PREA Zero Tolerance Provision
This is consistent with the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), Department of Public Welfare and Children’s Home of York Policy. A copy of the Annual PREA report is available at the front desk of our main campus.
23 PA.C.S. Child Protective Services Law
This chapter applies to the Department; other departments, boards, bureaus and agencies of the Commonwealth or any of it political subdivisions; county children and youth social service agencies and other agencies providing services to children and youth; law enforcement officials; county executive officers; auditors of the Federal government; public and nonpublic schools; intermediate units; area vocational technical schools; independent school contractors; and persons who, in the course of their employment or occupation or in the practice of their profession, come into contact with children.
Employees, Contractors, or volunteers must report any inappropriate behavior immediately. The presence of illegal and unethical behavior compromises the security and safety of the agency.
To report allegations or suspicions of sexual abuse or sexual harassment:
Contact The Children’s Home of York at (717) 755-1033
Notify the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-932-0313
And/or contact law enforcement in the jurisdiction of the facility
All reports are taken seriously and investigated as outlined in the PREA standards. Any knowingly false accusations may be prosecuted.
Children's Home of York's Independent Living Program at George Street is participating in the process to become compliant regarding the Prison Rape Elimination Act (Department of Justice, 28 CFR-Part 115, National Standards to Prevent Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape). Recently, the expectations outlined in these standards have been applied to non-prison programs such as ILP@GeoSt that provide residential services to clients involved in the Juvenile Justice System. The Act Requires organization such as ours to comply with national standards to eliminate sexual abuse. The standards include the prevention, detection, and prosecution of any sexual abuse within juvenile facilities. Children's Home of York is committed to providing our clients facilities that promote healthy and safe environments. And has always taken great measures to prohibit and prevent any staff sexual misconduct, juvenile sexual misconduct, abusive sexual contact, nonconsensual sex, or consensual sex regardless of a juvenile's age, sexual orientation, or sexual identification.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion At Children's Home of York
Children's Home of York provides services to a diverse group of children who may differ in gender, gender identity expression, sexual orientation, family composition, race, ethnicity, cultural identity, socioeconomic status, physical capabilities, religious affiliation, and other areas. In order to equip team members to serve our clients well, cultural sensitivity training is provided and acceptance is encouraged. Cultural competence is necessary at all levels of the organization.
Children’s Home of York's response to the service needs of gender, gender identity expression, sexual orientation, family composition, race, ethnicity, cultural identity, socioeconomic status, physical capabilities, religious affiliation, and other areas in the service population includes:
- Adopting and enforcing cultural competence and respect for individual differences as an agency standard
- Having policies and procedures that place value on individual differences and acceptance of others
- Individualizing services to meet each client need
- Providing team member with information, training, consultation and experience necessary to develop attitude, skills, and competence o meet these needs
