Director of Philadelphia Alliance argues with DPW’s Richman on budget funding for MH-MR facilities

In a letter to the editor in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer, the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Alliance Tim Wilson, fires back at The Dept. of Public Welfare’s Secretary Estelle Richman’s letter published earlier this week.

Rendell’s budget shorts state’s most vulnerable residents

Today, the Philadelphia Inquirer editorialized that Rendell’s proposed budget — which gives no cost-of-living increase for mental health and mental retardation facilities — is hurting the people that need help the most.

Patriot-News wants yearly cost-of-living increase for MH-MR facilities

The Patriot-News editorialized today stating that, “the measure of a culture’s social conscience is the degree to which it takes care of those least able to care for themselves.”

The Times Leader calls for changes in state budget process

The Times Leader editorialized today asking why our state budget process always seems to hurt those that need help the most. They are referring to the flat-funding given to mental health and mental retardation agencies.

Mental Health agencies rally for more state funding/ Gov. maintains PA could face fines if budget impasse occurs

Representatives from agencies that care for the state’s vulnerable, such as the mentally ill, mentally retarded, and those addicted to drugs, rallied in the capitol yesterday, once again asking for increased state funding in this years budget.

In other news, Rendell also continues to say that there is no question that PA could be fined up to $3 million a day by the federal Labor Dept. if the budget is not passed in time.

Sun-Gazette: Mental Health facilities aren’t given fair share of budget $

Today the Williamsport Sun-Gazette editorialized that repeatedly mental health and mental retardation (MH-MR) facilities are treated unfairly by recieving inadaquate state budget funding.

Mental Health Service Providers fight for cost-of-living increase in yearly budget funding

Since 1994, funding for mental health and mental retardation (MH – MR) service providers across the state has fallen 33.01% behind the rate of inflation. In the past 12 months alone there has been a 3% inflation rate increase, which includes utilities and food prices, meaning that if there is no cost of living adjustment (COLA) this year, these providers will work at 37.69% behind inflation over the course of 15 years.