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Human Services Department
Our Vision is toward a better integration of services among County departments and all Human Service entities accompanied by a strengthened customer service orientation that will best serve all of the citizens of Westmoreland County. Tab through to learn more about our programs:
| Dirk Matson, Director Meet the Director |
Our Behavioral Health and Developmental Services staff provides opportunities for individuals to choose appropriate services and supports to promote quality of life and inclusion in the community. Employment assistance, Family services for the victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault, and Financial assistance with essentials like food and fuel are some of the ways we can help. Our Early Intervention Program serves families with children from birth to age three with developmental delays or disabilities. |
| Shara B Saveikis M.S.W., Executive Director Meet the Director |
The Children's Bureau protects children from abuse and neglect, preserves families whenever possible and ensures that every child under our care and supervision has a safe, stable and permanent home in which to grow. |
| Carlos Alejandre, Director Meet the Director |
At the Juvenile Detention/Shelter we provide temporary secure care for alleged delinquent or adjudicated delinquent juveniles awaiting disposition of the court, minimizing the negative effects of confinement on these minor children while also protecting the community. |
| Katherine A. Johnson, LSW Administrator |
Area Agency on Aging staff help seniors access free health insurance counseling, our 13 Senior Centers, visitors to the homebound, legal and consumer protection services, discounted shared rides, and vision benefits. |
Stay Connected
Subscribe to our website news and get email or text notification when we post important updates to the Human Services News section.
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Most older drivers outlive the age at which they can drive safely
Older drivers outlive the age when they’re capable of driving safely by seven to 10 years, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety said Tuesday, but more than 80 percent of them never talk with their family or doctor about it. Additional Info... -
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Control, halt, defeat: Tackling teenage bullying in the digital age
According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, the percentage of teens who have been cyberbullied has doubled since 2007, with an estimated 20 percent to 40 percent of adolescents having been targeted. Additional Info... -
Penn Area Library will host two 'Medicare Explained' programs
If you have questions about Medicare, Penn Area Library officials want to help get them answered at one of two “Medicare Explained” programs coming up later this month. Additional Info... -
New Kensington Girl Scout seeks videos of disabled people highlighting their abilities
Abby Yurga wants to highlight people’s abilities, not their disabilities, and her Girl Scout Gold Award project is geared toward that. Additional Info... -
Sites offering free summer meals for students
Students who receive free meals at school during the school year will continue to have access to food over the summer through the 2018 Summer Food Service Program, supported by the USDA and Department of Education. Additional Info... -
Annual survey flags shady home alarm sales practices as issue to watch
Many of the complaints about alarm sales abuses came from the elderly or disabled, the report said. Additional Info... -
Feds crack down on Veterans 'charities'
The FTC, law enforcement officials and charity regulators from 70 offices in every state announced more than 100 actions in “Operation Donate with Honor,” a crackdown on fraudulent charities that con consumers. Additional Info... -
Red Cross blood shortage reaches 'emergency' need for donors
The American Red Cross is still seeking donors to alleviate a shortage of blood and platelets across the region this summer. Additional Info... -
Westmoreland County extends sexual harassment protections to gay, transgender workers
A revision of Westmoreland County’s sexual harassment policy approved Thursday will for the first time single out protections for those who are gay and transgendered, officials said. Additional Info... -
$5M federal grant to help Pennsylvanians in addiction recovery find work
Pennsylvania will receive a federal grant for about $5 million to help people whose employment has been affected by opioid use, addiction and overdose, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor. Additional Info... -
CSAY Northmoreland to host National Night Out event
CSAY Northmoreland will be hosting a National Night Out event from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 8 at Northmoreland Park in Apollo. Additional Info... -
Westmoreland case spotlights 'exponential increase' in alleged child predators
The case of a missing 15-year-old Westmoreland County girl who was found recently in Michigan brings the tally to 25 missing children from Western Pennsylvania who were alleged victims of violent crimes in the past year who were located by the FBI. Additional Info... -
Study: Lowering blood pressure helps prevent mental decline
Lowering blood pressure more than usually recommended not only helps prevent heart problems, it also cuts the risk of mental decline that often leads to Alzheimer’s disease, a major study finds. Additional Info... -
