A Second Chance, Inc.

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Contact Information

8350 Frankstown Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15221
United States
Online Contact Form
DayHours
Monday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Tuesday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Wednesday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Thursday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

Social Media

A Second Chance, Inc. (ASCI), is a nonprofit corporation established in 1994. Its mission is to provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment to children in the care of relatives or close family friends—formally called kinship care. ASCI is the largest provider of kinship support services to all of Allegheny County, Pa., where it is also headquartered. ASCI also has contracts in Westmoreland, Fayette, Mercer and Washington counties and a large office in Philadelphia County—where it provides a full range of services to families, youth, and children in cooperation with the Department of Human Services (DHS), which considers ASCI the provider of choice for kinship-related services—serving three additional contiguous counties.

ASCI is the largest foster care provider to the Allegheny County Department of Human Services’ Office of Children, Youth, and Families (CYF). In conjunction with the courts, CYF determines the appropriate placements for neglected, abused, or abandoned children before referring these families to ASCI to stabilize the placements, license the homes according to Department of Public Welfare (DPW) requirements and ASCI’s Gold Standard 60-day certification family approval process, provide crucial support services and ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of the children in care.
A Second Chance, Inc., is the national leader in kinship care, which is family caring for family—a natural, out-of-home placement option for children.

Services and information

  • Traditional Foster Care
  • Emergency Foster Care
  • Respite Foster Care
  • Other

Requirements to become a foster parent

You must meet minimum requirements to provide foster care in Pennsylvania. Foster parents for children in need must:

  • Be a minimum of 21 years old
  • Pass a criminal background check with fingerprinting
  • Have time and energy to devote to fostering
  • Live in a safe and healthy environment
  • Prove good health through a medical examination/physical
  • Maintain financial stability
  • Clear all home safety requirements
  • Complete required pre-service training hours
  • Finish the Home Inspection

After fulfilling all requirements during the approval process, licensed foster parents can welcome a foster child into their home. To maintain a valid license, foster parents must also participate in ongoing training each year.

All adults who are living in homes with foster children in Pennsylvania must pass a required criminal background check and fingerprinting. This includes adult children who are family members living at home.

There are other, more detailed requirements for foster homes, such as having a flushing toilet and an operable phone. Prospective foster parents will learn more details during foster parent orientation.

Once you've decided to foster, you can contact a public or private foster agency or the Pennsylvania State Resource Family Association. Foster agencies screen and train prospective foster families and ensure applicants are good candidates for foster care.

Ratings and Reviews

Average user rating

4.0 / 5
Rating breakdown
5
4
3
2
1
If you have an experience with this agency, please write a review.
shirley pinnock
Jan 12, 2017

Meeting place, good service

Rating: 5
stephen gallic
Oct 26, 2016

Go rehab

Rating: 5
iShotYaFavRappr
Aug 28, 2016

These ppl doing amazing work in a very tough occupation. If u don't like these ppl they're prolly tellin u how u effed up.

Rating: 5
Sarah Shuba
Aug 04, 2016

Got FBI background check fingerprints done here and check in is very safe and thorough

Rating: 5