Bedford Children and Youth Services expand to larger office

BEDFORD, Pa. (WTAJ) — Bedford County Children and Youth Services (CYS) is upgrading their work environment — a transition that county officials feel is overdue.

On Tuesday, Bedford County commissioners approved the relocation of the department from its current office inside the county courthouse to a larger space only a brief walk down the road, signing a lease agreement with Hometown Bank for a building on South Thomas Street. While the lease agreement is for an approximate monthly cost of $7,400, with the 80% reimbursement rate from the state’s Bureau of Children and Family Services, the county is only looking at a cost of $2,045 per month with utilities and insurance expenses included.

The building will provide CYS with approximately 7,000 square feet spanning all three floors and the basement of the building. Bedford County Children and Youth Services Administrator Chris Gresko said the agency had long outgrown the office space it currently occupies and the move is a necessary step.

“We need additional workspace for staff, confidential private meeting space for our children and families and providers. This new space is a good match for us,” Gresko said.

“The caseworkers are right on top of each other, hearing every conversation. There is no, well, you’ll notice the environment is not a pleasant one for the work that they’re doing there. And it’s tight — there’s no room for storage, there’s no room for additional caseworkers, and we don’t foresee needing fewer caseworkers,” Bedford County Commissioner Deb Baughman said. “We think that that will be growing as the years go on so we’re making this investment for the program, that it would only benefit families and children, but it would also provide a positive work environment for our social work.”

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The new building is nearly move-in ready, with the county estimating the work still to be done to consist of adding security measures, connecting to the county’s internet system and applying a fresh coat of paint. However, the building is already fully ADA compliant. With the necessary work, the county is anticipating being fully transitioned to the new space by some time in September.

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