[Pennsylvania] Forums draws attention to Fayette's poverty

from The Connellsville Daily Courier

By Mark Hofmann

Government and civic leaders came together Thursday for a leadership forum at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, to discuss and find ways of addressing social concerns in Fayette County.

The forum was in response to a study of the county's social conditions that was conducted by the Fayette County Human Service Council Inc. Research and Development Committee.

The purpose of the study was to generate data for use by community leaders and policymakers to design programs to tackle challenges in local communities.

The study consisted of geographically diverse focus groups, a mailing survey and ethnographic interviews, which consist of researchers collecting information by interviewing, observing, taking field notes and reviewing documents.

The recommendations from the study listed the availability and affordability of health care as a major concern. Second on the list were difficulties in navigating human services and dealing with human services professionals.

Third was education and human service agencies' lack of interaction with schools. The fourth major concern had to do with economic and community development, with one suggestion being that employers and health and human services organizations work more closely together to support the needs of the community, especially the working poor.

State Rep. Peter Daley said the summit is Fayette County's way of announcing to the world that the county is poor, has abject poverty and is in need of help.

"For those who believe that poverty doesn't exist here, I say you're in denial," Daley said. "If you say that poverty cannot be attacked, I say you're an obstructionist."

Daley said those who say something can be done and are working to do something about poverty are the people who will change the direction and history of Fayette County.

"I applaud you for your faith," Daley said.

Daley then introduced Estelle Richman, secretary of the state Department of Public Welfare.

Richman also applauded the efforts taken so far with the study in a county that is not only the poorest in the state, but one of the top five poorest in the nation.

"Our goal is to move away from that position," Richman said.

Richman said there have been some accomplishments in the county, where the unemployment rate went from 7.7 percent in 2003 to 6.4 percent today.

Richman added that there are different entitlements of what's considered to be welfare, with the largest being medical assistance, which is provided to 1.8 million Pennsylvanians.

Along with Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and food stamps, another entitlement of welfare is cash assistance, which is given to 64,000 Pennsylvanians.

"You're not doing well when you're on cash assistance," Richman said. "You basically have nothing."

Richman discussed the four major social conditions that were later addressed in four breakout groups after the presentations, but she wanted the human services agencies to work together.

"We have to go to a single-case model," Richman said. "It all means that you see the person in front of you and treat the person in front of you and not send them to six different places around town."

The big issue with integrated human services comes down to the agencies trusting each other enough to not repeat procedures and applications for a single client.

"The key is talking to an individual and listening to an individual," Richman said. "We can only thrive when there's trust."

The study of social conditions in Fayette County can be read online at www.fayettehumanservicecouncil.org.