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Human service providers have been calling for the funds for months.
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State officials say they now have a hotline for families to call about P-EBT problems.
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More Pennsylvania children in foster care are being placed with family members or someone they know. In an annual report, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services also found the pandemic led to fewer reports of suspected child abuse last year. Officials attributed the decline to the pandemic and reduced contact between children and mandated reporters, like teachers.
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One sector was already facing major staffing shortages prior to the pandemic – providers for home and community-based services for people with disabilities.
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The state estimates a budget of $200 million, with an additional $250 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan.
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State human service officials said more than 1 million children in Pennsylvania are eligible for P-EBT, and all benefit cards were mailed through mid-July. As of early September, more than 746,000 cards have been activated, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
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This month marks the 25th anniversary of the program's overhaul.
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On today’s program: The state Department of Human Services plans to move some responsibilities currently handled by local Area Agencies on Aging to a private company, Maximus, despite concern from advocates and bipartisan coalition of legislators; Kurtis Menniti from Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. explains how the organization’s pardon hub helps those previously incarcerated apply to clear their criminal records; and how compassion fatigue impacts educators and caregivers for young children.
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A for-profit company, with a history of complaints, would handle services previously provided by local Area Agencies on Aging, under the state's plan.
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Delays from the Trump administration, as well as complicated hybrid learning arrangements, and a lack of centralized data from Pennsylvania's hundreds of school districts all contributed. Districts also struggled to provide meals on-site.