By L’Tesha Gamble-Pettis & Michelle Prego-Milewski — Cayuga Centers
Originally Published March 14, 2025 in Pittsburgh City Paper
For youth in foster care, sometimes the littlest victories lead to the biggest success. Take Olivia*, for example—a Pittsburgh teen who, after years of uncertainty, is now thriving thanks to the support of Cayuga Centers, Allegheny County’s newest foster care agency.
Olivia was removed from her biological parents when she was 10. Children often find themselves placed in foster care due to challenges such as neglect, parental substance abuse, or lack of stable housing. Youth can be placed with family members, close friends, a foster family, or a residential facility. Olivia moved from home to home nearly achieving permanency—a forever family—several times but without a lasting match.
Cayuga Centers provides Treatment Family Foster Care (TFFC), a level of foster care for youth who have been through incredibly difficult experiences. When Olivia met the team from Cayuga Centers, she had already been in the system for four years. Breaking the cycle of trauma that a child like Olivia has gone through requires a specialized approach. For over 23 years, Cayuga Centers’ TFFC program has been helping youth in foster care heal from trauma and build skills in order to lead productive and successful lives.
“We provide a safe space for children to be able to live in the community with a higher level of support in a family setting,” said Cayuga Centers Clinician Peggy Buckley.
When Olivia was matched with a Cayuga Centers foster family, she was understandably cautious after previous disappointments. But this time, she wasn’t alone in her journey. With the support of her foster family and a team of dedicated professionals, including an in-house Youth Skills Coach, Behavioral Case Planner, and Clinician, Olivia began using the tools the team shared with her and began to feel hopeful.
“She was able to work past her anxiety through weekly individual therapy, and therapy with her foster parents,” Buckley said. “Olivia is doing well in school and with her family. It’s been amazing to see her progress since we started working together.”
Olivia’s journey is an inspiring reminder of how much young people can achieve with the right support system. However, there are still over 1,000 youth in Allegheny County waiting for a safe, loving foster home.
We would love for you to help us support a child just like Olivia. Foster parents with Cayuga Centers must be 21 or over, have a spare bedroom for a child, have a regular source of income, and are subject to a background check. Cayuga Centers does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, marital status or sexual orientation.
We know not everyone can foster, and that’s okay! You can make an impact by sharing the need for foster parents on social media, becoming an Ambassador, or donating. Don’t forget to say hi if you see us out in public! You can spot us in our orange Cayuga Centers gear!
Since 2022 Cayuga Centers, a provider of Allegheny County Children, Youth, and Families, has been serving the Pittsburgh area as part of a national agency that supports over 17,000 children and families each year. Ready to make a difference? Visit cayugacenters.org/pittsburgh or call us at 412-308-9585 to learn more about becoming a foster parent or to schedule an information session. Join us in providing hope and stability for every child in foster care.
*Names and other identifying details have been changed for privacy reasons