Calls to suicide crisis centers have doubled since 2014
The National Suicide Crisis Helpline saw calls double from 2014 to 2017, an increase in volume that coincides with rising suicide rates across the United States. Additional Info... -
Big Brothers Big Sisters local chapter struggling with low volunteer numbers
“That breaks my heart. That absolutely breaks my heart.” Those are the words of Jeff Roberts, a longtime volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, when he heard how many children are currently waiting to get a Big Brother or Big Sister of their own. Additional Info... -
ADHD linked to teen digital media use
Teenagers who frequently use digital media are more likely to develop attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to a new study. Additional Info... -
Support circle: Family caregivers share stories and tips to ease Alzheimer's toll
Vicki Bartholomew started a support group for wives who are caring for a husband with Alzheimer’s disease because she needed that sort of group herself. Additional Info... -
NBV Community Bank Park dedicates new section for children with disabilities
Lisa Pollack of North Belle Vernon knows all too well what a visit to a public playground means to a child with a disability. Additional Info... -
Casual interactions: Even 'weak ties' to others can boost your physical, emotional health
Close relationships with family and friends, we know, are important for our health and well-being. But what about the people who make up our broader social networks? Additional Info... -
Taking the mic for mental health
Last August, Kym Lebak was sitting in the audience at Glitterbox Theater in Bloomfield, watching quietly as someone else performed her story. Additional Info... -
Dads Matter class starting in Mt. Pleasant
A program aimed at helping dads is starting in Mt. Pleasant next month. Additional Info... -
New season of '13 Reasons Why' still targeted by doctors who say it glamorizes teen suicide
Medical experts say Netflix and creators of the second season of 13 Reasons Why — streaming Friday — aren't doing enough to curb the increase in teen suicides and may be encouraging copycat cases. Additional Info... -
Westmoreland Transit plan could bring bus service to Monessen, West Newton
The Westmoreland County Transit Authority (WCTA) is considering adding bus routes from Greensburg to Monessen and West Newton. Additional Info... -
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Nonprofit seeks volunteers to help sew holiday stockings for overseas military members
Nonprofit group Military Connections is seeking volunteers as its members gear up for their annual sewing day, creating stockings that will be stuffed and shipped to military men and women stationed overseas at Christmas time. Additional Info... -
Unity's Zamosky elected president of Pennsylvania county veteran affairs offices
Matt Zamosky of Unity was named to head the state organization that represents county veteran affairs offices Additional Info... -
Red Cross looking for blood donors to avoid summer shortages
The Red Cross is looking for people to donate blood to alleviate shortages at hospitals over the summer. Additional Info... -
Derry Township's Union Mission will make more room for homeless men
The Union Mission in Derry Township is set to break ground Tuesday for a building that will expand its capacity to serve homeless men. Additional Info... -
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County hires firm to educate staffers about sexual harassment
Westmoreland County commissioners on Thursday hired a Greensburg law firm to conduct seminars to educate government staffers about sexual harassment issues. Additional Info... -
Senate panel looks to fund Alzheimer's research and resources
WASHINGTON – Public health leaders and caregivers coalesced Tuesday behind an effort to focus attention and funding on Alzheimer’s disease. Additional Info... -
A discovery about herpes and Alzheimer’s disease may open new avenues for treatment
Researchers may have found a tiny culprit — human herpes virus — in the progressive loss of memory, thinking ability and identity that comes with Alzheimer’s disease. And it could be a big deal. Additional Info... -
VA Releases National Suicide Data Report
WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released findings from its most recent analysis of Veteran suicide data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report yields several important insights. Additional Info... -
Are women responsible for their own safety? Australians point fingers.
Thousands of people gathered for a vigil Monday at the Melbourne park where less than a week ago a young comedian was raped and murdered, a crime whose grisly details have renewed a national conversation about violence against women. Additional Info... -
Study: 40 percent of Pa. households struggle to make ends meet
“Should I pay the utilities bill or fix my husband’s broken car so he can get to work?” That’s what a caller from Indiana County asked the United Way’s 2-1-1 hotline which helps people in need find local resources. Additional Info... -
Export Summer Playground Program kicks off next week
Export Borough's annual Summer Playground Program will kick off on June 18, giving local children a chance to spend a few mornings each week enjoying activities, games, arts and crafts. Additional Info... -
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