TO: the Honorable Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly

April 11, 2016

TO: The Honorable Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly

FROM: Kristen Rotz, President, United Way of Pennsylvania on behalf of the Undersigned

SUBJECT: Funding for PA2-1-1 in 2016-2017 Budget

As members of a broad coalition of stakeholders and funders, we are writing to urge you to include funding for PA 2-1-1 in the 2016-2017 state budget. Specifically, we request that you appropriate $1.5 million to build a public-private partnership between the state of Pennsylvania, United Way and PA 2-1-1 in order to assure easy-to-access, comprehensive health and human services information and referral is available to every citizen of Pennsylvania.

In 2014, 2-1-1 assisted nearly 200,000 unique callers. This represents about 1.5 percent of the state’s population. Our statewide data shows the most frequent requests were for assistance with rent and electric payments, tax preparation assistance, gas service payments and food pantries. While this is a start, we know there are many more of our friends and neighbors who need a helpline.

As community leaders, we often find that people in need of assistance don’t know where to turn to find help for themselves or their families. This is a common theme in community and health care needs assessments across the state. Some residents will place their first call to the county assistance office, others will contact state or local elected officials. They might also reach out to an individual nonprofit, or a church, for help. Other Pennsylvanians, who simply do not know where to begin to look for help, will endure their struggles until their situation becomes very grave, or they are in crisis and unable to help themselves.

Over the course of the last 10 years, local United Ways, private donors and other funders have been investing in a regional 2-1-1 system. The service is currently available to 85% of Pennsylvanians, and the 2-1-1 infrastructure includes the most comprehensive statewide database of all public and private resources available to help people with their most pressing needs. However, 12 counties in the northwest part of the state are still without service, and there is work to be done across the commonwealth to assure a consistent experience no matter where you are dialing 2-1-1 for help. State dollars will help 2-1-1 achieve these two important objectives.

We understand that you must make strategic decisions regarding budget priorities. We urge you to recognize that investing in PA 2-1-1 for health and human services information and referral makes sense to better serve Pennsylvanians, and to achieve long-term cost-savings.

Kierston Hobaugh, Executive Director

United Way of Butler County

Shannon Schreib, Global HR Analyst

MSA Safety, Inc.

Michael Liebler, Executive Director

Connecting 2Tomorrow, Inc.

Sherry Sholes, Director of Finance

United Way of Butler County

Jeff Burks Mascara, Executive Vice President/CEO

SW PA Human Services, Inc.

Sharon Standish, Global Program Leader

Bayer HealthCare LLC

Bette Peoples, Executive Director

Grapevine Center

Lisa Leonhard, Executive Assistant

United Way of Butler County

Beverly Wogan, Administrative Coordinator

Community Relations

PEOPLES TWP LLC

William Bittner, President

Butler County Against Heroin, Inc.

Dana Perkins

New Beginnings Free Methodist Church

Kevin Boozel, Butler County Commissioner

Butler County Board of Commissioners

Ronald Bowser, President

United Steelworks Dist. 10 – Local 13300

Margaret D. Lenns, Owner

Margaret D. Lenns, Esq

Heidi Artman, Executive Director

Victim Outreach Intervention Center

Timothy J. Finegan, Executive Director

Community Resources for Independence

Mary Kubacki, Salesperson

The Vernon Company

Charlotte Scalise, Assistant to Executive Director

Erie County Human Relations Commission

Joseph E. Sinnott, Mayor

City of Erie

Charlie Campbell, Mayor

City of Corry, PA

Ronald A. Steele, Chief Executive Officer

Greater Erie Community Action Committee

Lynn M. McBrier, President

Lyndal Enterprises dba Little Caesars

Tammy Bartasavich, Co-Project Director

Positive Youth Development

Ebony Frith, Vice President

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Rho Sigma Zeta Graduate Chapter

Joel Deuterman, President/CEO

Velocity Network, Inc.

