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Department of Health and Human Resources secretary pleads budget case

Mark Knabenshue, left, executive director of Wood County Senior Citizens, introduced Bill Crouch, Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, during a meeting Friday at the Wood County Senior Citizens Center. (Photo by Jeffrey Saulton)

PARKERSBURG — Services for the elderly and disabled and the possibility they could be cut due to West Virginia’s budget deficit were the topics of discussion at the Wood County Senior Citizens Center on Friday.

Department of Health and Human Resources

Cabinet Secretary Bill Crouch and Bureau of Senior Services Commissioner Robert Roswell spoke about how the programs are funded and what could happen if the funding for the programs are cut.

Mark Knabenshue, executive director of Wood County Senior Citizens, said the programs mean a lot to many people in West Virginia and Wood County.

“If these services were not for the aged and disabled we might as well call for the fit and spry waiver or the able-bodied and strong waiver.”

One who receives the services is Helen Eaton of Parkersburg who has been in the program since 2015. Knabenshue said she received help from her caregiver Kathy Shaffer in many areas from getting to appointments to help with food preparation and grooming. She receives the services five days a week, four hours a day.

Photos by Jeffrey Saulton Helen Eaton, left, of Parkersburg, speaks with her caregiver Kathy Shaffer during the meeting at the Wood County Senior Citizens Center. (Photo by Wayne Towner)

“She has the opportunity to stay in her own home where she flourishes the most and best,” he said. “When Joe Manchin was governor he ordered a study and the results found it costs four times as much to place an individual in a long term care facility than it does to keep them at home.”

Roswell said the bureau would not exist in an alternate budget. He said despite being funded by the West Virginia Lottery, the bureau would be gone.

“They often talk about general revenue and they need to cut general revenue,” he said. “Well the bureau is not a general revenue program, we are a lottery program. There was a promise when the lottery was created one-third of the money would go to seniors, one-third to education and one-third to tourism.”

Roswell said through a network of agencies like Wood County Senior Citizen they serve more than 143,000 seniors every year.

“These are at-risk individuals,” he said. “When we talk about our home-delivered meals — the largest program we have — more than 1 million meals are delivered to seniors every year. They are usually female, more than 70 years of age and meet at least three disabilities.”

Wood County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Rob Cornelius questioned Crouch about the DHHR budget. (Photo by Jeffrey Saulton)

Over the last three years he said the bureau’s budget has been cut by $3.85 million.

“We were able to absorb them for the first two years,” he said. “But last year, the smallest cut put us in a position where we could no longer absorb any cuts through our administration.”

Roswell said there is an economic impact with 4,200 employees in all 55 counties. He said in 19 counties the bureau is among the top 10 employers and in two counties they are second only to the county board of education. He said $46 million goes out in food service or care providers income which is turned over into the communities and local economies.

Crouch said Governor Jim Justice does not want to cut senior services.

“He believes in not cutting services to folks,” Crouch said. “Our discussion ends up going back to children and the elderly. His budget does not cut that.”

Crouch said Justice developed an alternate budget to give the Legislature an option.

“That budget is not something the Legislature is not looking at, “ he said,. “The DHHR budget is tight and I can tell you as a businessman I thought we could find some money in a budget that is $4.5 billion, but they have cut $181 million since 2015.”

Crouch said any additional cuts will be to services. He said there are some who want the DHHR to be a smaller department and that would leave them with no alternative but to reduce services.

Crouch said Justice’s budget calls for a 4.5 cent tax on gasoline that would not be long term, small increases to DMV fees and one-quarter of one cent added to the sales tax.

“That would add $46.5 million to the budget.” he said. “He is also looking at a sugary drink tax. We can save a lot of money by changing attitudes toward nutrition and better training for parents.”

Crouch added a 50 percent tax on cigarettes would generate about $48 million.

“We need to convince the Legislature to pass a budget that does not cut programs,” he said.

Wood County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Rob Cornelius questioned Crouch about the budget for the DHHR. Cornelius asked why the budget for the state has grown by almost $500 million and asked where is it going.

“Is it going to waiver and DHHR expenses?” he said.

Crouch said the budget for the department is $20 million less than last year.

Cornelius asked if the growth in the state budget is tied to the DHHR.

Crouch said the state budget covers many different departments. Cornelius said the alternative budget has never been submitted, Crouch said the budget has been distributed and the cuts there would bring cuts to the DHHR.

“The questions you have asked I cannot answer,” Crouch said. “All I can tell you is the governor submitted a budget that does increase taxes in some areas, that is a given, if that budget is approved we will not be cut. If the alternative budget is accepted there will be reduction.”

Cornelius asked Crouch about taxes owed by Justice and if he should be required to pay them.

“You would have to ask the governor about that,” he said.

“You don’t think he should pay them,?” Cornelius asked

“You would have to ask the governor,” Crouch said.

“That’s passing the buck dude,” Cornelius said.

Crouch said the waiver is in danger of being cut depending on what budget the Legislature will follow.

“The governor’s budget includes some taxes and some revenues that will maintain these services so we don’t have to cut,” he said. “If the Legislature chooses to cut some of these services because they don’t want to raise taxes then we’ll end up with fewer services.”

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