREAS, Fulfilling this mission is further complicated by
4 increasing caseloads which include:
5 (1) services to parents and children to enable children
6 to remain in their homes and communities;
7 (2) placement services for children who cannot live with
8 their birth family;
9 (3) adoption services;
10 (4) assistance to provide a permanent legal family for
11 any child who cannot be returned to a birth family; and
12 (5) any service or care ordered by the court for
13 children;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
16 recently released the results of a performance audit on
17 Pennsylvania children and youth agencies which provided a
18 comprehensive review of the children and youth services delivery
19 system and contained recommendations regarding the effectiveness
20 of the operation and management of the system in meeting
21 statutory and regulatory responsibilities for at-risk children
22 and families; and
23 WHEREAS, There is a need for a comprehensive bicameral and
24 bipartisan ongoing review of issues relating to the delivery of
25 children and youth services to ensure that these services meet
26 the needs of at-risk children and families; therefore be it
27 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
28 direct the Joint State Government Commission to establish a task
29 force of four members of the Senate and four members of the
30 House of Representatives to undertake an ongoing study of the
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1 Commonwealth's children and youth services delivery system in
2 order to ascertain whether it is meeting the needs of at-risk
3 children and families and, if it is not meeting those needs, to
4 recommend appropriate corrective measures; and be it further
5 RESOLVED, That the President pro tempore of the Senate and
6 the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
7 Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of
8 Representatives each appoint two members to the task force; and
9 be it further
10 RESOLVED, That the initial area of task force review be
11 placement services for children who cannot live with their birth
12 family; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the task force prioritize other issues dealing
14 with children and youth services and address them accordingly;
15 and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That an advisory committee be created to assist the
17 task force, composed of individuals deemed appropriate by the
18 task force; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the task force shall, from time to time,
20 present its findings and recommended legislation to the General
21 Assembly.
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