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County approves detention and foster-care contracts, and a data-sharing agreement to support family-finding
Summary
The board approved detention center per-diems with neighboring counties, foster-care provider contract renewals and a data-sharing agreement enabling Outreach Center staff to perform family-finding under Act 118.
The Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners on May 21 approved renewal agreements for detention placement, foster-care provider contracts, and a short-term data-sharing agreement to support family finding for child welfare cases.
Director Carrie Browning presented three items from the Office of Youth and Family Services (OYFS). The board approved annual detention agreements with Bucks County and Chester County (per-diem rates listed at $650 per day) and Central Counties Youth Center (per-diem $595); Browning noted detention is reimbursed by the state at 50 percent. The board also approved foster-care professional contracts for FY 2025–26 with named providers and specified not-to-exceed amounts: Anthony Labossi ($156,000, mediation), Casa of Lackawanna ($35,000), Catherine McAuley Center ($45,000), Forensic Counseling Associates ($25,000), Friendship House CLIP ($30,000), Jewish Family Services ($25,000), Michael Kenny life skills ($30,000), Scranton Counseling Center CLIP ($30,000), Thomas Muldowney counseling ($10,000), and multiple contracts with the Women’s Resource Center (amounts recited). Browning said these professional contracts are reimbursed at 80 percent by the state.
The board also approved a data-sharing agreement with Outreach Center for Community Resources to allow an Outreach employee to access demographic information quickly to begin family finding when a child or youth is accepted for services, as required by the Family Finding Act (Act 118 of 2022). Browning said the agreement commences immediately and runs through June 30, 2025.
Commission action: the board approved each item by voice vote.
Why it matters: the detention-per-diem agreements secure placement capacity for delinquent youth; foster-care contracts provide counseling, case management and related services for children and families; the data-sharing agreement is intended to speed family-finding work that helps identify relatives and supports for children entering child-welfare services.
Direct quote: “The county of Bucks, Chester, and Central Counties are all annual contract renewals for detention services for delinquent children,” OYFS Director Carrie Browning said as she presented the per-diem rates.
