HARRISBURG - Hundreds of supporters joined Pennsylvania's Mental Health (MH)/Mental Retardation (MR) Coalition in the Capitol Rotunda today in support of mental health and mental retardation community services. Supporters included State Senators Robert M. Tomlinson (R-Bucks) and Allen G. Kukovich (D-Westmoreland), State Representatives Raymond Bunt, Jr. (R-Montgomery) and Kathy Manderino (D-Philadelphia), families, and consumers of services.
The MH/MR Coalition has the bi-partisan support of a number of legislators from both the House and the Senate. The Coalition launched its Working Together Campaign several years ago to increase awareness of the growing problems of recruitment and retention of direct support professionals in the MH/MR field. The shortage and turnover of direct care/support professionals in mental health and mental retardation community programs threatens the quality and continuity of services to over 250,000 Pennsylvanians.
Rep. Bunt stated, "We all know someone who needs a hand-up - not a hand-out - to help achieve his or her goals and to participate in his or her community. Community services and supports ARE the hand-up that Pennsylvania citizens with MH/MR need," he continued. "If we don't fund them, who will - and what will the consequences be but fewer services and opportunities?"
The Coalition has been successful in getting approximately $17 million in state funds and $33 million in federal funding for recruitment and retention initiatives. However, the actual need, as outlined to the Ridge/Schweiker Administration and the General Assembly since 1998, is $100 million, in order to adequately address the issues of recruitment and retention.
"Last year, we made progress in increasing the wages for direct care workers," said Sen. Tomlinson. "It is my intention to continue voicing my strong support for further advances in this area as we deliberate a new budget for fiscal year 2002-2003."
The MH/MR Coalition asserts that a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for MH/MR community services is necessary in Governor Mark Schweiker's 2002-03 proposed budget.
"I fully support reinstatement of the 2% COLA for MH/MR," said Sen. Kukovich. "It is the historical lack of a COLA that has created the recruitment and retention crisis we are in today."
The MH/MR Coalition is comprised of the following organizations: MH/MR Program Administrators Association of PA (an affiliate of the County Commissioners Association of PA); PA Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (PARF); PA Association of Resources for People with Mental Retardation (PAR); PA Community Providers Association (PCPA); The ARC of PA; and United Cerebral Palsy of PA (UCP).
Contact for this press release:
Melissa DiSanto Simmons
Director of Legislative Affairs
PA Community Providers Association (PCPA)