Published in the York Daily Record, by Rebecca Hanlon

July 16, 2014

When Gov. Tom Corbett signed into law the 2014-15 state budget, he approved $12.8 billion that would be allocated to health and human services programs in the state.

Some of those funds will be spread throughout York County to advance the governor's Healthy Pennsylvania plan, which focuses on programs that benefit the intellectually and physically disabled, seniors, children and low-income families.

Child Advocacy Centers

The state budget sets aside $2 million for the support and expansion of Child Advocacy Centers in the state, supporting a recommendation from the Task Force on Child Protection.

Deb Harrison, executive director of the York County Children's Advocacy Center, said it hasn't been determined when those funds will be distributed, possibly well into 2015. As vice president of the State Chapter of CACs and Multidisciplinary Teams, Harrison has been advocating for the funds and monitoring the use of the money.

Any additional money would help the York County CAC meet their demands for increased service, Harrison said.

As of June 1, the CAC expanded the age range of children they serve from 3 to 13 years old to 3 to 17 years old. The organization has previously served some 14 to 16 year olds who were in vulnerable situations, such as bad placement, victimization or had mental health issues, Harrison added.

The expanded age range will allow them to increase services to victims of sexual or extreme physical abuse, or who witness a violent crime, by 40 percent, she said. In 2013, the CAC served 385 children. It anticipates serving close to 600 in the next year.

ACCESS-York/Victim Assistance Center

Two budget line items go directly to services related to programs at YWCA-York.

The $2.2 million increase to domestic violence and rape crisis programs will benefit 60 Pennsylvania entities, including ACCESS-York, and 50 rape crisis programs, including the Victim Assistance Center.

"Both last year's and this year's small increase in our state funding sources is helping our programs overcome more than a decade of stagnant state funding, during which we struggled with staff lay-offs and waiting lists for services," said Nicole Lindemyer, community education director with YWCA York.

An increase of $15 million to child care assistance also will apply to the YWCA, directly benefiting the community through access to its child-care programs, Lindemyer added.

One gap that remains, she said, is a need that affects communities throughout the state: a greater investment in housing.

"For victims fleeing abuse, finding that home is truly the difference between staying with an abuser, living in your car or a shelter, or getting back on your feet and becoming self-sufficient," she said.

Legislation to provide statewide funding for the PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund did not pass with this year's budget. The trust fund created in 2012 leveraged $17 million to complete projects and assist with housing costs in 37 counties with gas wells associated with Marcellus Shale, but that excludes York County, Lindemyer said.

"Helping residents keep or repair the roofs over their heads is much less expensive than forcing them into dependence on shelters, nursing homes, emergency rooms or prisons," Lindemyer said. "At the same time, investing in the housing market has the power to spur tens of thousand of dollars in economic activity, not only in building homes, but also creating family-sustaining jobs to pay for them."

(York Daily Record, "State budget to allocate $12.8 billion to health and human services, many in York County," York Daily Record, 7/16/14)