TRAC Services for Families Provides Permanence for Pittsburgh Area Children

TRAC Services for Families, formerly known as Three Rivers Adoption Council, is a licensed agency that provides a multitude of services to children waiting to be adopted, as well as foster families and teen foster children. They specialize in supporting children with complex needs, including older children, children with special needs, and those from the African American community. Within a two-hour radius of Pittsburgh, there are many children who are unable to be cared for by their birth parents for different reasons. These children are waiting for adoptive or foster parents, and TRAC works tirelessly to connect them and provide guidance before, during, and after homes are found for the children. Adoption can be a complicated process, and TRAC can guide those wanting to adopt or foster children through a plethora of programs designed to help both the children and parents. Being a foster or adoptive parent is not about perfection; it is about providing a safe haven for a child who is, through no action of their own, in a challenging situation. Ja-Neen Jones, MSOL, the chief executive officer of TRAC, was happy to fill North Hills Monthly in on the important work being done by this agency and its dedicated staff.

North Hills Monthly (NHM): What is the mission of TRAC?

Ja-Neen Jones (Jones): We provide a range of services and resources for children, youth, adults, and families to ensure stable relationships and strong community connections.

NHM: What is the overall vision for your organization?

Jones: We want to be viewed nationally as the highest-quality provider of innovative family-focused and trauma-focused services, with an emphasis on vulnerable and underserved populations, as measured by our key stakeholders.

NHM: Give us some examples of the main services that you provide.

Jones: Below is a list of many of the services we provide:

• Recruitment and Awareness Events – Engaging Allegheny County and surrounding communities to recruit and educate potential foster and adoptive families for children in care.

• Black Adoption Services (BAS) – Responsible for the placement of children and the supervision and support of families to ensure each child’s needs are met and permanency is maintained.

• Foster and Adoption Profiles and Home Studies – Completing comprehensive assessments to support safe, informed foster care and adoption placements.

• Child Preparation Services – Providing therapeutic support to help children understand their experiences and prepare for the transition toward adoption or permanency.

• Post-Adoption Services – Offering ongoing support to strengthen and sustain adoptive families, including respite care, case management, and support groups.

• Child-Specific Recruitment (CSR) – Delivering intensive, targeted family recruitment for youth considered difficult to place through the Pennsylvania Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN).

• Extreme Family Finding (EFF) – Conducting time-limited (12–20 weeks), intensive recruitment and permanency preparation efforts to achieve lasting relational connections for youth in care.

• Outpatient Mental Health Clinic – Providing mental and emotional health therapy services open to all individuals in need.

  
  

NHM: How does TRAC work with other organizations in Pittsburgh to help families and children who need your services?

Jones: With decades of experience, TRAC has established strong, long-standing partnerships with Allegheny County Children, Youth and Families (CYF) and the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network (SWAN) as a trusted provider agency, along with multiple contracts across surrounding counties. TRAC also maintains deep community relationships with local churches, businesses, chambers, and schools, while I, Ja-Neen, serve on local and national boards of directors. Together, these partnerships and leadership roles have been instrumental in elevating advocacy and expanding access to the services youth need to heal and thrive after the trauma of family separation.

NHM: What kind of mental health services does TRAC offer?

Jones: In addition to the services listed above, TRAC provides mental health outreach, networking, and training opportunities made possible through generous grant support from The Pittsburgh Foundation. The agency is also expanding therapeutic support in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, helping individuals who are struggling and may be unsure how to access professional mental health resources.

NHM: How can our readers learn more about becoming a foster family or how to adopt a waiting child?

Jones: To learn more about TRAC’s services or how you can help a child succeed, call 412-471-8722 or visit www.tracpgh.org.

NHM: Tell us more about your teen foster care project.

Jones: There is always a focus on finding loving homes for teens and youth with specialized needs. We are in need of families open to ages 0–21.

NHM: How many children has TRAC placed through adoption and the foster care system?

Jones: TRAC is a multi-service agency serving more than 600 children and 400 families annually.

NHM: What are other ways the public can help TRAC in addition to adoption or foster care?

Jones: You can make a powerful difference in a child’s life beyond foster care or adoption by standing with TRAC. Support our mission by attending the Grounded in Hope Gala on May 21, 2026; becoming a sponsor or showcasing your business through event advertising; inviting TRAC into your community to educate and recruit families; and investing through a donation in an organization that is changing outcomes for children and strengthening communities.

NHM: How can readers follow the work of TRAC in Pittsburgh?

Jones: Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @TRAC Services for Families