PA – 2017 State Budget Plans include Plans to Create Department of Health and Human Services

February 2017 ~

Pennsylvania recently released the state’s 2017 budget plan. Under the new budget, the state hopes to create a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which would combine the Departments of Health, Aging, Human Services and Drug and Alcohol Programs into one program.

Governor Wolf stated he worked with the four department heads for months to figure how to integrate the programs to better deliver services while eliminating duplication. The new department will be led by one secretary as well as a Cabinet-level adviser focused on opioid and heroin issues. The agencies have a combined budget of more than $12.2 billion, with the bulk of it going to Medicaid and other programs operated by the Department of Human Services

Current PA administration expects the new budget to save the state money and will not result in any program cuts for PA residents and reduction in staffing will be minimal.

Source(s): governor.pa.gov, January 30, 2017; PA Budget, January 2017;