PCPA’s June Lobby Day was a success! Legislators and staff have indicated that the message was received loud and clear: a 3% cost-of-living-allowance (COLA) must be included in the 2004-05 state budget for mental health/mental retardation/drug and alcohol (MH/MR/D&A) services.
Key legislative staff have indicated that PCPA members should continue to “keep up the pressure” by making phone calls, writing email, and sending faxes over the next several days. The COLA is definitely included in the budget negotiations and it must be in the final budget on which legislators will vote. (Latest indications are that the budget will be passed some time on Saturday, July 3).
PCPA thanks those members who have already remitted Lobby Day evaluation forms to the Association. Please take a moment to send this follow up information to the Association, as it assists with tracking the success of the effort. A legislative contact form is available from the link or you may email Melissa DiSanto Simmons, Director of Legislative Affairs, at melissa@paproviders.org with the information.
Contacting Legislators and Staff
Please set aside about 20-30 minutes to make several phone calls – preferably, to your local legislators and the Governor’s Office, and especially to legislative leadership offices (Harrisburg telephone numbers appear below). The General Assembly is scheduled in session all week making prime time for calls between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.Members who participated in PCPA’s Lobby Day on May 25 may want to follow up with the legislators and staff member with whom they visited. If members wish to contact their local legislators and do not know who they are, they may visit the following link: www.capwiz.com/lwv/officials/state/?lvl=C&state=pa.
Sending a Clear Message
The message must be clear and succinct – whether speaking to the Governor’s Office, a legislator or a staff person. The following “script” can be used as a reference:“Hello, my name is [______ ] and I am a provider/staff member/consumer [of mental health/mental retardation/drug and alcohol/children’s human services] OR person in recovery. I live in [____ ] county. I am a voter and a taxpayer and I live in your district [if appropriate].
We are facing the third consecutive year with no cost-of-living-allowance (COLA). The MH/MR/D&A system must have the 3% ($30 million) COLA for the 2004-05 state budget. The COLA is the first-step in finding a viable means to a long-term solution for adequate MH/MR/D&A funding. This COLA must be in budgets of both the Department of Public Welfare and the Department of Health (DOH), as some D&A services are funded through DOH.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your support on these issues.”
In the course of discussion, you may want to mention that the MH/MR/D&A community system serves over 350,000 consumers/persons in recovery and employs over 100,000 individuals. The funding crisis affects consumers, families, counties, and community-based MH/MR/D&A providers.
Special note for D&A providers: PCPA has worked diligently to make sure increases are included for D&A services. In your discussions with legislators, please emphasize that funds for a D&A COLA will need to be earmarked in the DOH budget.
Contact Information
Governor Edward G. Rendell - (717) 787-2500 or (800) 932-0784
Sen. Robert Jubelirer (R), President Pro Tempore - (717) 787-5490
Sen. David “Chip” Brightbill (R), Majority Leader - (717) 787-5708
Sen. Robert Mellow (D), Minority Leader - (717) 787-6481
Sen. Robert Thompson (R), Appropriations Chair - (717) 787-5709
Sen. Vincent Fumo (D), Appropriations Minority Chair - (717) 787-5662
Sen. Harold Mowery (R), Public Health & Welfare Chair - (717) 787-8524
Sen. Vincent Hughes (D), Public Health & Welfare Min. Chair (717) 787-7112Rep. John Perzel (R), Speaker - (717) 787-2016
Rep. Samuel Smith (R), Majority Leader -(717) 787-3845
Rep. H. William DeWeese (D), Minority Leader - (717) 783-3797
Rep. David Argall (R), Appropriations Chair - (717) 787-9024
Rep. Dwight Evans (D), Appropriations Minority Chair - (717) 783-1540
Rep. George Kenney (R), Health & Human Services Chair - (717) 787-8523
Rep. Frank Oliver (D), Health & Human Services Min. Chair - (717) 787-3480Additional Resources Available
The PCPA web site has additional information available in the “Pennsylvania Budget Information” area of the Legislative Affairs section, including PCPA’s budget analysis and budget positions. As always, please feel free to contact any PCPA staff member with questions or concerns.The Association thanks the membership for its support and hard work to secure a 3% COLA. PCPA will continue to provide regular updates to the membership regarding state budget information.