House Resolution 127 resolved that the Subcommittee should report its findings together with its recommendations for remedial legislation or other appropriate action at the earliest practical date to the Committee on Aging and Youth and to the entire House. The Subcommittee held four informational meetings and a round-table discussion in Harrisburg, and interviewed 19 witnesses from a variety of agencies such as the Department of Public Welfare, Child Abuse Prevention Committee of Central Pennsylvania, Juvenile Law Center, Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, and the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. The Subcommittee also reviewed the Maxwell Fisher case and other similar case reports of abused and neglected children. A Final Report was submitted to the Committee on Aging and Youth and the House of Representatives in April 1998.

The Subcommittee concluded in its Final Report that there were five problem areas that allow a child to “fall through the cracks”. These areas include the following: the drug abuse of parents and domestic violence/multiple live-in partners, more accountability was needed of the involved county agencies, and more involvement of the court. In addition, the Subcommittee also identified other areas, which could use either improvement or further exploration. The specific recommendations of the Subcommittee can be found in the Final Report.