Cayuga Centers Opens New Program in Pittsburgh
Cayuga Centers brings evidenced based treatment foster care to Allegheny County
Pittsburgh, PA – February 4th, 2022– Cayuga Centers announces its newest Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC) program in Allegheny County, PA. Awarded in Spring 2021, the program is now staffed, licensed, and actively recruiting foster parents to support the needs of foster youth in the area. This marks the agency’s first program in the state of Pennsylvania.
Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC) is a research-informed, multi-tiered team approach to rebuilding family relationships and is a pillar program at Cayuga Centers. In the program, foster youth receive bundled services – a safe home, medical care, counseling, case management, and educational services. Youth in the program are placed with licensed and trained foster parents while undergoing intensive individual and family therapy, with the goal of returning home as quickly and safely as possible.
As a leading and longstanding provider of evidence-based services, Cayuga Centers specializes in providing individualized, culturally appropriate, and trauma-informed support to diverse populations. The new program has been designed to serve youth ages 0-21 who have specialized needs and require behavioral support. Cayuga Centers anticipates its TFFC program will make a significant impact on Allegheny County’s youth. The agency’s President & CEO Edward Myers Hayes says, “Our intensive treatment foster care model provides an effective cost-saving alternative to congregate care — helping traumatized teens heal and return to their families. We are excited to work with Allegheny County to bring our model to the families and taxpayers of the greater Pittsburgh area.”
The opening of the program in Pittsburgh marks the next step in the expansion of the agency’s evidence-based foster care programming. Cayuga Centers has demonstrated over 20 years of continued success as a provider through its Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC) programs across the nation in states such as Delaware, Florida, and New York. The agency hopes to replicate the success achieved with TFFC in other regions and to positively impact at-risk children and families in Allegheny County.
Cayuga Centers takes pride in recruiting, hiring, and retaining culturally diverse staff and foster parents. The agency hired locally to ensure outreach efforts are informed and targeted appropriately for attracting local Allegheny County foster families. Tara Skibiel, a Pittsburgh local with 15 years of child welfare and clinical experience, is leading the new program. A manager of Foster Home Recruitment and Licensing and a Foster Home Recruiter have also been hired to lead efforts to recruit and train eligible foster parents.
The Allegheny TFFC program is actively seeking foster parents from diverse backgrounds to help support the needs of the youth in our program. Reflecting on the program’s current recruitment efforts, Tara Skibiel, Director of Foster Care Services, said “ Leadership has made launching the program from the ground up an exciting new adventure for me and our Pittsburgh staff. We are eager to kick off recruitment of diverse, compassionate individuals and families to join the Cayuga Centers family as Treatment Foster Parents.” To learn more about the qualifications to become a foster parent and employment opportunities, visit www.cayugacenters.org/pittsburgh-foster-care
About Cayuga Centers
For 20 years Cayuga Centers has partnered with communities as a foster care provider and prioritizes breaking the cycle of trauma for foster youth. Cayuga Centers does this by providing bundled supports including in-house therapy and coaching, by including foster parents on an active treatment team, and by providing 24/7 support for foster parents in an intervention that creates space for foster youth to heal and to grow.
Cayuga Centers is a nationally accredited and awarded 501(c)(3) non-profit, human services agency headquartered in Auburn, NY. Founded in 1852, the agency has delivered quality services by following the agency’s core mission of helping individuals and families grow as independent, healthy, and productive citizens through quality counseling, out-of-home care, and support services. Cayuga Centers provides a continuum of support services nationally, with offices in over 10 cities. The agency specializes in providing individualized, culturally appropriate, and trauma-informed support to diverse populations. Cayuga Centers currently serves 10,000 individuals and families annually.
Visit www.cayugacenters.org to learn about its services, how to become a foster parent, and employment opportunities.
Media Contact:
Jasmine Lawrence
Media & Community Specialist
