Wolf again will propose merger of health, human services,

When Gov. Tom Wolf delivers his annual budget address Tuesday, he is expected to again propose consolidating the state’s Department of Health and the Department of Human Services into one, unified department.

In his budget proposal last year, Mr. Wolf had advocated for combining four agencies — the departments of Health, Aging, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Human Services — into a Health and Human Services Department, but a number of legislators and advocacy groups fought the idea.

There was less opposition to merging only health and human services. Advocates said there could be cost savings to the state, as well as better services for people who might need help from multiple programs that are currently housed in two different departments.

For instance, the Women, Infants and Children program, known as WIC, provides nutrition education and food assistance to pregnant women and young children. It is currently run out of the Health Department, but most other nutrition assistance programs are run by the Department of Human Services.

Mr. Wolf’s secretary of policy, Sarah Galbally, said the governor believes this is the best way to consolidate functions for the two agencies and the administration would continue to work with any legislators who have questions.

The governor’s budget address will be followed by several weeks of hearings conducted by legislators, likely followed by wrangling between Mr. Wolf, a Democrat, and the Republican leadership of the House and Senate over the budget.

Legislators and the governor are supposed to agree on a budget by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, though in recent years that has not always happened on time.

The governor’s office has said that, as part of his just under $33 billion general fund budget, he will also unveil proposed new investments in child care and funds to aid people with intellectual disabilities who are currently on a waiting list for services.

In the 2018-19 budget that he will lay out Tuesday, the governor will also propose $4.5 million for 800 families impacted by the opioid epidemic to fund home visiting. Such programs send a nurse or social worker to the home of pregnant women or new mothers to assist them

with understanding child development issues, answer their parenting questions or connect them to other assistance programs.

“Home visiting providers are uniquely positioned to assist in this effort. These programs empower pregnant women to begin and remain in recovery, provide education to prevent relapse, and educate expectant mothers about Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome,” said a statement from the administration. Federal money for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, which funds evidence-based home visiting, expired Sept. 30 and Congress has yet to renew it, though Ms. Galbally said the new funds Mr. Wolf is proposing represent state dollars.

Angela Couloumbis contributed. Kate Giammarise: kgiammarise@post-gazette. or 412-263-3909 or on Twitter @KateGiammarise.