HERMITAGE Panel chair pushes child care, kids' health

Michael Gruitza said he would tap the Department of Revenue for the funds.
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The Democratic chairman of the state House Children and Youth Committee said he will offer two amendments to the proposed state budget to bolster children's health and child-care programs.
The changes would shift some funds around but wouldn't increase total budget expenditures, said Rep. Michael Gruitza of Hermitage, D-7th, named chairman of the committee this year.
Would redirect money: The first amendment would redirect $3 million in state money from the $140 million Department of Revenue appropriation, directing it to the federally funded Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program.
WIC provides health and nutrition care to prenatal and nursing mothers and to infants but federal support for the program is shrinking. Pennsylvania, although touting the program's positive impact, hasn't provided state money to fill the funding gap.
His second amendment would encourage more people to obtain college degrees in child care by offering to forgive a portion of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency-backed student loans.
The current state budget has $100,000 set aside for that purpose, but the new budget contains no allocation for the program, Gruitza said.
His amendment would restore the $100,000 by again trimming funds from the Department of Revenue.
Child care isn't a profession that offers a lot of financial incentive for new entrants into the field but the student loan forgiveness program is one way to help offset the pay scale disadvantages for newly graduated child-care professionals, Gruitza said.