Cumberland County Children and Youth Services School Attendance Referral Policy
While Cumberland County Children and Youth Services (CCC&YS) may accept school attendance referrals on children, there is often a pattern of excessive school absences for a number of years prior to a child ever being referred to the Agency for services.
The prognosis for successful intervention decreases the longer the problem has continued without intervention with the child and the parents. Therefore, we urge school districts to look for patterns of school attendance problems well before the child enters middle school or high school. We also urge districts to refer any child who is exhibiting attendance problems as early as possible in the school year while the student still has time to resolve the issues, salvage the school year and progress to the next level. The Agency’s repertoire of interventions has much more likelihood of being successful the younger the child is and the earlier the intervention occurs in the school year. To ensure efficient processing of school attendance referrals, the Agency requests schools complete the School Request for Service and email to cccy@cumberlandcountypa.gov.
Diversionary Programs
The Agency offers multiple services to address school attendance concerns that may be referred by school districts to utilize as diversionary services without CCC&YS ongoing involvement. These services include Family Group Conferencing, Justice Works Why Try, and Pressley Ridge Parentworks.
SAIP Meetings
School districts are encouraged to invite CCC&YS to School Attendance Improvement Meetings to allow collaboration between districts, the Agency, and families in development of School Attendance Improvement Plans. The Agency may be invited to participate in School Attendance Improvement Meetings for youth who also have poor grades, history of attendance problems, concerning family situations, lack of contact from the family to the school, etc. This invitation can be made by completing the Request for CCCYS Caseworker Attendance at SAIP Meeting.
MDJ Hearings
CCC&YS may be invited to attend Magisterial District Justice (MDJ) Hearings regarding truancy citations. Additionally, MDJ’s may request Agency services directly by completing the MDJ Referral Form.