PCPA has learned that House Bill 1530 (HB1530), which would establish a loan forgiveness program for mental health/mental retardation/drug and alcohol (MH/MR/D&A) workers may move in the next few days. PCPA advocated for the inclusion of D&A with this bill since its inception and an amendment was successfully inserted in the Senate Education Committee in October.
As a reminder: this bill does not include a funding source for the proposed program. If HB1530 passes and becomes law it would put a MH/MR/D&A loan forgiveness program on the books; however, the next crucial phase will be finding a suitable funding source.
What
Members Need to Do
Please contact legislators as soon as possible and voice support for this
legislation. First priority are calls to members’ local legislators.
Harrisburg contact information for legislative leadership and the governor’s
office appears below.
If members do not know the names of their local legislators, visit one of the following links: www.legis.state.pa.us (legislator search information is located in the upper-righthand corner of the home page) or www.capwiz.com/lwv/officials/state/?lvl=C&state=pa.
The
Message to Legislators and Governor Rendell
The message must be clear and succinct – whether speaking to the Governor’s
Office, a legislator, or a staffer:
“Hello, my name is [ ] and I am a provider/staff [of mental health/mental retardation/drug and alcohol/children’s human services]. I live in [ ] county. I am a voter and a taxpayer and I live in your district [if appropriate].
Our systems continue to battle a recruitment and retention crisis. Enacting loan forgiveness legislation for MH/MR/D&A workers – HB1530 – would put a loan forgiveness program on the books. This would assist agencies in recruiting and especially retaining good, qualified staff. Once HB1530 becomes law the next step is to secure a funding source for the program.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your support on these issues.”
In the course of discussion, callers may also want to mention that the MH/MR/D&A community systems employ over 100,000 individuals in Pennsylvania.
How
to Contact the Governor and Legislative Leadership
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: 717-787-7112
Rep. 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: 717-787-3480
Additional
Resources Available
The PCPA web site has additional information available for members in “Legislative
Tracking” in the Legislative Affairs section, including
two letters of support for HB1530 written by PCPA. As always, please feel
free to contact any PCPA staff member with questions or concerns.
Follow-up
With PCPA
If members wish to discuss or document their participation with this Legislative
Alert, contact the association by emailing Melissa
DiSanto Simmons, Director of Legislative Affairs.
