Dear [Your Elected Official],

<p>We are contacting you to request your support for House Bill 1609 as it is imperative for services stipulated in the bill to be funded during a budget impasse.</p> <p>Most children’s services are mandated: they are court-ordered and outlined in federal and state laws and regulations. These services are funded through designated state, federal, and local funding streams. Providers are also contractually obligated to continue services even if payment stops. Despite this arrangement, whenever there is a delay in approving the state budget, funding for these publicly-mandated services are never made available to the professionals and organizations that must continue to deliver these services.</p> <p>During the FY15-16 budget impasse, the counties and providers that continued to support children and families had to secure additional funding and credit lines, deplete their reserves, lay-off staff, and/or borrow against buildings and assets. These organizations are already operating on razor-thin margins and these expenses resulted in funds that could have otherwise gone towards Pennsylvania’s most challenged communities. Another round of withheld payments for Pennsylvania's human services community would be catastrophic, especially given the added challenges since 2016, which include workforce uncertainties, the COVID-19 pandemic, budget delays, skyrocketing liability insurance costs, etc.</p> <p>Please support House Bill 1609 to ensure that children’s services providers in child welfare, juvenile justice, and children’s behavioral health are designated as “essential services,” thereby allowing them to continue to receive payments in the event of another budget impasse, delay, or stalemate.</p>