Potter County Pennsylvania

Pa. child abuse numbers raise questions

Given these concerns, the governor, legislators and Public Welfare Secretary Gary Alexander need to call for a closer look at the system to determine whether Pennsylvania needs to revamp the way it identifies child abuse.

Available information points to questions, at the least, about the state’s reporting system. Pennsylvania is well below other states and the national average when it comes to figures of investigated child abuse cases. In the commonwealth, 8.3 of every 1,000 children are involved in an abuse case. The national figure, however, is 40.3, according to the federal Administration for Children and Families.

The state also is below the national rate for children receiving child protective services, and there are questions about how the definition of child abuse is handled county by county. In sparsely populated Potter County, the rate of cases is 3.5 per 1,000 children yet in Dauphin County it is 1.5.

These numbers show a troubling pattern and require a fresh look at our system of tracking abuse. Especially, as Berger points out, when individual cases just don’t make sense. A baby suffers or even dies from abusive head trauma, but if there is no perpetrator determined, the child is not considered a victim of child abuse under Pennsylvania’s definition.

Physicians at Penn State, along with Penn State Dickinson School of Law, want to be sure doctors and others know enough about abuse to report it. They recently unveiled a new Look Out for Child Abuse website to provide one place where people who are required to report suspected child abuse can go for information on identifying abuse and reporting it. The site can be used by teachers, doctors, police, child care providers, clergy and nurses.

In addition, the creators are working with Cumberland County Children and Youth Services on a pilot program that allows electronic reporting of child abuse by those who are mandated to do so when they suspect seeing it. The hope is that if the process goes well in Cumberland County it can be used statewide.

Custody- Relocation in Potter County, Pennsylvania Custody ...

Our attorney’s practice custody in Potter County, McKean County, Tioga County, Cameron County, and Elk County, Pennsylvania. In 2011 the Pennsylvania legislature significantly changed the relocation procedure for a parent with primary custody of a minor child.

The Attorney’s at our firm are familiar with the new relocation procedures and can guide you if you have any questions regarding the same. By way of an overview, in Pennsylvania under 23 PA C.S. Section 5337 no relocation shall occur unless each individual who has custody rights consents or the court approves the relocation. Section 5337 requires that notice be given to the other party by certified mail with return receipt requested at least 60 days before the proposed date of relocation. The notice has certain requirements including; the address of the new residence, the new telephone number, the school district, the date of the proposed relocation, the reason for the relocation, and propose a revised schedule for custody. In addition the relocating party must provide a counter affidavit on relocation and a notice that in order to object the party has to complete the affidavit and file it in court. Regardless of whether an affidavit is filed, the relocation requires court approval. If the other party opposes the relocation, then the court will schedule a hearing on relocation. In determining whether to grant the relocation request, the court will consider the best interest of the child along with several other factors.

If you would like further information on custody and relocation in Potter County, McKean County, Tioga County, Elk County or Cameron County, Pennsylvania free to contact our custody lawyers and attorneys at (814) 274-8612 or visit our website www.rossandrosslaw.com

* David B. Ross is a partner at the law firm of Ross & Ross, LLC

The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. No lawyer-client relationship exists until one of our attorneys meets with you and agrees to accept you as a client.

Township Tidings, from Potter County, Pennsylvania

Potter County, Pennsylvania

Potter County, Pennsylvani, Abbott Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania, Oswayo Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania, Allegany Township

Potter County, Pennsylvania - 1860 Census Abstract

History of Potter County, Pennsylvania