We Are Here for Children and Families
Our Commitment
We are committed to supporting, strengthening, and empowering families by focusing on the safety, permanency and well-being of children while working towards the goal of preserving families.
Keeping Families Together
The vast majority of families who are involved with Lycoming County Children and Youth Services continue to live together; parents continue to parent while also receiving services through the agency.
A caseworker will meet with family members in the home to assist the family in working through any identified concerns. The needs of the family and safety of the children along with input from the parents will guide the frequency of home visits.
If the children’s safety cannot be assured in the family home, we will work with the parents to identify other family members or kin to provide a safe, temporary home for the children. If family friends or relatives are not willing or available, the “out-of-home” placement may be with a foster family. In rare cases, it is a group home or residential center.
How We Work With Families
We work with families that are having a difficult time providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children. Our agency is designated by state law to look into any allegations of reported child abuse and neglect. We assign a caseworker to look into the report and to determine if we can help.
By law, our agency offers services to families when:
Children have been injured, exploited, or physically or sexually abused by their parents or caretakers;
Children are not adequately cared for or supervised;
In certain situations, when parents need help with their problems or their children’s problems;
Parents are not able to care for their children and no other responsible adult is available.
What Services Does Lycoming County Children and Youth Services Provide?
Caseworkers work in cooperation with schools, law enforcement, mental health and medical personnel, and other community service providers to keep families together.
When the agency is unable to keep families together, efforts are made to remedy the conditions which led to separation so children may be returned to the family or have a permanent living arrangement as soon as possible.
Child Protective Services, which is the mandatory investigation of all reports of suspected physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and serious physical neglect.
General Protective Services which completes investigations on referrals of physical neglect, lack of necessities, parent/child conflicts, runaways, truancy, and families in need of support services.
Ongoing Casework Services are provided to all families and children with an open case, directing efforts toward keeping families together. Permanency Services are focused on reuniting children with their families, kin, or finding a permanent living arrangement, such as adoption, if it is not possible for the family to stay together.
Foster Care Services provides safe and stable homes in the community for children who need temporary out of home placement with supportive families. Foster homes are licensed and foster parents received mandated training.
Family Visitation Services provide a safe and supportive environment for families and children who are in out of home placement.
In-home Outreach Services works with the family in the home environment providing individualized parenting education and support to assist families in creating a safe and healthy home for children.
School Based Outreach services provides short term Intervention to students and their families to address problems that are affecting academic success and overall potential.
Day Treatment Program- provides a treatment oriented educational environment that promotes a healthy and positive learning environment.
Independent Living Services programming is designed to assist youth ages 14 to 23 to enhance self sufficiency.
Big Brother/Big Sister is a mentorship program providing a need for a consistent caring adult friend and positive role model in a child’s life.
Family Group Decision Making brings families and their supports together to develop a plan to address concerns.
Trauma Informed Care
We are a Trauma Informed Care agency. We create a safe environment for people — including children, families, caseworkers and staff — to prevent further trauma from happening. We believe Trauma Informed Care gives families a voice and allows them to play an active role.
We recognize the signs of trauma and treat our clients appropriately by using The Sanctuary Model to better serve our community.
About Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Board
Lycoming Children and Youth Services is a program of the Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Board.
The Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Board provides equal opportunity and access to human services without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, marital status, veteran status or disability in all of its programs, services and activities.
The Lycoming-Clinton Joinder Board is proud to announce that it has received certification as a Sanctuary Model Trauma-Informed Care Agency