Pennsylvania Health Funders Collaborative Shares Its Legislative Agenda with Harrisburg Leaders

The Pennsylvania Health Funders Collaborative (PHFC) held its spring policy meeting with state legislators and administrative officials on April 8 in Harrisburg. Twelve members from the PHFC, a statewide network of 22 health foundations across the state, focused on five areas:

• Address the workforce shortages in Pennsylvania across the continuum of care.
• Advance maternal and child health policy recommendations to sustain a perinatal behavioral health access and consultation program, build a diverse perinatal workforce, and increase and streamline enrollment in WIC.
• Develop a full behavioral health crisis continuum to support 988.
• Streamline Medical Assistance renewals through the Ex Parte redetermination process.
• Support Medical Assistance flexibility and expansion, including affordable housing, expansion of continuous eligibility for children, youth mental health services and supports, re-entry prison benefits, and restored dental benefits for adults.

The PHFC members met with several legislators, including Rep. Schlossberg, co-chair of the Mental Health Caucus; Senator Judy Ward, chair of Aging & Youth and Vice Chair of Health & Human Services; Rep. Dan Frankel, Majority Chair of the House Health Committee; Akbar Hossain, Secretary of Policy and Planning; Meghna Patel, Deputy Secretary; Rep. La'Tasha Mayes, Rep. Gina Curry, and Rep. Morgan Cephas, co-chairs of the Black Maternal Health Caucus; and staff for Senator Patrick Stefano, Majority Chair of Professional Licensure Committee.