HARRISBURG (AP) – Gov. Josh Shapiro and state Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh said the administration has a plan to end a waiting list of thousands of families who are considered to be in need of help for an intellectually disabled adult relative. They said it is vitally important to the plan for lawmakers to approve a funding increase for state-subsidized services, such as in private homes or group homes. Shapiro’s administration considers the funding increase a first step intended to boost the salaries of employees who, through nonprofit service agencies, work with the intellectually disabled. Federal law doesn’t require states to provide home and community-based services, and what states cover varies. In PA, the state uses its own dollars, plus federal matching dollars, to cover home and community-based services for intellectually disabled adults. However, the state’s money hasn’t met the demand, and in PA, roughly 4,500 families with an intellectually disabled adult relative are on what’s called an emergency waiting list for help.
