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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    The Division of Health Services provides access to comprehensive quality health services through an integrated team approach that:

    • Recognizes the needs of residents, staff, and stakeholders.
    • Emphasizes prevention, wellness, and health maintenance by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices.
    • Ensures services are clinically appropriate and medically necessary.

    The Division of Health Services is responsible for the planning, development, direction, coordination, and oversight of health care services across the YDC/YFC system, including oversight of the National School Lunch /School Breakfast Program and After School Snack Program. Nutritious free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout the nation throughout the summer while school is out of session. To find out more about this program:

    The provision of health care services often presents unique challenges as many of our residents have not had consistent access to preventive care or a medical provider. Physician, psychiatric, and dental services are provided at each of our sites. Upon admission, each resident receives comprehensive health care screening that includes a health history, complete physical examination, immunization status and administration of missed vaccines, dental evaluation and prophylaxis, vision screening, hearing screening, psychiatric evaluation as indicated, and routine laboratory studies including testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

    Ongoing and follow-up health care and treatment is arranged and provided based on individually identified needs. Ancillary health care services such as specialist referrals, pharmacy, inpatient care, diagnostic imaging, and physical therapy are arranged through our medical partners in the community. In addition, each of our sites has a process in place for the provision of emergency medical care should a need arise.

    Each of our sites has Nurses on staff who manage and coordinate the health care needs of our residents. Nurses conduct sick call, serve as liaisons between the site and ancillary health care service providers, teach health education classes, perform individual health counseling, and participate in the multi-disciplinary team process.

    The provision of nutrients required to sustain optimum health and growth of residents while addressing National School Lunch /School Breakfast Program and After School Snack Program requirements is of utmost importance. The Division of Health Services employs a licensed Dietician who establishes and interprets guidelines as they relate to food and nutrition services. Every effort is made to accommodate residents with special dietary needs due to disabilities, allergies or religious beliefs.

    The Division of Health Services is consistently involved with the development of a Health and Wellness Programs that will provide measurable goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and meals to promote overall wellness in an effort to address the growing problem of childhood obesity.

    The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), which is in part comprised of the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.