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Pocono News Section
State Budget Battle Hurts Human Services
State Budget Battle Hurts Human Services - Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 2:26PM EST
Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Thursday, Aug 13, 2009 @ 02:26pm EST
var images = new Array(); STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY - The state budget is weeks late. That means money for important programs has not been released. That will impact many programs, including those for drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Pastor Dana Antal knows a lot about healing. He leads a group called Celebrate Recovery at the Stroudsburg Wesleyan Church. He said, "We're not just affecting the person who is struggling with the addiction. We're affecting their families, their wives, their children."
The pastor was an addict himself. Alcohol and cocaine once ruled his life. He said, "Had I not gone to rehab I wouldn't be able to stand here and say that I got 12 years clean from drugs and alcohol. So the rehab was a spring board for me."
Now the pastor is concerned rehab might not be an option for some people. Pennsylvania hasn't passed a budget. That means county drug and alcohol programs have not received state funding.
Richard Mroczka directs the Carbon Monroe Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission. He explained, "Right now what we're seriously looking at is how long can we really go before we really have to close the doors."
He told Eyewitness News the commission might run out of money for rehabilitation services. There are already more than a dozen people on a waiting list. He said, "They're going to start going to the hospitals, they're going to get physically sick and it's going to impact more on other entities in the county."
Mroczka has asked commissioners from Monroe, Pike and Carbon counties for $100,000 loans. He's also seeking a line of credit from a bank. Even if all the money comes through, it will only buy the commission a few months. Mroczka said,"We gotta get this settled quickly. The people are suffering out there."
Antal added, "If we can heal those who are broken, we have a better chance of reducing crime and creating a safe environment in our community."
If county commissioners give the commission loans, the state will eventually pay them back. Commissioners tell Eyewitness News they don't have much to give because every human services agency is struggling right now. | |
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