WILKES-BARRE — Jill Avery-Stoss, chief operating officer at The Institute, this week said data related to social services are included in The Institute’s annual indicators report.
This information pertains to government-funded programs, as well as efforts supported by nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
People who receive these services include older individuals, those with mental and physical health challenges or disabilities, and lower-income families.
For example, Avery-Stoss said many senior citizens live on fixed incomes and face significant health care issues. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, the percentage of the total population aged 65 years and older remains higher than the statewide percentage. Senior programming options are valuable parts of the community when residents have living preferences other than those of nursing homes or long-term care facilities.
“It is also important to be aware of different types of disabilities and difficulties connected to mobility, daily tasks, and other health factors,” Avery-Stoss said. “Communities become resilient through education and accommodation of disabilities in various settings.”
Social services extend to families too, and Avery-Stoss said measuring the poverty status of children helps ensure they receive essential resources as they grow and develop. Avery-Stoss said one-quarter of Luzerne County children live in poverty — the same is true for one in five Lackawanna County children.
Medical Assistance (MA), the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are among the government-funded programs available to these families.
Eligible residents who receive Medical Assistance or Medicaid payments have access to valuable physical health, mental health, and substance abuse services. Under the Affordable Care Act, Pennsylvania has expanded Medicaid to cover adults under 65 years with incomes up to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level.
After plateauing in 2018 and 2019, Avery-Stoss said 2020 brought another spike in the share of those eligible for Medical Assistance. This spike was due to expanded eligibility and a rise in unemployment during the pandemic. Those eligible for MA have not declined, demonstrating ongoing issues with wages and affordable health care.
“Parents who have difficulty obtaining healthcare coverage due to cost or job loss can enroll in CHIP to support their children,” Avery-Stoss said. “Statewide and regional enrollment has historically followed an upward trajectory, though it has fallen since 2021 as eligibility returned to pre-COVID requirements.”
The allocation of SNAP benefits among recipients depends on a variety of household factors such as size, monthly income, disability status, or presence of individuals 60 years or older. A higher percentage of households in Luzerne County receive benefits compared to Lackawanna and Wayne Counties and the Commonwealth overall.
Several federal income tax credits are in some ways similar to social assistance programming. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can provide significant income, in the form of a tax refund, to lower-income households.
Regionally, about 14% of tax returns included the EITC as of 2020. The share of households receiving Child Tax Credits and the average amount of the credit per return grew due to the expansion of that credit under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
“Tax credits and direct payments made in 2020 and 2021 have also substantially impacted the financial situations of families,” added Avery-Stoss. “As a result of these payments, child poverty statewide fell considerably in provisional data for 2020 before rising again when the tax credits ended.”