William O'Boyle: Meuser bill would enhance, expand family support addiction services

May 16—WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, and Rep. David Trone, D-Maryland, applauded the House passage of their bipartisan bill, — H.R. 433 — the Family Support Services for Addiction Act.

The legislation would create a $25 million grant program over five years to help national and local nonprofit organizations provide services for families impacted by addiction.

"The plight of addiction continues to affect communities across the country and in Pennsylvania, especially during the pandemic" Meuser said. "The Family Support Services for Addiction Act would provide grants to community organizations that offer critical support to families navigating complex insurance coverage and treatment options, better allowing them to assist their loved one on the road to recovery."

Meuser thanked Rep. Trone for his work on the legislation and he said he looks forward to the day when it is signed into law.

"In 2016, my nephew Ian lost his life to an overdose after years of struggling with addiction, but he didn't fight this battle alone," Trone said. "My wife and I were with him every step of the way, but getting him the help he needed was hard for us to do, even with the resources we had at our disposal. Our story is not unique. For most families, it's nearly impossible to navigate our behavioral health care system, and COVID-19 has made it even harder. I want to thank Congressman Dan Meuser, who has been a phenomenal partner to get this bill passed across the House floor for a second time."

About the Family Support

Services for Addiction Act

Organizations around the country help millions of family members affected by substance use disorder every day.

These groups offer services to families that are often not provided by treatment facilities nor covered by insurance.

Family support services include caregiver peer support, education and training, systems navigation for families trying to access treatment and other resources, counseling services, support groups for those in crisis and for those who have lost loved ones, and skill-building.

2 more bills

Meuser and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced two bills to connect job seekers with job opportunities and to enhance employers' investment in workforce development programs.

These bipartisan bills — the Partnerships for American Jobs Act, and the Investing in American Workers Act — ensure the federal government is an effective partner in filling open jobs and ensuring workers have the needed skills to fill these jobs.

—The Partnerships for American Jobs Act would create a new initiative to promote skills training programs and job opportunities in communities through the powerful platform of public media which reaches 99% of Americans.

—The Investing in American Workers Act of 2021 prioritizes workers in U.S. recovery efforts by creating a tax credit to incentivize employers to invest in training tied to recognized post-secondary credentials.

A recent survey by the National Federation of Independent Businesses found that 425 of business owners reported job openings that could not be filled and 37% have opening for skilled workers.

"The Department of Labor reports there are 8.1 million open jobs nationwide. With the right policy, we can help businesses fill these jobs and advance their employees' career and their business' growth," Meuser said. "These two bills do just that by harnessing the power of public media to connect job seekers with job opportunities in their area and by supporting employers' investment in workforce development."

Cartwright reminds families

of May 17 tax credit deadline

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, and Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, this week held a video press conference to urge hardworking families in Eastern Pennsylvania to file their taxes before the upcoming May 17, deadline to ensure they receive the accurate amount in new advance monthly Child Tax Credit payments as soon as possible.

As part of the American Rescue Plan, families could get monthly payments of up to $300 per child beginning as soon as July. The representatives say the best way to ensure eligible families receive their payments is to file a 2020 tax return — even if they don't normally file.

"After a year in which so many parents and children faced education, housing and food security challenges, we want to make sure our kids are set up for success going forward," Cartwright said. "This enhanced benefit is a foundation to jump-start kids' learning and enable more parents to get back to work again. I urge all eligible families in Eastern Pennsylvania to claim this tax credit ahead of the filing deadline next week."

In Pennsylvania's8th District, an estimated 126,100 children, or 90 percent of all children in the district, will benefit from the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit.

Families can file taxes for free online through the IRS Free File Program at — https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/.

Who qualifies for the Child Tax Credit Advance Monthly Payments?

—Families with an income below $75,000 for single-filers, $112,000 for people filing as the head of household and $150,000 for those who are married and filing jointly.

To be eligible, children must:

—Have a Social Security number,

—Live with you for at least half of the year,

—Be under the age of 18 as of December 31, 2021, and

—Be claimed on your tax return.

Children are eligible if they are your children, adopted children, stepchildren, half-siblings, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or certain other relatives. The adult tax filer must have a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

The Child Tax Credit will not affect disbursement of SNAP/Food Stamps, Medicaid, TANF Cash Assistance, SSI, or other public benefits.

Beginning July 2021, until December 2021, families can receive up to $300 each month per child ages 0 to 5, and $250 each month per child ages 6 to 17.

The maximum expanded Child Tax Credit is $3,600 per child for children ages 0 to 5 and $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17.

Families will receive the remaining Child Tax Credit when they file their 2021 tax return.

DHS urges Pennsylvanians

to apply for rent assistance

Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Meg Snead this week urged Pennsylvanians who are behind on rental payments or having trouble paying upcoming rent and landlords with tenants in this situation to apply for assistance available through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).

Last week, a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia struck down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) nationwide moratorium on evictions established in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The ruling is on hold as the United States Department of Justice appeals, but residential renters and landlords should not wait to pursue this critical, stabilizing assistance.

"As we continue to live through a global public health crisis and time of historic economic insecurity, we have a responsibility to help our communities weather this time with as much stability as possible, so we are all able to recover from this crisis," Snead said. "Last week's ruling may create fear and uncertainty, but we need people to know that they are not alone in this. ERAP exists so that whenever the moratorium ends, we can all focus on our recovery from this crisis."

DEP: Clean energy workforce

development to boost economy

A new report released this week by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) shows tremendous potential for clean energy workforce development opportunities that can bolster Pennsylvania's economy.

The clean energy industry has been a growing source of jobs in Pennsylvania for several years prior, and the COVID-19 pandemic has created a backlog of clean energy projects, resulting in a need for more skilled workers to fulfill project demands.

The 2021 Pennsylvania Clean Energy Industry Workforce Development Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis Report identifies how to best support continued job growth in the state's clean energy technology sectors.

"As Pennsylvania focuses on economic recovery and growth, the clean energy sector will undoubtedly help move Pennsylvania forward because this area is rife with opportunities for employees and employers alike," said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. "This demand is only going to keep growing, and it will need a strong workforce."

For the purposes of the report, the industry is comprised of five major technology sectors — energy efficiency, clean energy generation, alternative transportation, clean grid and storage, and clean fuels—as well as various sub-sectors within each such as solar, wind, efficient lighting, hydropower, smart grid, electric vehicles, and biomass fuels.

Over the last five years, these occupations grew by a collective 6 percent.

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