No More Cuts: Human Services Rally
on Wednesday, May 16th from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
at the Gazebo in Perry Square
(Rain or Shine)
Individuals and Families Impacted by the Proposed Cuts will Speak
- Mark Your Calendars -
Presentation by Sharon Ward, Dir. of Policy & Budget Center
followed by a Panel Discussion
on Tuesday, May 29th from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
at the Blasco Library
On February 7, 2012 Governor Corbett presented the State Budget Proposal for the period from July 1, 2012 until June 30, 2013. The proposal calls for a 20% reduction in Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) Program funding. In Erie County, the reduction means there will be a minimum of $4,432,291 less money to provide services to: children, youth and adults with serious mental illness; individuals and families who are homeless; families receiving child welfare services; families who need emergency shelter and food; and individuals who are managing substance abuse.
The proposed reduction amounts to Erie County Programs are as follows:
Mental Health: $3,022,663 decrease; Mental Retardation: $605,659 decrease; Homeless Assistance: $134,837 decrease; Human Service Development Fund: $72,620 decrease; Children & Youth Special Grants: $288,827 decrease; and Drug & Alcohol: $308,315 decrease.
Many individuals and families will speak about how these cuts will have a direct impact on their lives. Linda Parko, a mother of a son with Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder. Her son has been in the military for 12 years and has served two tours in Iraq. She is currently taking the Family-to-Family mental health class hosted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Erie County because she wants to gain a better understanding of what her son is going through. She would like to talk about how the cuts would impact programs and services that help families, such as the NAMI Family-to-Family Program. Linda is available for interviews. Dave Wooledge, a Certified Peer Specialist from the Mental Health Association, will host the human services rally. He is an individual with mental illness who was homeless. He is also able to speak on these issues.
The quality of life in our communities is being threatened by a little-noted provision in the Governor’s proposed budget – the elimination of General Assistance, (GA). GA is a safety net program of last resort for people who have nothing else. It is a subsistence grant of about $200 a month that 68,000 of the poorest people in the state receive. People use this money in all kinds of ways – shelter fees, treatment programs, a room in a boarding house. Many use it to live on while they wait for federal SSDI to kick in, a process that can take up to two years. In these cases the state then gets repaid. Women use it when they flee abuse until they can get back on their feet. For some, it really is a bridge to self-sufficiency.
What happens if the General Assistance Fund goes away? People with mental and physical disabilities who live in extreme poverty suddenly have no income. What happens to this group of people? Even if they were employable, (95% have a disability), and we didn’t already have an 8.5% unemployment rate, how would they apply for a job? The end result is more people living on the streets. More homelessness. More police involvement. More emergency room use. More costs to the criminal justice system. More demand for already overburdened local services. According to the numbers from February, 2012, Erie County has 1,776 children and adults eligible for GA funds in Erie County. Overall, 64,703 children and adults are eligible for medical assistance in the County (Source: pacaresforall.org)
These cuts cost more money than General Assistance does: The Governor’s proposed budget cut will cost taxpayers more money due to the fact that:
- If just 7% enter the criminal justice system,
the $150 million “savings” becomes a $9 million cost
- If just 1% enter psychiatric hospitals, add $20 million to the tab
- If just 20% end up in homeless shelters, add $23 million
The proposed funding cuts impacts people with physical disabilities, too! The proposed state budget cuts services to persons with physical disabilities statewide by $6.5 million and the attendant care program by $5 million statewide. Funding for Centers for Independent Living are being slashed 5%. These cuts follow years of prior budget cuts, no provider rate increases since 2008, and many drastic changes to these services made without stakeholder or legislator input under Act 22, all threatening the services that many depend upon for their independence.
Here is an update on the budget:
http://betterchoicesforpa.com/pa-senate-approves-budget-deep-cuts-remain
