The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare funds many key community programs that promote child well being and development. Investing with local agencies enables these groups to respond to the local needs of families.

Community- Based Family Centers

The Department of Public Welfare annually supports 12,000 families through the provision of community- based services in 63 Family Centers located throughout 29 Pennsylvania counties. Although each Family Center is designed to reflect the individual community’s unique strengths, needs and priorities, all Family Centers are charged to meet five key goals:

• Encourage economic self-sufficiency for families through adult education, training and employment-related services;
   
• Assure healthy development and provide health care services for children;
   
• Promote positive child development through effective parenting, early intervention and outreach activities;
   
• Support and preserve the family unit as the foundation for success for children; and
   
• Provide a seamless, comprehensive and easily accessed network of services for children.
   

Family Center Accomplishments

• In 2009-2010, 4,225 children received intensive services including the Parents as Teacher Program (PAT) through a family center. PAT helps parents build the knowledge and skills necessary to help their children learn, grow, and develop during the crucial early years of life. PAT is an evidenced-based program that improves school readiness.
   
• A critical aspect of parenting is actively engaging in regular social activities with your child. In 2008-09, parents enrolled in family centers increased weekly engagement with their child by 5%.
   
• Twenty percent of parents enrolled in a family center reported improvements on items such as dealing with their children, self-expectations and problem-solving skills.
   

Pennsylvania’s Children Trust Fund Focuses on Child Safety and Development

Pennsylvania’s Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) teaches parents and early education providers ways to strengthen families and build protective factors (such as parenting skills, social connections and knowledge of child development) in an effort to prevent child abuse and neglect. In 2008-2009, 27 CTF grantees served approximately 2,450 families and 1,900 early childhood education professionals. Examples of some grant activities include:

• Clarion County's Promise is implementing the training program entitled The Happiest Baby, a research-based program to teach parents techniques for calming crying babies in an effort to reduce the incidence of parental stress that has been shown to be a contributing factor in domestic violence and child abuse.
   
• Pottstown School District, in collaboration with community partners, created a community-wide initiative to reduce child abuse and neglect focusing on families with young children.
   
• The Institute for Safe Families is implementing the Caregivers Helping to Affect and Nurture Children Early (CHANCE) program and curriculum to prevent child abuse and neglect through domestic violence awareness and intervention.

The mission of the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) is to protect and serve Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens, to promote, improve and sustain the quality of family life, and to break the cycle of dependency, while managing our resources effectively and promoting respect for employees. The focus of DPW’s Budget is sustainability—preserving services for those who need them, quality and results—ensuring services improve the lives of those who receive them, and accountability— ensuring efficient use of tax dollars. For more information about the DPW budget visit www.dpw.state.pa.us.