Tell Governor Corbett Words Have Power
Did you know that Pennsylvania is the only state that still refers to its human services department as the Department of Public Welfare (DPW)? Representative Thomas Murt and Senators Jay Costa and Bob Mensch think Pennsylvania can do better. They’ve introduced legislation (HB 993) that proposes renaming the department to the Department of Human Services in order [...]
Oppose Human Services Block Grant Expansion
On Monday, the House Health Committee will consider House Bill 461, which proposes increasing the number of counties piloting the Human Services Block Grant from 20 to 30. We also expect the proposal of an amendment to expand the Block Grant to any willing county. This is not okay, and we need to let legislators on the [...]
Act Now to Restore Cuts Made to the Human Services Budget
Help bring the lost funding back THIS YEAR! Representative Gene DiGirolamo, (R) Bucks County, chair of the House Human Services Committee has introduced HB 315, a supplemental appropriation bill which restores $84 million in Human Services funding that was cut as part of the fiscal year 2012-2013 state budget. If it passes, the cuts would [...]
How Have State Budget Cuts Hurt You or Your Family?
At the beginning of July, Governor Corbett signed the Pennsylvania stage budget for FY 2012-2013 and the 2012-2013 welfare code bill (HB 1261), which eliminated General Assistance (GA) and cut community based behavioral health funding by 10%. (Read more details here.) Months later, MHAPA and other statewide organizations are working to understand how these cuts are affecting [...]
Was Your Medicaid Case Closed? Share Your Story.
Since July 2011, more than 100,000 people in Pennsylvania have lost their Medicaid coverage as the state’s Department of Public Welfare (DPW) looks for ways to cut spending by eliminating what the department identifies as “fraud, waste, and abuse.” Community Legal Services (CLS) thinks that many of these case closures were done improperly, and is [...]
Oct. 12-14: Join the Call-In to Congress to Protect Medicaid
September 14, 2011, updated October 11 – Medicaid’s ability to serve low-income children and adults — including those with mental illnesses and other disabilities — is at risk! Your calls helped prevent cuts during the debt-ceiling compromise (see the August 19 Mental Health Policy Reporter), which created the 12-member, bipartisan “super committee.” Charged with developing a proposal by Thanksgiving [...]
Urgent Information About Medical Assistance Renewal Application Deadlines
If you are a recipient of Medical Assistance (MA) and have recently received a renewal of benefits packet from the PA Department of Public Welfare, you have 15 days to return the application. Anyone not returning the required information/forms included in the renewal packet by the provided deadline, will no longer receive benefits. Applications returned [...]
Act Now to Oppose and Request Hearings on HB 58
On Monday, April 11, the House Human Services Committee will vote to move House Bill 58 out of Committee. HB 58 proposes to amend Pennsylvania’s Mental Health Procedures Act by adding new procedures for obtaining involuntary outpatient commitment orders. The Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania (MHAPA) believes that HB 58 is incompatible with a mental [...]
Thank Governor Corbett for Commitment to Behavioral Health Services
During his fall campaign, Governor Tom Corbett’s published position on human services opened with the following statement, “Tom Corbett believes that meeting the human service needs of vulnerable Pennsylvanians is a core responsibility of state government.” In his first budget proposal, we are relieved to report that he has honored that pledge to the extent [...]
Act Now to Protect PA Behavioral Health Services Funding – 2/7/11
Governor Tom Corbett’s position statement on human services from the fall campaign started with this statement “Tom Corbett believes that meeting the human service needs of vulnerable Pennsylvanians is a core responsibility of state government.”
