Category: News

DHS Recognizes Importance of Holistic Supports in Child Abuse Prevention (April 26, 2022)

PA Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Meg Snead recently visited the Bucks County Human Services Hub as part of DHS’s effort to raise awareness of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Bucks County Human Services Division utilizes the Hub as a ‘one-stop-shop’ to link residents with social and health services able to address their essential needs like food, shelter, and health care, among others. 

The Hub provides Bucks County residents with a full-time resource navigator that connects to resources like food assistance, parenting and maternal care, employment, medical services, housing assistance, and more. Having essential needs met like food, shelter, and healthcare are important pieces of child abuse prevention.

A study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development points to improved financial stability among families helping mitigate the circumstances that lead to child neglect and abuse. 

The Bucks County Human Services Hub supports DHS’s Office of Children, Youth, and Families’ work in helping families and protecting children in the region.

In addition, DHS and its partners at the Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA) have hosted events throughout the month to raise awareness and provide education on child abuse prevention.  

Pennsylvanians who may suspect child abuse or neglect to report to ChildLine, the commonwealth’s 24/7 hotline for anyone concerned about the safety or well-being of a child. To report a concern, call 1-800-932-0313. Learn more about the signs of potential abuse at www.dhs.pa.gov/keepkidssafe. 

DHS encourages parents and families who may be struggling to reach out for help. Anyone struggling with mental health and in need of referrals to helpful programs can call Pennsylvania’s Support & Referral Helpline, which is operated 24/7 by skilled caseworkers who can provide emotional support during this difficult period. The number to call is 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600. Pennsylvanians can apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, cash assistance, Medical Assistance and other programs any time at www.compass.state.pa.us. Additionally, the 2-1-1 hotline operated by the United Way can connect people and families to local resources that can help during the public health crisis. 

Learn more about the Bucks County Human Services Hub here. 

Education Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega to Depart, Gov. Wolf Names Eric Hagarty as New Acting Secretary (April 26, 2022)

Governor Tom Wolf has announced that PDE Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega will resign his position with the commonwealth on April 29, 2022. The governor also announced his intention to name Eric Hagarty to serve as Acting Secretary.

Prior to Secretary, Ortega  served as the Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education (OPHE) at PDE. Before joining PDE in 2017, Ortega spent eight years at the University of Michigan (U-M), where he held several academic and administrative roles, including working as the Assistant Director and Senior Research Associate at the National Center for Institutional Diversity and as the Managing Director for the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good. Ortega also spent nearly a decade working in the areas of financial aid and enrollment management at both public and private universities in Texas and served as a P-16 Specialist for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. He also spent nearly seven years as director of a language institute in Japan where he trained teachers in the area of early childhood language acquisition.

Following Secretary Ortega’s departure, Hagarty will serve in the acting position. Hagarty currently serves as Governor Wolf’s Deputy Chief of Staff responsible for implementing the governor’s priorities and policies relating to education, including the historic â€œLevel Up” program to invest more in Pennsylvania’s most chronically underfunded schools, the COVID-19 vaccine initiative for teachers and the safe return to in-person learning, the first regulatory reforms to Pennsylvania’s charter school system, and generational investments in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

To read the press release, click here.

FDA Grants Full Approval for Child COVID-19 Treatment (April 25, 2022)

On Monday, April 25, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for the COVID-19 drug remdesivir (aka Veklury) for the treatment of children under 12.  The approval covers children 28 days and older who weigh at least 3 kilograms or over 6 1/2 pounds and are either hospitalized or at high-risk of severe illness. The FDA also emphasized that remdesivir is not a replacement for vaccination.

Previously, remdesivir was under emergency use authorization for children. There is still no authorized vaccine for children under 5-years-old. 

Remdesivir had already been approved as a treatment for adults. 

To read more from The Hill, click here.

PDE Announces Pre-K Counts Applications; Due Date is May 11th (April 25, 2022)

On April 20, 2022 Acting Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Education Noe Ortega released a PennLink titled Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications Announced – Action Required. The memo states that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is announcing a competitive Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) Request for Applications (RFA) 

This RFA is intended to support providers in preparing to serve and enroll children by September 2022. The RFA is being released in April 2022 to give providers time to conduct outreach to families; recruit, hire and train staff; and plan for implementing the program pending grant approval.

Applicants must submit Letters of Intent to [email protected] by 3 PM on May 11, 2022. Only applicants that submit a complete Letter of Intent by the deadline will be permitted to apply for funding. 

Eligible applicants must provide assurance that they operate in full compliance with Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Statute, Regulations, and Guidance. Applicants should thoroughly review Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Statute, Regulations, and Guidance prior to submission of a Letter of Intent to apply to ensure an understanding of the program requirements and expectations of compliance if an application is successful.

All information relevant to the application process is available in the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications (RFA) Guidance  Applicants should review all information in that document before submitting the Letter of Intent. Any questions should be sent to [email protected].

Programs that do not submit the Letter of Intent will not be able to access or submit a funding application in eGrants. Late submissions will not be accepted. Agencies submitting a fully complete Letter of Intent by the due date will be notified when the PA PKC application is open in eGrants.