Pa. agency renamed to help end stigma

    Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare is making its name-change official. Employees of the newly christened Department of Human Services applauded as they unveiled literal window dressing displaying the new moniker in Harrisburg.

    “Words matter,” said Josh Stranix, a Schuylkill County resident and an advocate for those with intellectual disabilities. “It’s time for us to recognize the important work of this department and the people it serves.”

    Supporters of a years-long campaign to drop “welfare” from the agency’s name said it was no longer an accurate descriptor of a department that offers a range of services.

    “It’s taken a long time for us all to get here and we faced much opposition along the way,” said state Rep. Tom Murt, R-Montgomery, who sponsored the name-change legislation. “What we’re seeing here today is our goal of removing the stigma attached to the Department of Public Welfare being realized.”

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    The legislation was signed into law in September. It also requires the newly-christened DHS and partnering businesses to advertise a fraud tip line.

    The “Public Welfare” label hasn’t been scrubbed completely from agency materials and signs. The transition will be gradual to minimize costs.

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