License restoration follows two years of successful monitoring and enhanced technical assistance to support child welfare workforce on behalf of children and families in Blair County
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) today announced that it has restored Blair County Children, Youth and Families’ (BCCYF) full license to operate, recognizing the progress and necessary improvements that Blair County leadership has made to BCCYF’s operations since its license was revoked in May 2024.
“Child welfare and family supports are an essential function of county government in Pennsylvania, and PA DHS and the Blair County Commissioners have worked closely to protect and support the children and families of Blair County. The Commissioners have demonstrated strong leadership and commitment in addressing challenges and driving improvement within BCCYF,” said PA DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “We are encouraged by BCCYF’s progress and the measurable gains it has made toward achieving operational compliance, and this full license underscores the agency’s stability. PA DHS remains committed to supporting BCCYF as it continues this important work.”
Since the revocation of its license in May 2024, BCCYF has operated under a provisional license and a PA DHS-supervised settlement agreement, which required the county to make structural improvements and have a continuous quality assurance program for essential functions and decisions. During this time, PA DHS, through its Office of Children, Youth and Families’ (OCYF) Central Region, provided intensive on-site support to help BCCYF strengthen its operations and make measurable progress children and families, including daily on-site support and the appointment of an operations manager who worked out of BCCYF’s office alongside the county staff. With the issuance of a full license, the settlement agreement remains in effect through the end of May 2026.
With OCYF’s assistance, BCCYF has strengthened its child abuse investigation processes and timeliness, implemented improved casework and management practices, and made meaningful progress in staff recruitment, training, and retention. BCCYF has also improved in other key areas, including child safety and risk assessments, child welfare case documentation, family service planning, and supervisory oversight; demonstrating a sustained commitment to meeting state requirements and strengthening outcomes for children and families.
BCCYF’s regular license remains subject to OCYF licensing inspections as well as unannounced monitoring visits.
How PA DHS Oversees County Children and Youth Agencies
Pennsylvania has a state-supervised, county-administered child welfare system. The county-administered system means that child welfare services are organized, managed, and delivered by 67 County Children and Youth Agencies (CCYAs), with staff in these agencies hired as county employees. PA DHS’ OCYF licenses CCYAs to provide essential child welfare operations, which include investigations of potential abuse and neglect, foster care coordination and monitoring, case management services, and other supportive services.
When a county is unable to or inadequately supports these operations or is non-compliant with laws like the Child Protective Services Law, OCYF issues a six-month provisional license that requires the county to submit a plan of correction, which OCYF then monitors to ensure the plan is followed.
Under the Shapiro Administration, PA DHS has prioritized stronger collaboration with county children and youth agencies and has offered an unprecedented level of direct support and technical assistance from OCYF to county agencies to stabilize operations and strengthen capacity across the Commonwealth’s child welfare system.
Continued Budget Investments to Support County Children and Youth Agencies
The Shapiro Administration recognizes the pressures facing child welfare across Pennsylvania, which is why Governor Shapiro’s goal is to better support families before challenges escalate and to reduce unnecessary involvement in the child welfare system. To this end, Governor Shapiro’s proposed 2026–27 budget includes funding for 20 additional positions at ChildLine.
ChildLine is a 24/7 hotline for individuals who suspect child abuse to contact by calling 1-800-932-0313. When someone calls ChildLine, they are connected with caseworkers who are trained to collect all helpful information from anyone reporting concern for a child’s safety. The caseworkers then transmit these reports to the appropriate investigating agencies for review, assessment and follow-up, if necessary.
Recruiting, training, and retaining ChildLine workers who serve and protect Pennsylvania’s children has been a challenge because of the 24/7/365 operation. This budget proposal recognizes these challenges and proposes to add 15 additional ChildLine call-takers and 5 supervisory staff, including trainers. Expanding ChildLine capacity will help ensure that reports are triaged more effectively and alleviate strain on CCYAs by connecting families to the right supports at the right time, whether within child welfare or through other community systems.