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 19990H0228R2209 - 2 -
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. G8L82DMS/19990H0228R2209 - 3 -