Pa. Welfare Dept. to change name to Human Services, but slowly

HARRISBURG -- The state's Department of Public Welfare could soon become the Department of Human Services -- gradually.

The name would change at first only within state statutes and regulations, according to a bill approved by the state House on Monday night.

A coalition of nonprofits, with support from legislators and several former governors, has been pushing to rename the agency, citing the negative connotations of the term "welfare" and Pennsylvania's status as one of only two states that continue to use the word in the name of their state human services agency.

A Department of Human Services "will have a broader definition than simply welfare. It will represent services like children being adopted, preventing child abuse, helping frail seniors, providing independent living for people with disabilities and other important services," said Bob Nelkin, president of the United Way of Allegheny County.

In order to save money in a transition, the DPW can continue to use the name DPW on badges, licenses, stationery and any other official documents until existing supplies are exhausted, according to the bill, which was approved in a 137-65 vote just hours before the House adjourned for the summer.

Agency signs will not be replaced until the current signs "are worn and in need of replacement," the bill further states. This should be coordinated with changes in administration -- meaning January 2015 at the earliest, and possibly not for another four years after that.

This gradual phase-in of the name change was to make the proposal as cost-neutral as possible, said the House bill's sponsor, Rep. Tom Murt, R-Montgomery.

A renaming bill passed the state Senate on Sunday in a 40-10 vote, as part of a larger budget-related bill.

The Senate must approve the measure again for procedural reasons.

At one point Monday, however, the effort appeared to have stalled in the House, due in part to conservative opposition.

During a House rules committee meeting Monday, the name change language was stripped from the House version of the Senate bill.

Steve Miskin, a spokesman for Republican Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods, said there were a number of Republican members with "concerns" about the bill.

"Why in the world would we want to rename the Department of Public Welfare?" said Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, speaking prior to the House vote. "I think there should be a stigmatism for being on welfare. ... You should not be satisfied with living off the fruit of your neighbor's labor."

Mr. Metcalfe said he disagrees with human service groups who say very little of what the DPW does is cash assistance welfare.

"That's nonsense," Mr. Metcalfe said. "It's all welfare. It's all taking from one and giving to another."

Mr. Murt disagreed.

"Less than 10 percent of what DPW does is what we would call 'welfare,' " he said. "Most of what they do is taking care of adults with special needs, seniors that have no one to care for them, orphans, the handicapped, people with various types of disabilities, the homeless. That is the mission of human services. That is not welfare as we know it."

A spokesman for Gov. Tom Corbett could not be reached.