HOLLIDAYSBURG — The state Department of Human Services has issued another provisional license — the sixth in 3.5 years — to Blair County’s Children, Youth & Families office.

The latest provisional license, which reflects correctional plans approved in May to address shortcomings identified in March, is valid through Nov. 23.

Blair County CYF Director Shannon Tucker, who was promoted to that job after being named interim director in September, said she was disappointed but not disheartened by the state’s decision to issue another provisional license.

“I think that we have made dramatic improvements since last year,” Tucker said last week in her office. “Am I disappointed in the state’s decision to give us another provisional license? Yes. But in no way am I disheartened because I think we’ve shown that we are on an upward track.”

While the state singled out one Blair County CYF case and indicated that more than 180 days passed without a caseworker visiting what had been identified as a high-risk family, many of its other citations were based on record-keeping issues that reflected late reports and/or no reports.

Tucker said those record-keeping citations can be addressed through ongoing efforts to increase and train staff in ways that reduce their individual caseloads and allow more review of records to catch the shortcomings.

She also said efforts to date are already paying off as the latest report contains about half the citations of the November report.

“I think the state wants to see us make continued progress, and we are,” Tucker said.

In a June 5 letter to Blair County that accompanied the latest provisional operating license, state DHS Deputy Secretary Laval Miller-Wilson pledged the office’s cooperation and technical assistance.

When asked for further comment, the state DHS press office issued a statement indicating that Blair County CYF is making progress through improved staffing levels, fewer areas of non-compliance and engaged leadership.

“While DHS cannot speculate a timeline for when the county’s full license will be restored, DHS continues to work closely with Blair County CYF, its staff and county leadership,” according to the statement.

In May 2022 — when the state issued the first provisional operating license to Blair County CYF — the county office was operating at low staffing levels and it had no applicants to fill vacant jobs created by resignations and retirements that increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout. At that time, Blair County’s pay levels for CYF were among the lowest in the state.

Blair County now advertises for CYF caseworkers — who must be Civil Service qualified — at $40,170 annually.

“We are getting applicants,” Tucker said.

CYF’s first provisional license was followed by three additional provisional licenses during a two-year period — the most the state can award. So in May 2024, the state revoked the county’s CYF license and the county appealed. To resolve the appeal, commissioners and the state negotiated a settlement agreement, which mapped out goals, including the continued assignment of a state DHS operations manager to the county CYF office and required consultants.

While the state restored CYF’s operating license for six months as part of that agreement, it replaced it with a fifth provisional license in November 2024. That license was valid through May, when the state issued the sixth provisional license.

Tucker said she remains confident that CYF’s improvements will continue and encourages local residents to rely on the agency’s personnel to do their jobs.

“On any given day, something could go terribly wrong because somebody made a horrible decision,” Tucker said. “But with the increase in drugs, the fentanyl, the meth … and the violence that comes with drugs, we remain the agency tasked with helping to protect the children.”

In adhering to that goal, Tucker said CYF staffers are now distributing materials to discourage adults from the unsafe practice of sleeping with babies.

“We’ve seen a rise in co-sleeping issues … which creates the potential for tragedies that could be prevented,” Tucker said.

She also spoke of CYF’s efforts to help local families with unstable housing and food insecurity, both related to the rising costs.

“We’re getting some new families that haven’t been affected in the past,” Tucker said.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.