Comments on: October 23: Gary Alexander, PA Public Welfare Secretary

By: Tdettery

Tdettery — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:48:00 +0000

Hi Mr Secretary Alexander, as a Stae Employee at a State Hospital, what are your and the Governors plans for them as for keeping them open. thank you

By: Maureen Westcott

Maureen Westcott — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:48:00 +0000

Can you tell us what the status of Adult Protective Services System is? Gov Corbett added funds in the budget for implementation so that people between the ages of 18 and 59 have protections.

By: DBrown

DBrown — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:46:00 +0000

Please read my comment below on the air, I was not able to get all of it onTwitter

By: DBrown

DBrown — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:38:00 +0000

Mr. Secretary, my question is in regard to the Pilot Block
Grant Program. A lawsuit was recently
filed in Commonwealth Court on October 1st in Washington v. DPW. The plaintiffs in that lawsuit are seeking an
injunction to stop the implementation of the Pilot Block Grant, on the basis that
the Department of Public Welfare failed to promulgated written standards and
criteria concerning its implementation, including the criteria used to select
participating counties. As part of your commitment
to the Citizens of Pennsylvania to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not wasted
on costly litigation, and that the agency you are tasked with leading operates
smoothly, what would you have done differently, and what will you do going forward
to ensure that new cost cutting initiatives are promulgated in a constitutional
and cost effective manner?

By: Jhett66

Jhett66 — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:21:00 +0000

I’m hoping my statement is read on the air. People need to hear it. Thank you

By: Jhett66

Jhett66 — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:29:00 +0000

As the parent of three children with disabilities who receive the services of DPW, I commend you and governor Corbett for your efforts to streamline services and programs as well as taking measures to stop the waste and abuse of some service providers who have seen these programs as their personal cash cows while others sit on waiting lists for services

I am also a person with disabilities and can tell you that we do not all agree with the views of the disability advocates who have been rallying in Harrisburg. The days of entitlement, waste and abuse of services and funding has to stop. in order to do that, compromise has to be made in order to ensure everyone gets the services they need.

One of the major discussion points being shouted out in these rallies is The recent issue with the delay in attendant payrolls during the implementation of the streamlining of financial management services.

what’s not being said is that this issue was caused by an outraged provider when they discovered that when these necessary measures were actually going to happen, they threw all the persons with disabilities they served into the fire by dropping them without notice and leaving them without a provider. That caused the new provider to have to step up and start providing services before they were fully prepared. The former provider, being disgruntled actually set the new provider up for failure to send a message to DPW.

But was no one has admitted is that this tactic actually did more harm to people with disabilities than any policy ever implemented by DPW.

Current providers did this just to prove a point and made their clients martyrs for the cause. But no one seems to be disclosing this fact to the media.

All that is heard is that DPW is cold hearted. We should all be thankful for the services and stop expecting the taxpayers to continue to be burdened with extravagances and get down to the business of providing basic needs to all who need them.

And With that, I just want to say that you are on the right track and to Keep up the good work!

By: Eva Bednar

Eva Bednar — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:26:00 +0000

Funds negotiated by Allegheny County upon the closure of State Mental Hospital beds (Mayview State Hospital) over the past 15 years have been moved to the Human Services Block Grant and cut by 10%. What is your justification for cutting these funds after they were agreed upon by both the state and the county?