State Secretary for the Department of Human Services (DHS) Ted Dallas spoke to a group of human services providers, community members, families members and service recipients at the “Conversation with the Secretary,” sponsored by State Reps. Stephen Kinsey (D-201) and Rosita Youngblood (D-198).
Without hesitation the secretary responded to issues from affordable housing, staff wages, adequate funding and resource allocations, to healthcare access and assistance to aging parents living with adult children who are disabled.
Secretary Dallas restated, “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.” With the proposed $900 million in budgetary funding for DHS, Secretary Dallas is on track to expand access to quality health care and services for people served in Pennsylvania.
At the conclusion of the event, Rep Kinsey stated, “Part of my goal is to make sure folks have the opportunity to meet with folks that have a direct link to the governor,” thus the very lively and productive discussion.