JusticeWorks Community Updates

Family Resource Specialist, Kathy Barnes, was assigned to work with a child and his family in February 2020, as a Visit Coach. Kathy relayed the following heartwarming story: I was assigned in February 2020 as a Visit Coach for both parents of a child in the foster care system. I also provided transportation to and from the Juniata County CYS office, which allowed me to get to know them both a little better. With much animosity between the parents, the visits were scheduled on different days to avoid such confrontations. The mother participated in the visits consistently after the child...

Courtney Davis came on board with JusticeWorks YouthCare (JWYC) as a part-time Family Resource Specialist (FRS) for our Lycoming County branch in December 2020.  Since that time, she has carried cases for both Lycoming Juvenile Probation (JPO) and Children and Youth Services (CYS).  Courtney embodies the JWYC mission of doing “Whatever It Takes” to meet the needs of her referred families. She helps families with transportation to and from medical appointments, collaborates with school and agency personnel, and makes referrals for other household members when an unmet service is...

When William* was just twelve years old, his mother passed from an unknown medical condition. For the past two years, William lived with his father and his new stepmother. It was reported that William ran away from home after a physical altercation with his father. From May to August, William has been ‘couch-surfing’ without his father or other family reaching out to look for him. The last place William stayed consistently was with one of his friends' parents. The parents were concerned about William starting school and reached out to Children and Youth Services for assistance. Children...