Sonya Arrington, CEO/Founder

Mother’s Against Teen Violence

Joseph J. Haas, Executive Director

Catholic Charities Counseling & Adoption Services

Robert W. Greaves, Corrections Counselor

PA Department of Corrections

Jennifer Nygaard Pontzer, Executive Director

Career Street

Jack Lee, President

Erie Crawford Central Labor Council

Valerie J. Vicari, Executive Director

Stairways Behavioral Health

Kathleen Hubbard, Director of Operations

SafeNet Domestic Violence Safety Network

Grace Kennedy, Executive Director

Community of Caring

Dr. James Jay Tracy, Superintendent

Girard School District

Harold Sheldon, Vice President

Iroquois School District Foundation

Beth Zimmer, Managing Director

Innovation Collaborative

Thomas A. Tupitza, Esq., President

Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, P.C.

Bruce Kern, II, President

C. A. Curtze Co.

Mary Claire Kennedy, SSJ, Social Justice Coordinator

Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania

Michael T. Victor, President

Mercyhurst University

Aldo R. Jackson, Ph.D., Director

Erie County Technical School

Karen Tyler, Head of School

Erie Day School

G. Currie, EVP

ERIE Press Systems

Patricia Lightner, District Director

PA Board of Probation and Parole Erie District

Janice Dovichow, Executive Director

Love INC of West Erie County

Melissa C. Lyon, Director

Erie County Department of Health

Gail Whitney, Executive Director, Northwest Region

Junior Achievement of Western PA

Mary Bula, Facilitator

Erie Together

Christopher M. Zehner, Senior Financial Advisor

HBKS Wealth Advisors

Michael Edwards, CEO

Marquette Savings Bank

Carl M. Carlotti, President

National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation

Jeffrey Plyler, President/CEO

Plyler Enterprises, Inc.

Diane Giannelli, Executive Director

Bethany Outreach Center

Keith Taylor, Ph.D., President

Gannon University

David J. Werner, Interim President

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

David Robinson, Executive Director

Union City Family Support Center

Rosmari Graham, Executive Director

SSJ Neighborhood Network

Almira Clerkin, Executive Director

Erie Playhouse

Bill Grove, CEO

Mental Health Association of Northwestern PS

Lisa Kelleher, Executive Director

St. Paul’s Neighborhood Free Clinic

Stephen J. Piotrowski, President/CEO

Advantage Credit Counseling Service, Inc.

George Trauner, CEO

Bethesda Children’s Home

Darlene Elsesser Kovacs, Executive Director

Early Connections, Inc.

Patricia Stubber, Ph.D., MBA, Interim Director

Multicultural Health Evaluation Delivery Systems

Dylanna Jackson, Director

USCRI – International Institute of Erie

Colleen Stuart, CEO

Venango Training & Development Center, Inc.

Bill Jackson, President

United Way of Erie County

David Gibbons, Chief Operating Officer

UPMC Hamot

Charles “Boo” Hagerty, Vice President

Northern Tier Markets

UPMC Health Plan

James E. Martin, Erie Region President

Northwest Savings Bank

James B. Ohrn, Vice President

Custom Engineering Company

Jennifer Schade, First Vice President

Area Manager

First Niagara Bank

Robin Scheppner, President & CEO

American Tinning & Galvanizing

Donna M. Griffith, Interim Executive Director

United Way of Indiana County

Jacob Creps, Partner

Creps United Publications

Bruce Weber, Marketing Consultant

Renda Broadcasting

Tracy Eisenhower, Sr. Grant & Contract Specialist

IUP Research Institute

Melissa Dunlap, Director

Corporate and Agency Funds

Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania

Jessica Clark, Executive Director

The CARE Center of Indiana County

Dr. Bonni S. Dunlap, Executive Director

Housing Authority of Indiana County

Sue Snyder, Executive Director

Indiana County Head Start, Inc

Jane Hurd, Director

Marketing and Business Development

Visiting Nurses Association of Indiana County

Bradley L. Peterson, CRPC®, Managing Director

InFirst Financial Advisors, LLC

Scott Valazak, Vice President

Indiana First Bank

Jennifer J Myers, Senior Vice President - Retail Ancillary Products and Services Sales Manager

S&T Bank

Vince Mercuri M.ED, CACD, LPC

Executive Director

The Open Door

Beverly Stiffler, Executive Director

Chevy Chase Community Action Council, Inc.

