PCPA conducted a survey of members from December 2004 to January 2005 regarding the 2004/05 cost-of-living allowance (COLA) placed in the state budget by the legislature. The survey had a 25% member response rate representing 85 program locations. PCPA providers operate programs in multiple locations throughout the state. Survey results attested to the COLA situation in 43 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
General
Results
Of those providers responding, 53% did not receive any COLA (and 2% responded
that COLA does not affect their funding streams). In fact, Allegheny County
providers were told that their service line cut was lessened as a result of
COLA monies being allocated in the budget. Mental health (MH) allocations,
for example, were cut in the range of 5%. Therefore, it is concluded that
without the 2% COLA the cut in Allegheny County would have been approximately
7%.
As is demonstrated
in commentary from the 45% of provider respondents that received some sort
of COLA, a higher number of mental retardation (MR) programs reported receiving
closer to the intended 2% COLA allocation than MH or drug and alcohol (D&A)
programs. However, when D&A programs were promised a COLA by the county
it was the 2% allocation. Please note that at the time of this original survey
most allocations were verbal; that is, many contracts had not yet been sent
to providers from their respective counties to attest to actual figures. Most
surveys were completed by the provider organization’s chief executive
officer or chief operating officer.
Next Steps
The above information has been shared verbally with legislators and staff
through PCPA discussions and Legislative Affairs Committee, Government Relations
Institute©, and regional meetings. This report is a documentation of
initial survey results. PCPA is conducting a second part to the COLA survey
this month. The association anticipates a higher response rate and very accurate
numbers since the current fiscal year is nearing its close. Results from the
second survey will be available no later than June 7, which is PCPA’s
lobby day in Harrisburg.
