Pass Renesmay Eutsey’s Law: Protect Pennsylvania’s Children
Pass Renesmay Eutsey’s Law: Protect Pennsylvania’s Children
The Issue
To: The Pennsylvania General Assembly
From: Concerned Citizens of Fayette County and Across the Commonwealth
Why This Matters
The tragic death of Renesmay in Fayette County exposed devastating failures in Children & Youth Services (CYS). She was placed in an unsafe foster home where warning signs were missed and oversight was inadequate. Families trusted the system to protect her, but CYS failed to ensure that her placement was safe, stable, and supportive.
What Renesmay’s Law Would Do
✔ Reform CYS Placement Practices:
Require enhanced background checks and independent home safety inspections before any foster placement is approved.
Verify that foster and adoptive families meet minimum standards for financial stability, safe housing, and capacity to care for children.
✔ Ongoing Oversight:
Require quarterly in-home visits by independent evaluators, not just caseworkers.
Conduct mandatory post-placement reviews at 6 months and 12 months for adoptive families.
Impose accountability measures when CYS staff fail to meet timelines or perform required oversight.
✔ Family Advocacy & Transparency:
Establish an Independent Family Advocate Office in each county to protect children and hold CYS accountable.
Publish annual public reports on foster home safety, placement outcomes, and corrective actions.
✔ Penalties for Bureaucratic Incompetence:
Hold caseworkers, supervisors, and administrators responsible if negligence or failure to follow mandated procedures results in a child being harmed.
Establish disciplinary actions, including suspension, termination, or loss of professional license, for repeated failures.
Impose civil penalties on agencies that fail to perform required safety checks or falsify compliance records.
Our Demand
We, the undersigned, call on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass Renesmay’s Law.
This law is about fixing broken foster care placement practices, holding bureaucrats accountable, and protecting children. Renesmay’s life was cut short because of systemic failure—now we must act to ensure that no child in Pennsylvania is ever again placed in an unsafe home.
4,749
The Issue
To: The Pennsylvania General Assembly
From: Concerned Citizens of Fayette County and Across the Commonwealth
Why This Matters
The tragic death of Renesmay in Fayette County exposed devastating failures in Children & Youth Services (CYS). She was placed in an unsafe foster home where warning signs were missed and oversight was inadequate. Families trusted the system to protect her, but CYS failed to ensure that her placement was safe, stable, and supportive.
What Renesmay’s Law Would Do
✔ Reform CYS Placement Practices:
Require enhanced background checks and independent home safety inspections before any foster placement is approved.
Verify that foster and adoptive families meet minimum standards for financial stability, safe housing, and capacity to care for children.
✔ Ongoing Oversight:
Require quarterly in-home visits by independent evaluators, not just caseworkers.
Conduct mandatory post-placement reviews at 6 months and 12 months for adoptive families.
Impose accountability measures when CYS staff fail to meet timelines or perform required oversight.
✔ Family Advocacy & Transparency:
Establish an Independent Family Advocate Office in each county to protect children and hold CYS accountable.
Publish annual public reports on foster home safety, placement outcomes, and corrective actions.
✔ Penalties for Bureaucratic Incompetence:
Hold caseworkers, supervisors, and administrators responsible if negligence or failure to follow mandated procedures results in a child being harmed.
Establish disciplinary actions, including suspension, termination, or loss of professional license, for repeated failures.
Impose civil penalties on agencies that fail to perform required safety checks or falsify compliance records.
Our Demand
We, the undersigned, call on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass Renesmay’s Law.
This law is about fixing broken foster care placement practices, holding bureaucrats accountable, and protecting children. Renesmay’s life was cut short because of systemic failure—now we must act to ensure that no child in Pennsylvania is ever again placed in an unsafe home.
4,749
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on September 7, 2025