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County renews foster-care and assessment contracts, approves new drug-testing vendor
Summary
The commissioners approved several Children & Youth Services contract renewals and a new on-site drug-testing contract April 27. The board approved a new vendor for drug screening, renewals for foster-care placement providers and continued funding arrangements unchanged from prior years.
Lawrence County commissioners unanimously approved a set of Children & Youth Services contract renewals and a new drug-testing services agreement during the April 27 meeting.
Donald Andrews of Children & Youth Services explained the county would contract with Drug Test Express for on-site screening after the prior vendor, Family First, closed. "This is a new provider we have not contracted before," Andrews said, adding the new operator charges the same rates as the prior firm and that there is a $150 annual fee covering weekly visits to the county office.
Commissioners then approved several renewals for placement and assessment providers for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Adoption Connection PA (Beaver County) was approved at daily rates Andrews said range from $83 to $129 and will be funded under an 80/20 split with state and federal sources; the county currently has five children placed with that provider. The board also renewed a contract for private investigator services with Check Your Mate Investigations (owner Stephen Braden) to assist with serving parties under court orders, and approved renewals for an out-of-county backup foster provider and for Dr. Terry O'Hara to continue bonding and parental-capacity assessments for court referrals.
All of the items (proposed resolutions 65 through 69) were moved, seconded and approved by roll call with no recorded dissents.
Next steps: contract documents will be executed for the 2026-27 fiscal year and county staff will continue existing funding arrangements and placements pending availability and need.
