Pennsylvania
PENNSYLVANIA
Lawrence G. Woods, M.P.A.
Director of Information Systems
Office of Children, Youth and Families
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Hillcrest Building #53
Harrisburg State Hospital Complex
Harrisburg, PA 17105
(717) 772-7293
(717) 772-6442 Fax
larryw@dpw.state.pa.us
General: Pennsylvania does not accept the Basic State Grant and is not required to submit data for the SDC.
Items 3.3.C and 3.4.C: These numbers add to 70 more than 3.2.C because they include the 70 pending cases in 3.2.F.
Item 4.1: State policy addresses neglect through a general protective services investigation rather than a child protective services investigation. Such cases are not classified as child maltreatment.
The definition of abuse includes "(i.) Any recent act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious physical injury to a child under 18 years of age; (ii.) An act or failure to act by a perpetrator which causes nonaccidental serious mental injury to or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under 18 years of age; (iii.) Any act, or failure to act or series of such acts or failure to act by a perpetrator which creates an imminent risk of serious physical injury to or sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under 18 years of age; (iv.) Serious physical neglect by a perpetrator constituting prolonged or repeated lack of supervision or the failure to provide the essentials of life, including adequate medical care, which endangers a childs life or development or impairs the childs functioning." (Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law, Title 23, PA C.S.A. Chapter 63)
Items 4.4 and 4.5:Pennsylvania law does not allow the collection of race information.
Item 7.1: All caseworkers on June 30, 1998, were counted.
Item 7.3: If a doctor, hospital personnel, or law officer indicates that protective custody is needed, an immediate response is required. If protective custody is not required, then 24 hours is the response time. Data on the number of children by category were not available.
