County gets human services block grant
For Washington County, the second time was the charm when it came to trying for a state Human Services Block Grant program that was expanded to 10 additional Pennsylvania counties, allowing them to have more flexibility to fund their human services programs and better meet the needs of their residents.
Along with Washington, a new county joining the block grant this year was Westmoreland.
In Washington County’s $71.6 million 2013 budget, human services accounted for $19.2 million of estimated expenditures, or 26.88 percent, the single-largest category.
Via email, Commission Vice Chairman Diana Irey Vaughan expressed her pleasure and thanked Human Services Director Tim Kimmel and his staff for their success in allowing Washington County to make the cut.
Commissioner Harlan Shober said he learned of the grant Thursday morning from State Sen. Tim Solobay, D-Canonsburg.
In his dealings with commissioners whose counties participated in the first year of the block grant, Shober alluded to the flexibility it permits and said, “I haven’t heard of any issues. I haven’t heard anything on the one side, either. I don’t know of anybody that thought this would be a negative.”
Washington County’s 2014 preliminary budget will be available next week. Although the county won’t be holding departmental budget hearings until the week of Oct. 21, Shober was happy about the news of the block grant’s timing.
“We’re right on target,” Shober said.
In announcing the second round of counties, Gov. Tom Corbett Thursday said in a news release, “The 20 counties already participating have demonstrated innovative ways to manage the block grant money, a success that we’re looking forward to replicating in the 10 new counties.”
Last year, 30 counties applied and 20, were chosen to participate in the first-ever human services block grant pilot program.
This year, the Department of Public Welfare received legislative approval to extend the program to 30 counties. Fifteen additional counties applied and 10 counties were chosen based on several factors set forth in legislation, including whether or not a county participated or applied to participate last year, county geography, population and administrative structure.
The Human Services Block Grant covers seven areas, including:
• Mental health community programs. Based on local priorities this includes community consultation, and education, support for families caring for members with mental disorders and community residential programs.
• Intellectual disabilities. Services to individuals not eligible for other specific waiver programs.
• County child welfare special grants for dependent and delinquent children and their families.
• Homeless Assistance Program to help those who are homeless with shelter, housing, rental assistance and general case management.
• Act 152, which covers non-hospital residential detoxification and rehabilitation services for persons eligible for medical assistance.
• Behavioral Health Services Initiative for treating individuals with serious mental health and substance abuse disorders who are not eligible for medical assistance; and
• Human Services Development Fund, which provides assistance for a number of issues, such as combating isolation, poverty and dependence.
Neighboring counties, including Allegheny, Beaver and Greene, were part of the initial round of 20 receiving the human services block grants for 2013. Those three and the remaining 17, according to the state, will continue to participate this year.