Bill O’Boyle: Shapiro to address Pennsylvania State Police workforce shortage

Mar. 12—WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Josh Shapiro this week highlighted key pieces of his commonsense budget proposal during a tour of the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey.

Shapiro said every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe in their community — and he said safe communities start with ensuring police departments are well-staffed, well-funded, and well-equipped.

"From local and county police forces to our Pennsylvania State Police, law enforcement officers protect and serve the people of Pennsylvania everyday," Shapiro said. "But critical police staffing shortages at the local level are putting more of the burden on the State Police.

"That's why my budget includes commonsense proposals to address worker shortages and hire more troopers, invest in our communities and anti-violence initiatives, and support the work of law enforcement by sustainably funding the Pennsylvania State Police. Together, we will build safer communities all across Pennsylvania."

Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris said Shapiro's budget shows that public safety is a top priority, as it is for the citizens of Pennsylvania.

"The creation of a dedicated funding source for PSP and the funding of additional cadet classes and equipment will make our communities safer and ensure our department is well-staffed, well-funded, and well-equipped," Paris said.

To address worker shortages, Gov. Shapiro's budget invests $24.7 million in job retention and recruitment efforts to specifically attract more nurses, police officers, and teachers, proposing a refundable tax credit for new workers in those fields and putting up to $2,500 back in their pocket every year for up to three years.

Additionally, the budget proposes $16.4 million for four new trooper cadet classes in 2023-24, which would hire and train 384 new troopers, helping to fill staffing gaps and provide more coverage across the Commonwealth.

Shapiro also said combating violence is also a crucial building block to creating real opportunity and advancing real freedom for Pennsylvanians. He said this budget makes record state funding investments in grants and technical assistance to address community violence throughout the Commonwealth, including $105 million through the successful Violence Intervention and Prevention program housed in the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

Finally, the Governor's budget will sustainably fund the Pennsylvania State Police by creating a Public Safety and Protection Fund, reducing PSP's reliance on the Motor License Fund.

In doing so, an estimated $1.5 billion will be available for road and bridge projects while ensuring law enforcement has the resources they need to keep our communities safe.

Learn more about Gov. Shapiro's budget at — http://shapirobudget.pa.gov

Lt. Gov. Davis leads Pa. Commission

on Crime and Delinquency meeting

One day after Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled his 2023-24 budget proposal, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis chaired the administration's first meeting of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), which would see significant funding increases to increase public safety under the governor's plan.

"Every Pennsylvanian, no matter what they look like or where they live, deserves to be safe and feel safe in their neighborhood," Davis said. "The governor's budget strengthens our communities and improves our criminal justice system. It includes a historic investment in violence prevention and community-based solutions, and it also provides state funding for public defenders for the first time and adds resources for probation and parole programs to help returning citizens integrate back into the community.

"As I lead the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, we will focus on innovative, evidence-based violence reduction strategies, we will center the people who are most impacted, and we will listen to the local organizations who are engaged in this work. Governor Shapiro's budget is an important first step toward combating the epidemic of gun violence in our communities and demonstrates the administration's commitment to public safety."

The governor's budget would:

—Invest a record $105 million in state funding for violence intervention and prevention grants through PCCD.

—Provide $10 million through PCCD and the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee for indigent defense.

—Invest an additional $4 million in county adult probation and parole services through PCCD.

Sen. Casey legislation would begin to

reduce home care services waiting list

U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey this week held a hearing entitled "Uplifting Families, Workers, and Older Adults: Supporting Communities of Care," which examined the economic benefit of investing in Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS).

Casey, D-Scranton, said millions of seniors and people with disabilities nationwide rely on caregivers to provide everyday services like help with bathing, eating, and managing medications.

Casey said the caregivers providing these life-sustaining services often live in poverty — direct care workers earn a median wage of roughly $14 per hour.

"Investing in home care would address the decades-long workforce shortage crisis, creating jobs and allowing family caregivers to return to their careers if they wish," Casey said. "It would also help raise wages and improve benefits for caregivers, which would boost economic activity and consumer spending."

Casey also introduced a new bill — the HCBS Access Act — which would, over time, eliminate the lengthy waiting lists for home care services.

Casey said while the majority of seniors and people with disabilities have reported a preference for receiving care at home, they may be forced to live in an institutional setting just to access the services they need, due to long wait lists.

The HCBS Access Act would put home care on equal footing with long-term care facilities under Medicaid, ensuring eligible older adults and people with disabilities have a real choice of care and support options. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, introduced companion legislation in the House.

"The caregiving crisis in this country leaves millions of seniors and people with disabilities without a meaningful choice of where they can receive essential, life-sustaining care," Casey said. "It corners many family caregivers into upending their careers and living on poverty wages or performing unpaid work because they have no other options. This is not the way that a great nation treats seniors and families."

Because so many people are on waiting lists for Medicaid HCBS, most long-term care is provided by family, and most family caregivers are unpaid. The average family caregiver spends over a quarter of their income on caregiving activities and many must forgo promotions or work reduced hours in order to provide care.

Cabell, Watro announce

committee assignments

Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Sugarloaf Township, and Rep. Dane Watro, R-Butler Township, this week announced their committee assignments in the House of Representatives.

Cabell was appointed to serve on the Appropriations, Human Services and Transportation committees for the 2023-24 Legislative Session.

Watro was named to the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness and Local Government committees.

"I am grateful to Republican leadership for placing me on committees where I can best put my knowledge and experience to work for residents of the 117th Legislative District and all Pennsylvanians," Cabell said.

The House Appropriations Committee's primary task is to develop a state budget each fiscal year. Cabell will take part in budget hearings that are scheduled to begin on Monday, March 20, at the Capitol.

The House Human Services Committee has oversight of issues within the Department of Human Services and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The committee examines the delivery of human services and the challenges faced by individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, along with those needing mental health services and drug and alcohol treatment.

"My private-sector experience in the behavioral health care field will be helpful as we work on legislation related to Pennsylvania's opioid epidemic," noted Cabell. "I have firsthand knowledge of the devastation caused by drug addiction and can provide valuable insight on possible solutions to the problem."

The House Transportation Committee is responsible for reviewing vehicle code regulations, mandatory insurance and coverage minimums, rules of the road, parking and local enforcement, mass transit codes, rail issues, PennDOT planning, oversight of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, airports, scenic highways and highway naming.

"I believe my previous career and real-life experiences will prove valuable to the success of each of these committees," Watro said. "I look forward to working with members of the committee and each of the chairmen to advance policies that benefit Pennsylvanians."

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.