CRT Committees

Lehigh County Children’s Roundtable
455 W. Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101-1614
phone: 610-782-3998

J. Brian Johnson, A.J., Chair

Primary Contact: Kerry Turtzo, kerryturtzo@lehighcounty.org

Court Policies and Procedures Committee

Improve court policies and procedures to expedite permanency. Support the Mission and Guiding Principles for Pennsylvania’s Child Dependency system from the Children’s Roundtable Initiative to

PROVIDE TIMELY PERMANENCY

assure timely and thorough court hearings and expeditious decisions for each child
assure competent legal representation for children and parents before a shelter care hearing and throughout the legal process
identify, create, and implement additional systemic improvement practices
ensure close coordination with Orphans’ Court aimed at finalizing adoptions in a timely manner

Committee Chair: Master Theresa Loder, theresaloder@lehighcounty.org

Data Committee

The CRT Data Committee’s mission is to collect pertinent and informative statistical data relating to dependency matters that can be used to identify and analyze areas of success as well as areas that need improvement.

Committee Chair: Jennifer DeBalko,
jenniferdebalko@lehighcounty.org

Education Committee

The mission of the Education Committee is to provide interdisciplinary leadership, and to promote community organization around issues of school enrollment and success for students in transition between schools and from school to independent living.

Committee Co-Chairs:
Tricia Welle, wellep@allentowinsd.org
Pat Theodore patriciatheodore@lehighcounty.org

Permanency Practice Initiative Committee

To embrace the paradigm shift underlying Pennsylvania’s Permanency Practices by providing leadership, support, outreach and education to the Lehigh Valley community and the systems that serve them, regarding strengths-based family engagement.

Committee Chair: Pamela Buehrle, pamelabuehrle@lehighcounty.org

Service Provider Committee

The Mission of the Service Provider Subcommittee is to support the overarching mission of the Lehigh County Children’s Roundtable Initiative by connecting, communicating, and collaborating among private providers and Lehigh County to strengthen Lehigh County families.