SUNBURY - Northumberland County departments serving the elderly, children and mentally handicapped could lose approximately $2 million in state funding if proposed cuts recommended by the secretary of the state Department of Public Welfare (DPW) are approved in the 2012-13 state budget.
Reductions of $1.2 million in Behavioral Health/Intellectual Developmental Services (formerly Mental Health/Mental Retardation), $500,000 in Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and $300,000 in Children and Youth
Services are possible.
The county commissioners will host a press conference at 10 a.m. Monday to discuss the potential impact on county services.
DPW Secretary Gary Alexander, who was appointed by Gov. Tom Corbett, was granted authority under Act 22 of 2011 to produce $400 million in DPW savings during the current fiscal year and $500 million in 2012-13.
To do so, he can issue regulations such as changing eligibility rules and revising payments for service providers without having them go through prior review by lawmakers and the Intergovernmental Regulatory Review Commission, a cumbersome and time-consuming process.
The governor's budget proposals include steering state aid for seven county human service programs through a block grant for an estimated savings of $168 million and end cash assistance grants for 60,000 individuals.
'Great impact'
Judy Davis, director of Northumberland County's Behavioral Health/Intellectual Developmental Services, said the cuts would have a "major effect" on services involving enhanced personal care homes, health care quality unit and independent monitoring programs and drug and alcohol treatment programs.
"Act 22 was kept very quiet from everyone. A lot of county officials didn't realize it went into effect until earlier this year," said Davis, who pointed out that the cuts are only proposed for the 2012-13. "But I'm very optimistic it will work out and things will be OK. Hopefully, the cuts won't be as drastic as the ones being proposed because the most vulnerable citizens of our county that we offer services to will be greatly affected."
Patricia Rumberger, administrator of the county AAA, said the proposed cuts include removing the waiver program from her agency. "DPW wants to eliminate in-home nursing care and care managers from our department, which would fragment and fracture services to our seniors," Rumberger said.
She said there are 146 clients enrolled in the waiver program, which has six employees.
"It's a wonderful program because it keeps people home rather than having to live in a nursing home," she said.
As for the potential loss of $500,000, "that's horrible, because our department is fully funded by state and federal dollars," he said.
Cut 'state fat' first
Rumberger and Davis said they have discussed the situation with local state legislators in an attempt to persuade them and other members of the House of Representatives and Senate not to approve the cuts.
County Commissioner Stephen Bridy said cutting funding for elderly, children and less fortunate would be devastating.
"We have the second highest paid legislators and second highest tax rate in the country; I think we should cut the fat from our state officials first," he said.
Bridy said the county, which was facing a deficit exceeding $1 million when he took office in January, allocates $1,038,538 and $336,741 to Children and Youth Services and Behavioral Health/Intellectual Developmental Services, respectively. He said the AAA receives no county funding.
Bridy said Children and Youth Services has an overall budget of $8,039,789. The budget for Behavioral Health/Intellectual Developmental Services totals $10,985,658. AAA operates with a $4,635,868 budget.
Northumberland County Children and Youth Services Director Jennifer Willard was unavailable for comment Friday afternoon.