Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Awards Nearly $900,000 in Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Grants

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of Human Services Secretary Ted Dallas today announced that $899,694 in state grants were awarded to six Pennsylvania organizations to enhance child abuse and neglect prevention programs and outreach efforts in the commonwealth.

The Children's Trust Fund grants focus on strengthening families by providing supportive tools, information, and advice to help parents better recognize, cope with, and resolve stressful situations in more positive and healthy ways as they navigate the challenges of raising young children.

"When parents learn how to better deal with life's problems and emergencies, they are less likely to reach a breaking point and harm their children," said Dallas. "The impacts of child abuse and neglect can cost families, schools, and service providers a lot of money. There are also emotional, physical, and behavioral costs that we could never calculate or put a dollar value on. The best way to fight the problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place."

The following 2016 grant recipients will use evidence or research-based methods and promising practices to provide comprehensive support services to pregnant and parenting teens and young adults:

1. Columbia County – Columbia County Commissioners, $150,000
2. Clearfield County – Children's Aid Society in Clearfield County, $150,000
3. Fulton County – Fulton County Family Partnership, Inc., $150,000
4. Bucks County – Family Services Association of Bucks County, $150,000
5. Philadelphia County – National Nurse-Led Care Consortium, $149,694
6. Carbon County – Jim Thorpe Area School District, $150,000

"The Board members congratulate the successful applicants and are pleased to partner with them in the fight against child abuse and neglect in Pennsylvania. The grantees strongly demonstrated their ability to provide high-quality support services to families where circumstances exist that place children at greater risk of maltreatment," said Bruce R. Clash, Board Chair of the Pennsylvania Children's Trust Fund. "The various programs the grantees will utilize are shown to build knowledge of parenting and child development, improve parental social connections and access to support, as well as boost the social and emotional competence of their children."

The grants will run from November 1, 2016 through October 31, 2019.

Since its inception in 1988, Pennsylvania has continued its commitment to keeping children safe by awarding more than $35 million to 280 organizations across the state. The Pennsylvania Children's Trust Fund is funded through revenue generated from a $10 surcharge on all marriage and divorce applications filed in the state.

For more information, visit www.dhs.pa.gov and at www.center-school.org/ctf/.

MEDIA CONTACT: Rachel Kostelac, 717.425.7606

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

Related Links

http://www.dhs.pa.gov