Filed  03/24/2020  Middle District 

Received 03/24/2020 

No. 53  MM  2020 

IN RE: 

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 
CONCERNING BERKS COUNTY 
JUVENILE DEPENDENCY ORDERS 
RELATIVE TO COVID-19 MATTERS 

IN  THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS 
OF  BERKS  COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 
JUVENILE DIVISION 

: 

: 

A.D. NO. 

OF  2020 

ADMINISTRATIVE  ORDER 

AND  NOW,  to wit,  this 

1 

of March,  2020,  it  is  hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED 

and  DECREED  that  due  to  public  health  advisories  to  reduce  exposure  to  novel  Coronavirus 

("COVID-19:) and  slow the spread of the disease, visitation  for and contact with adjudicated youth 

will be modified  and/or temporarily  suspended. 

All  visitation  and/or  contact  by  Order  and/or  Pennsylvania  Code  Sections  3130.68  and 

3490.235  between  an  adjudicated  youth  in  placement  and  their  parent,  guardian,  sibling  or 

prospective  placement  resource;  Guardian ad Litems;  and  Berks  County  Office  of Children  and 

Youth  staff shall  be  done  by  a  method  of  telecommuting  if possible  and  if age  appropriate. 

Telecommuting  shall include video conference, telephone  calls, including more frequent telephone 

contacts,  and  any  other  means  of video  or  audio  communication  to  effectuate  meaningful  and 

appropriate  visitation and/or contact.  If telecommuting is not  possible and/or not age  appropriate, 

then visitation and/or contact shall be temporarily suspended. 

FURTHER, it is  ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that the Berks County Office 

of Children  and  Youth  shall  make  any  and  all  reasonable  efforts  to  assist  families pending  the 

evolving  public health advisories concerning COVID-19 to  carry out telecommuting visitation. 

FURTHER, this Order shall remain  in effect until further  Administrative Order of Court. 

BY THE  COURT: 

Thomas  G.  Parisi,  President Judge 

M  Ann Ullman, 

Administrative  Judge  of Dependency Court 

cc: 

Honorable Jeffrey Sprecher 
Honorable J. Benjamin Nevius 
Hearing Officers 
Guardian ad Litems 
Contracted Parent Attorneys 
BCCYS