Catholic Charities Adoption Services and Specialized Foster Care
Catholic Charities provides hope, help and support to thousands of families each year, regardless of their faith. We serve a 15-county region with programs ranging from maternity homes, adoption services, foster care and counseling to the only homeless shelter in Central Pennsylvania that keeps families intact. Most of our services are offered at minimal or no cost to the client.
Our mission is to serve families in need in our local communities. Although the majority of our clients, staff and funding are not Catholic, our guiding beliefs are rooted in our tradition:
- We respect every human life.
- We believe in the central role of marriage and family in society.
- We are committed to providing high quality services to individuals, children, youth, married couples, families and the elderly.
Services and information
- Traditional Foster Care
- Specialized / Therapeutic Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Adoption
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
4.7 / 55 | |
4 | |
3 | |
2 | |
1 |
May 02, 2023
Just really a weird place.
Nov 25, 2017
Wonderful staff
Jun 11, 2017
The great people of Catholic Charities look to satisfy the essential needs of people from all faiths. They look to provide where others have not been able to.
Dec 15, 2016
This is a very caring kind of place to go if you need personal help with mental, emotional, physical and psychological matters. They work very well together and work hard to make sure they are helping you. God bless each of them.