Most of the children
that come to the Children’s Home come through no fault of
their own. Many come from families dealing with overwhelming
issues such as loss of jobs or housing, unsafe neighborhoods or
family trauma. Regardless of the reason, the child and family are
in need of additional support. Further, truancy and school problems
may require the need for alternative education and placement at
the Children's Home.
The Children’s Home recognizes that each child who comes
to us has different personal, emotional and educational needs that
must be addressed in a supportive and compassionate environment.
At the Children’s Home, we seek out the
potential in each child and work with them to discover his/her capabilities for
a rewarding, successful life. Our programs provide a flexible range of options
to address the long-term needs of our youth.
Children are generally placed here through one of the counties
in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and are typically adjudicated
dependent. Discharge plans are developed the day they arrive and
we begin to work with both the child and their family immediately
to achieve their set goals. Goals may include reunification with
family or relatives, continued placement, step down to less structure
or independence.
Residential Program
The Residential Program provides a home for our youth to live and
function as a family in one of our four cottages. Each child
attends an area public or parochial school or our on-campus alternative
education program. Recreational, cultural and educational activities
are scheduled for students to participate in after school hours.
Our children are also encouraged to participate in community
activities. We can accommodate 48 children on our campus in our
cottages. Our Cordina Cottage accommodates 12 girls, our Lundie
Cottage houses 12 boys along with our Davison Cottage. Litwak
Cottage accommodates 12 children and is reserved for our younger
boys.
Emergency Shelter Care
Our 24 bed Acopian Emergency Placement Center for boys and our
eight bed Smith Cottage Emergency Placement Center for girls provides
shelter, short-term housing, crisis intervention and services for
children in crisis. Our trained staff gives 24-hour a day supervision
and care.
Community Services
The Community Service Program is in place for children who have
progressed to the point of no longer needing the structure of
our campus program. This move adds tremendous independence and
maturity to the upbringing of our children. Group home and foster
care parents are in constant and direct communication with our
administrative staff and caseworkers.
Aftercare Program
Aftercare is in place for our high school students who are not
quite ready to be on their own, or for those who need to return
to our Home for a brief period of time. Aftercare provides our
young adults a place to live and allows them to gain maturity,
save money and have a support system. These children reside in
either our ten on-campus efficiency apartments, Zigmund Hall,
or community living arrangements. Children in this program must
have a job or be enrolled in a higher education facility to qualify.
Our Aftercare Program is designed for residents who have completed
or are currently in our program. |
