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Op-Ed by: County Commissioner Jeff Warren
Bethlehem, PA (Dec. 10) – In a letter recently sent to the Northampton County state legislative delegation, Northampton County Commissioner Jeff Warren has called upon local state representatives and senators to begin setting the foundation for enhanced mental health funding within the next Pennsylvania State Budget.
“Counties throughout Pennsylvania constantly struggle to maintain community-based mental health services because of the lag in state funding for well over a decade,” Warren said. “More and more of our Pennsylvania and Northampton County residents need mental health resources as we continue to come out of the pandemic. Our county and communities need enhanced funding to keep up with demand,” said Warren.
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania has been advocating for an increase in mental health state funding. In fact, they have called on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to phase-in approximately $1 billion over the next several years to restore cuts that were made from a decade ago. This funding would address the significant residential waiting list needs and invest in the staffing needed to provide case management that have multiplied in both number and complexity. Warren sent letters discussing the need for an increase in funding to State Senators Nick Miller and Lisa Boscola, as well as State Representatives Bob Freeman, Steve Samuelson, Ann Flood, Joe Emrick, and Zach Mako. Attached with this press release is a copy of that letter.
“We’ve done a great job over the years raising more awareness about mental health needs within our collective communities. However, our state government needs to put its money where its mouth is. Let’s not just talk about it and put band-aids on the problem. My colleagues in Harrisburg need to come up with a strategic and long-term plan to truly address mental health funding that will benefit Northampton County and Pennsylvania residents,” Warren said.
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