Adult & Family Services

GPCA CUA 9 is a locally oriented DHS funded agency tasked with offering families in the 12th, 18th, and 77th police districts in West and Southwest Philadelphia, direct case management services. CUA 9’s goal is to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families involved with the child welfare system in Philadelphia. To achieve positive outcomes, we use child protection and child welfare services that are family centered, community-based, culturally competent, integrated, timely, and accountable for results. CUA 9’s main priority is to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being for our children and youth. This is done by conducting visits to the resource and bio parent home, completing assessments, being a support, providing resources and services that strengthens families to create permanent solutions and positive outcomes. CUA 9’s desire is to create a stabilized environment where children, youth and families will succeed and thrive. 

• • • Provided Case Management Services to assist families with achieving permanency.
    • Refer families to community supports that can assist with family stabilization.
    • Ensure the safety and well-being of children, youth, and families in our care.
    • Partner with the Department of Human services and other outside entities to improve outcomes for our families.
    • Build relationships within the community that aids CUA in providing additional support for our families.

Family Empowerment Services is a voluntary program that strives to increase family stability and well-being by connecting them to community resources. Referrals are accepted through the Department of Human Services or by way of self-referral directly to GPCA. Currently, our program serves families residing throughout Philadelphia county.

Parenting Educational Program serves parents at-risk of involvement in the child protection system in addition to parents seeking to reunite with their children. We strive to work with parents in the Philadelphia area around issues such as re-unification, child neglect and abuse so they can provide a nurturing environment for their children. The Parenting and Anger Management Program provide 12 weeks of a Parenting Support Course that meets weekly, virtual or in-person. We use an evidence base curriculum (Nurturing Parenting Program) which is a family-centered trauma-informed initiative designed to build nurturing parenting skills as an alternative to abusive and neglecting parenting and child-rearing practices. inspired and written by Stephen J. Bavolek, PhD. Our program also includes topics that deal with the mental development of children in addition to the area of the child’s brain parents should be aware of when disciplining their young.

Case Management services are now available in an education environment!  

What is Community School Case Management? 

Services provided on-site at two Community Schools, South Philadelphia High School (SPHS) and Southwark Elementary School. The objective of the services is to improve daily school attendance and overall quality of life for the students and their family. By connecting families to supportive services that address their unique needs and challenges, the student will be on track for academic success. 

Community School Case Management services thrive on connecting children and families to basic need benefits such as, but not limited-to:

• • • Housing Assistance
    • Financial Literacy Assistance (utility assistance etc.)
    • Child Care/ Daycare/ After School Programs
    • Health assessments/vaccinations (Medicare, Medicaid, etc.).
    • Eligibility for Assistance (i.e., Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP]

The CERC is a community resource for youth who violate their curfew while also providing daily youth programming. The services emphasis on the promotion of positive youth development. The CERC provides site-based interventions to youth and a safe haven that ensures responsible and caring supervision, while engaging the families to return the youth to their homes. CERC staff are dedicated to engaging youth and their caretakers, from a non-punitive and strengths-based perspective, while promoting positive relationships and exposing youth to alternative structured activities.

The CERC include the following amenities:

• • • Free programming for Youth ages 10-17
    • Programming 7 days a week (includes: daily drop off after programming)
    • Trained Staff
    • Safe & Positive environment
    • Exercises the build Self esteem
    • Educational activities
    • Fun & Constructive activities
    • Family events

Intensive Prevention Services (IPS) is a community-based and family-centered prevention and intervention program serving youth aged 10 to 19. IPS provides support to youth who are experiencing disciplinary challenges at home, in school, or in the community. The goal of the IPS program is to improve behavior in an effort to prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system by identifying the social, emotional, and psychological factors that contribute to their challenging behavior(s). IPS is a short-term (3-6 months) intensive program. Our programming is broken down into three components: Case Management, Onsite After-School programming and Counseling. Through life skills workshops, mentorship, educational support, and linkages to community resources, we help youth strengthen their sense of self-worth, self-confidence, character and competency skills. We promote resiliency and positive youth development.

Eligibility Criteria:

• • • Families who reside zip codes include: 19145, 19146 ,19147, and 19148
    • Youth aged 10-19 who have been identified as displaying challenging behaviors (at home, in school or in the community), chronically truant, suspended 3 or more times from school or expelled in the past 12 months, arrested within the past 12 months but not adjudicated, history of running away or may have a first time infraction on school grounds

Providers & Case Managers connect families with services to help alleviate or remove the causes of the unexcused absences.

• • • Collaboration with students and families

• • • Each family is assigned a designated Case Manager

• • • Case manager will provide support to students and families that are referred to Regional Truancy Court

• • • Student has at least ten (10) unexcused absences and have a documented SAIP Conference

• • • Identify barriers

• • • Strengthen relationship with school and families

• • • Provide services and resources that cater to each families’ needs

• • • Become aware of school and absent student protocol