Office of Children, Youth and Families
Mandated by law to protect children from abuse and neglect. Provides a wide range of preventive, protection, and supportive services to work with children and families, with emphasis on family preservation. Provides direct services through caseworkers, case aides, and a network of contracted agencies.
Deputy Director
Marcia Sturdivant, Ph. D.
Human Services Building
One Smithfield Street
Suite 400
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2221
412-350-5701
Report Child Abuse: 412-473-2000 or 800-932-0313
Get Directions to One Smithfield Street
DHS Organizational Chart
Regional Office Locations
Child Protection/Intake - 412-473-2000, 400 N. Lexington Street, Point Breeze (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Central Regional - 412-350-3600, 1401 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh (Downtown)
East Regional - 412-473-1100, 400 N. Lexington Street, Point Breeze
Mon Valley Regional - 412-664-8900, 332 Fifth Avenue, McKeesport
North Regional - 412-323-6100, 1972 Clayton Avenue, Pittsburgh (North Side)
South Regional - 412-488-8500, 2100 Wharton Street, Pittsburgh (South Side)
Adoption - 412-473-2300, 400 N. Lexington Street, Point Breeze
Foster Care - 412-473-2400, 400 N. Lexington Street, Point Breeze
Services
CYF is responsible for providing and/or contracting for and monitored a wide range of services.
Preserving families whenever possible
Assuring permanent homes for children
Protecting children at risk of abuse and neglect
Special Efforts
Find the Room in Your Heart – Family Visitation Room Project
When children are removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, parents and children often have supervised visits with each other at one of the CYF Family Visitation Rooms located at the five CYF regional offices. Keeping these rooms welcoming and well-equipped is an on-going challenge. Interested persons can help in this effort in many ways.
Publications
Profile of the DHS Office of Children, Youth and Families
One-page overview of the office and a more detailed description of the office including legal mandates, administration, fiscal and client statistics, programs and services, and contact information.
Brochures
Resources guides
Other publications for parents and youth
Publications for professionals
DHS Permanency Report
Describes the DHS philosophy around providing permanent, loving homes for children and the efforts involved in achieving that goal.
KIDS - The application and its history
The KIDS (Key Information and Demographics System) application is a fully integrated child welfare management application that supports the records management process from the initial reporting of allegations of child abuse or neglect through the delivery and payment of services.
Overview of Key CYF Philosophies, Practices and Procedures
Annual plans and budgets
Quality Service Review (QSR) Allegheny County Children and Youth Services/Juvenile Probation
Prepared on behalf of the Pa. Department of Public Welfare Office of Children, Youth and Families, April 2012
Child welfare services in Allegheny County (CYF, JPO and Shuman Center)
Allegheny County has divided the provision of child welfare services between three distinct entities that provide three distinct types of services. The DHS Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) provides services for children and families who are at risk for, or are experiencing, child abuse or neglect. The Juvenile Probation Office (JPO) provides placement services and support for delinquent youth. Shuman Center provides temporary shelter for youth who are awaiting adjudication.
In Pennsylvania, child welfare services are administered at the county level. DHS has assumed the lead role in the administration of fiscal and most contractual responsibilities for child welfare services in Allegheny County. (See details below.)
Fiscal
Funding for all services for children, youth and young adults is allotted from the State in one sum to the County child welfare system (CYF, JPO and Shuman Center) according to the annual Allegheny County Needs-Based Plan and Budget. All child welfare reimbursement invoices are filed with the State by CYF and all child welfare reimbursements flow back to CYF. CYF then reimburses the joint child welfare account based on actual costs incurred at the level of the individual child for any services received through CYF, JPO or Shuman Center.
Consolidated and centralized financial accounting of all aspects of child welfare services in Allegheny County allows for more accurate and timely reporting. It also enables the improved coordination of county-delivered services.
Contracts
The DHS Office of Administration is the repository for all contracts for CYF and JPO. (Shuman Center administers its own contracts.) DHS acts as the administrative agent of CYF and JPO, assuming the responsibility for establishing contracts and submitting financial and program reports of behalf of both. In addition, DHS has the responsibility to select, evaluate and monitor contracted providers of CYF-related services.