Department of Human Services (DHS) State Secretary Ted Dallas met with Philadelphia provider agencies, families, and the Horizon House community on May 25, 2016. The event, “Conversation with the Secretary,” was sponsored by State Representatives Stephen Kinsey (D-201) and Rosita Youngblood (D-198). Secretary Dallas responded earnestly to concerns and questions ranging from affordable housing, staff wages, adequate funding, resource allocations, to healthcare access and assistance for aging parents living with disabled adult children. He informed the listeners of the proposed increase in the allocation for Human Services in the 2017 budget that will expand access to quality health care and services in Pennsylvania. Secretary Dallas continued by saying, “We understand, when we make our decisions, that the folks we’re serving are somebody’s brother, somebody’s child, somebody’s mother if we forget that when doing our job we’re going to miss something. These are people, and they need our help, that’s our job.”
From left, State Secretary Ted Dallas, Veronica Michael, Philadelphia County BHS Family Advisory Council (FAC), Jeff Wilush, President Horizon House, Inc., State Representative Kinsey, Audrey Wallace, FAC member and Sharif Street