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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 20, 2023 09:25 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Tarik Khan and Rep. Melissa Cerrato, Rep. G. Roni Green, Rep. Abigail Salisbury |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Supporting Our County Assistance Offices |
| Charged with being the point of contact for public assistance across the state, county assistance offices (CAOs) administer critical safety net services, including the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), medical assistance (Medicaid), and home heating assistance (LIHEAP). Unfortunately, CAOs are at a crisis point. These institutions of support are burdened with high turnover rates because of low starting salaries and cumbersome workloads. In every community, staffing shortages mean longer waiting times which can disproportionately impact our seniors, unhoused persons, and individuals with limited English proficiency who are unable to access or navigate online systems. With such shortages, we are failing our constituents. To combat this issue, we intend to introduce legislation that will direct the Department of Human Services to study the needs of CAOs. This study would include an analysis on the challenges faced by these offices and provide recommendations on how to support them. The findings of this report would be presented to our political leaders no later than one year after enacted. We have a responsibility to ensure access to public assistance, but that can only be achieved by supporting our local governments and getting them the tools that they need to succeed. By implementing this study, we will be able to learn valuable information on how to support CAOs. Please join us in co-sponsoring this legislation, and together let us move Pennsylvania forward. |
Introduced as HB1575