August 29th, 2014
First Day of School Provides an Opportunity for the Governor to Show Leadership
On September 8th, Philadelphia public school students will return from their summer break for the first day of school. This school year comes with a lot of uncertainty for students. Philadelphia School District Superintendent Dr. William Hite said that if the State Legislature does not implement the cigarette tax increase in Philadelphia by October first, class sizes could jump up 41 students and 1,300 teachers could lose their jobs. Given the urgency associated with ensuring the schools are funded, PCCY is rallying parents and education advocates to push the Governor to exercise leadership by bringing the State House and Senate leaders together to reach an agreement so that a vote to fund the schools can occur when the House returns to work on September 15th. On September 8th , while children are in school from 8:00 to 3:00 , PCCY and others will be reading thousands of letters written by Philadelphia students on the importance of education in front of the Governor’s office and pushing for him to move quickly and wisely to ensure the funds are in place. While children are in school we will take their words and make the case for the Governor to act.
With eight hours of letters to read, we need volunteers. Join this rally for Philadelphia School District funding at the Bellevue Stratford at Broad and Walnut Streets between 8:00 and 3:00.
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Alternative Medicaid Expansion Plan for Pennsylvania Approved, Puts Poor Families at Risk
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved the Governor’s “Healthy PA” plan which will expand Medicaid coverage to approximately half a million citizens in Pennsylvania. While that’s certainly good news, it appears low-income families across the state could end up getting the short end of the stick. The Governor’s plan will impose the highest Medicaid premiums in the country. The plan would grant the Department of Public Welfare the authority to require a typical family of four with an annual income of just $23,550 a year, to pay a monthly premium for healthcare. A significant body of research shows that imposing premiums on low-income people leads to poor health outcomes, unmet health needs and loss of coverage. The Healthy PA plan also calls for the creation of a new Medicaid managed care system separate from the existing system that Medicaid recipients already use. This new system will only create another level of bureaucracy for families which can lead to errors in the enrollment process and gaps in care. Further, the Corbett Administration is still seeking drastic benefit cuts that will harm people with disabilities, seniors, pregnant women and Pennsylvanians battling serious health conditions like cancer.
To truly ensure a healthy Pennsylvania, the Governor and the State Legislature should amend “Healthy PA” to remove the premium requirements for poor families, use the current Medicaid system that families already use and ensure that all Pennsylvanians receive the benefits they need to live healthy lives.
Click here to send a letter to the governor and your local legislators.
Bringing Family Services into Schools a Good Idea that Needs a Lot More Work
City Council recently held a hearing on Council President Darrell Clarke’s bill to explore the idea of establishing a program called “School-Based Family Services.” Through the program Philadelphia schools would function as neighborhood hubs for key social and housing services. Consolidating services into one location would make it easier for families to access the programs they need in one place instead of traveling to different offices across the city. Philadelphia has at least one example of a community school in Sayre High School, through a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, which offers similar services at its school in West Philadelphia.
It is not clear what additional resources would be needed to make “School-Based Family Services” a reality. Council President Darrell Clarke recently suggested that if additional funding is needed for the program, the city could consider using some of the money it sends to schools. Philadelphia School District Chief of Student Services Karyn Lynch accurately stated in her testimony to council that taking funding away from schools to pay for other services “would be like taking from Peter to pay Paul.”
Council deserves credit for looking for ways to make critical safety net services easily available to struggling families. Clearly we must find a way to do this so our schools are not short changed and the needs of our families are met.