Laurie Kuzneski, Director of Marketing & Wellness

Kuzneski Financial Group

Robert L. King, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Kelly Berfield, CPA

Smith, Lewis, Chess and Company, LLP

Michelle Fryling, President

United Way of Indiana County Board of Directors

United Way of Indiana County

Marti Higgins, Executive Director

Indiana County Child Day Care Program, Inc.

Aaron Ludwig, Vice President

United Way of Indiana County

Bill Bracken

Office of the Bursar

IUP

Meghan Foulk, Board Vice President

YMCA of Indiana County

Susan Griffith, District Manager

New Story

Mark Hilliard, Sales Manager

Renda Broadcasting

Andree Petras, Board Member

YMCA of Indiana County

Eric Neal, CEO

YMCA of Indiana County

Kelsey Doak, Director of Development

YMCA of Indiana County

Rhonda Jones, Care Management Supervisor

Aging Services Inc.

Robert Hixson, Executive Director

Indiana County Assistance Office (PA DHS)

Skip McGreevy, Public Information Officer

Indiana County Health and Human Services Subcommittee for Disaster Preparedness

Mariann McGee

Camp Coordinator/Board President

Camp Orenda

Janine Maust, Deputy Director

Aging Services, Inc.

Diane Stipcak

IUP Career and Professional Development Center

Kathleen Abbey-Baker, Coordinator

Children's Advisory Commission of Indiana County

Carole Serbin, MA, LCSW, President

Croyle-Serbin Therapeutic Associates, PC

Kay B Smith

Kate Geiger, Director

Indiana Free Library

Debora L Stupic, RD LDN, RD Coordinator

Adagio Health, WIC

Dana M. Bauer, Executive Director

American Red Cross of Chestnut Ridge

Lisa Snyder, Director of the Indiana Branch

JusticeWorks YouthCare

Christina Coleman

Community Development Analyst

Indiana County Office of Planning & Development

Kristin Curci, School Counselor

Homer-Center Jr.-Sr. High School

Heather Gelles, Executive Director

I & A Residential Services, Inc.

Jo Ann Hawk, Executive Director

ICW Vocational Services, Inc.

Audia Boyles, Executive Director

Alice Paul House

Barbara Telthorster, Executive Director

The Arc of Indiana County

Dale R. Kirsch, Superintendent

Indiana Area School District

Tammy Buffone, High School Counselor

Homer-Center High School

Kami Anderson, Executive Director

Armstrong, Indiana, Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission

Shelby Lemmon, Consumer Community Guidance Center, Family Psychological;

Indiana/Armstrong/Clarion D & A Commission

Forbes Hospital ECT Program

Carey Sabo, Intake Supervisor

Indiana County Children and Youth Services

Carrie A. Bence, Deputy Director

Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission

Ruiess Van Fossen Bravo, Executive Director

Christian Counseling Service of Indiana, Inc.

David Schulz, SVP and CFO

Armstrong World Industries

Peter Kerekgyarto, Architect

Beers & Hoffman

Jessica Laspino, Executive Director

CASA of Lancaster County

Walter Legenstein, CEO

Certified Carpet

Beth DeGoede, Homemaker

Angela Sargent, SEVP, Chief Information Officer

Fulton Financial Corporation

Tim Dunigan, Laborer

Johnson and Johnson

Jennifer Koppel, Director

Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness

J. Richard Thomas, Administrator

Lancaster Mennoite School

Beth Crosby, Homes of Hope Coordinator (transitional housing)

Love in the Name of Christ

John Humphries

Brenda Smoker, Staff Development/Training Specialist

Oak Leaf Manor

Andrea Shirk, General Manager

Rock Lititz

Ann Linkey, Division Manager

Tabor Community Services

Peter Caddick, Board Member