Tuesday, May 3, 2011

End red tape at Department of Public Welfare

Published: Tuesday, May 03, 2011, 5:05 AM
By Patriot-News Op-Ed
By Judy Happ

Throughout the 1990s, Pennsylvania’s disadvantaged children were well served by a healthy partnership between counties and hundreds of private agencies delivering a wide range of diverse services — from day treatment and therapeutic family care to residential programs.

The system provided a healthy alternative to government-run facilities for children who needed more acute care and guidance to become productive members of our communities. Today, that system is suffering from funding cutbacks and a nightmare of red tape imposed by the Office of Children, Youth and Families in the Department of Public Welfare.

The red tape largely stems from a rate-setting process implemented in 2008 by DPW. The state Commonwealth Court unanimously ruled this process to be illegal, but DPW has appealed. Until these appeals are exhausted or unless DPW finally decides to put neglected and abused children first, counties and providers are left to make difficult decisions. FULL STORY

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