PRINTER'S NO. 1732
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
334
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY WATSON, CONKLIN, BAKER, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE,
D. COSTA, DiGIROLAMO, DUSH, FREEMAN, HENNESSEY, PHILLIPS-
HILL, HILL-EVANS, LONGIETTI, MARSICO, McNEILL, MILLARD,
B. MILLER, MOUL, MURT, NEILSON, O'NEILL, PASHINSKI, READSHAW,
ROEBUCK, ROTHMAN, SCHLOSSBERG, SOLOMON, SONNEY, TOOHIL, WARD,
WARREN AND WHEELAND, MAY 18, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 18, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Designating June 1, 2017, as "Child Welfare Caseworker
Appreciation Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Every day in this Commonwealth thousands of children
are at risk of child abuse and neglect or have been removed from
their homes due to abuse and neglect; and
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives recognizes the need to
intervene to protect Pennsylvania's children; and
WHEREAS, Commonwealth child welfare caseworkers are
responsible for the difficult tasks of investigating child
abuse, providing services to families, assessing safety,
initiating steps to protect children and providing services to
ensure that children are provided with healthy and nurturing
care and support as they transition into adulthood and needed
services in an effort to reunify families; and
WHEREAS, The work of caseworkers requires them to enter into
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situations in which their personal safety may be put at risk;
and
WHEREAS, Child welfare caseworkers work in severely trying
and emotional situations with children who have been victimized
by physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and other forms of
maltreatment; and
WHEREAS, To be successful, child welfare caseworkers must
develop great skill in working with families who are in crisis
situations, struggling with mental health challenges, suffering
from drug and alcohol conditions, poverty and other difficult
issues; and
WHEREAS, Child welfare caseworkers selflessly undertake the
endeavor of protecting the children of this Commonwealth, often
with low pay, long hours, tremendous demands, little
appreciation and great criticism, all of which has a dramatic
impact on their personal lives; and
WHEREAS, Every year caseworkers are injured or killed in
their pursuit to protect children across the United States; and
WHEREAS, These risks were poignantly demonstrated by the
intentional firebombing of the Luzerne County Children and Youth
Services office on March 6, 2017; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, caseworkers in Pennsylvania investigated
40,590 reports of child abuse and neglect; and
WHEREAS, Innumerable injuries and deaths of children have
been averted due to the efforts of child welfare caseworkers;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate June 1,
2017, as "Child Welfare Caseworker Appreciation Day" in
Pennsylvania.
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