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
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, Please note new location: 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
Provided by, contracted for and monitored by CYF.
Protecting children at risk of abuse and neglect
Preserving families whenever possible
Assuring permanent homes for children
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
DHS Permanency Report
Describes the DHS philosophy around providing permanent, loving homes for children and the efforts involved in achieving that goal.
Overview of Key CYF Philosophies, Practices and Procedures
Annual plans and budgets
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.
Websites of Interest
Administration for Children and Families
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a federal agency funding state, local, and tribal organizations to provide family assistance (welfare), child support, child care, Head Start, child welfare, and other programs relating to children and families.
AdoptPAKids
PAE, which is part of the Department of Public Welfare, focuses on connecting Pennsylvania's waiting children and families.
AdoptUSKids
AdoptUSKids is "The Place" to view thousands of children who are waiting for adoption from all across the United States.
American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC)
APSAC's mission is to ensure that everyone affected by child maltreatment receives the best possible professional response.
American Public Human Services Association
The association’s mission is to develop, promote, and implement public human service policies that improve the health and well-being of families, children, and adults.
Beginning with Books
An early-intervention literacy organization.
Boys and Girls Club
Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.
CASA
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) provide advocacy for children who are abused and neglected.
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
CWLA is an association of more than 1,100 public and private nonprofit agencies that assist over 3.5 million abused and neglected children and their families each year with a wide range of services.
Childhelp USA
Childhelp USA® is dedicated to meeting the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children. It does this by focusing its efforts and resources upon treatment, prevention, and research.
Children's Defense Fund
The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to "Leave no child behind and ensure every child an healthy start, a head start, a fair start, a safe start, and a moral start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities."
Children's Institute
The Children's Institute is dedicated to promoting the well-being of children, young people and their families and to providing services that meet their special needs.
COMPASS
COMPASS (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Application for Social Services) enable Pennsylvania citizens to apply for social services programs online.
CONTACT Pittsburgh
CONTACT Pittsburgh exists to offer immediate, emotional support, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, by telephone volunteers trained to help people of all ages who may be suicidal, in emotional distress, or in need of reassurance.
Family Resources
Family Resources has distinguished itself as a leader in combating child abuse and providing support and treatment services to families in Western Pennsylvania. They offer innovative programs that have a measurable impact in preventing abuse.
Family Services of Western PA
Pennsylvania (FSWP) provides a wide variety of programs, services and activities for children, adults and families living in the Western Pennsylvania region.
Foster Club
The Foster Club provides kids in care a way to communicate with one another, gather information, and celebrate achievements.
Future of Children
The Future of Children offers a newsletter and information about child development.
US Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
Kid source (parenting)
In-depth & timely education & healthcare information that will make a difference in the lives of parents & children.
National Adoption Information Clearinghouse (NAIC)
The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse, a comprehensive resource on all aspects of adoption.
National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Facts (ACT)
Our mission is to build and maintain a system of services, laws, practices, and attitudes that prevent child abuse and neglect. We achieve this mission by assisting Children's Trust and Prevention Funds at a state and national level. Our efforts support families by enabling them to provide their children with a safe, healthy, and nurturing childhood.
National Center for Children Exposed to Violence
A primary national resource center for anyone seeking information about the effects of violence exposure on children and initiatives addressing these issues, including a dynamic body of literature, Internet resources and a bibliographic database.
National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH)
The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health provides national leadership to the maternal and child health community in three key areas--program development, policy analysis and education, and state-of-the-art knowledge--to improve the health and well-being of the nation's children and families.
National Center on Family Group Decision Making Organization
The National Center on Family Group Decision Making's mission is to build community capacity to implement high-quality, effective FGDM processes that are philosophically congruent with the central values and beliefs of this approach.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
NCMEC serves as a focal point in providing assistance to parents, children, law enforcement, schools, and the community in recovering missing children and raising public awareness about ways to help prevent child abduction, molestation, and sexual exploitation.
National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information (NCCANI)
The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information was established in 1974 by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to collect, organize, and disseminate information on all aspects of child maltreatment.
National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth (NCFY)
NCFY is the Family and Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB's) central resource on youth and family policy and practice.
National Exchange Club Foundation for the Prevention of Child Abuse
Exchange, America’s Service Club, is a group of men and women working together to make our communities better places to live through programs of service in Americanism, Community Service, Youth Activities, and its national project, the Prevention of Child Abuse.
National Family Caregiver Support Programs
The National Family Caregiver Support Program offers caregivers information and support from the National Family Caregivers Association.
National Family Preservation Network
NFPN provides the vision, leadership, training, tools, and resources to assist policy makers and practitioners to build on a family's strengths and to preserve family bonds so children can be protected and nurtured at home.
National Indian Child Welfare Association
NICWA is dedicated to the well-being of all American Indian children and families. Their vision is that every Indian child must have access to community-based, culturally appropriate services that help them grow up safe, healthy, and spiritually strong - free from abuse, neglect, sexual exploitation, and the damaging effects of substance abuse.
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
NICHCY is the national information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues for families, educators, and other professionals. Our special focus is children and youth (birth to age 22).
National Network for Youth
For 25 years, the National Network for Youth has been dedicated to ensuring that young people can be safe and lead healthy and productive lives.
National Organization for Victim Assistance
The National Organization for Victim Assistance is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization of victim and witness assistance programs and practitioners, criminal justice agencies and professionals, mental health professionals, researchers, former victims and survivors, and others committed to the recognition and implementation of victim rights and services.
National Runaway Switchboard
The National Runaway Switchboard offers a 24-hour hotline, information and referral services to youth an families.
Parental Stress Center
The Parental Stress Center is a community-based nonprofit that supports and strengthens families. PSC provides parenting education, family centered counseling, and solution-focused support to any parent looking for assistance in stressful times.
Parents Anonymous
As the nation's premier family strengthening program, Parents Anonymous® encourages all parents to ask for help early, whatever their circumstances, to effectively break the cycle of abuse to protect today's children and strengthen tomorrow's generation of parents.
Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange
PAE, which is part of the Department of Public Welfare, focuses on connecting Pennsylvania's waiting children and families.
Tickets for Kids Foundation
Tickets for Kids offers tickets to cultural events for non-profit organizations.
Ward Home for Children
Their mission is to help children, youth, adults, and families achieve wholeness and experience the joy of life.
Zero to Three
Zero to Three's mission is to promote the healthy development of our nation's infants and toddlers by supporting and strengthening families, communities, and those who work on their behalf.