SMETHPORT – Today marks the beginning of a new era in mental
heath and mental retardation services in McKean County, but the
person in charge of coordinating those service says the recipients
will not notice any difference.

Charlotte Chew-Sturm, administrator of the newly-created McKean
County Department of Human Services said Thursday that the almost
2,000 people who receive some kind of assistance or counseling
through the county will be little affected by the change.

Instead, the big difference will be in the way the bills are
paid and who arranges for the services.

Since 1967, those functions have been the purview of a
multi-county joinder, originally of McKean, Elk, Cameron and
Potter.

Potter County dropped out about 20 years ago, and last year
McKean County commissioners decided to go that way, too.

Their reasons included both financial considerations and a
desire to have more control over how the services were handled.

While the CEM leadership and commissioners from Elk and Cameron
counties maintained that the break-up of the joinder was not only
unnecessary, the Department of Public Welfare did not express any
opposition, and in July approved the dissolution, to take effect
Oct. 1.

According to Chew-Sturm, the DPW recently confirmed the county
Department of Human Services as the entity to handle the MH/MR
services formerly managed by CEM.

Those services include a variety of things from residential
services, sheltered workshops and occupational therapy for mental
retardation clients to advocate, hotline, out-patient counseling
and family services that try to help families work out their
problems and stay together.

The county department does not directly provide the services,
but contracts for them with a number of providers such as Beacon
Light, The Guidance Center, Futures, Dickinson Mental Health,
Visiting Nurses and with some individuals.

In one new development, Intermediate Unit IX will provide early
intervention service for children from birth to three years old,
something it has previously done for four- and five-year-olds.

The new county department also has under its umbrella the
Veterans’ Affairs Office and Children and Youth Services; having
CYS in the loop will help. Chew-Sturm says her department is
“looking forward to getting necessary services to children and
families in need as expeditiously as possible.”

“The increase in communication between administration and
provider agencies is a recipe for success,” she avers.

“The Human Services administrator also plans to work to
strengthen relationships with schools. Because of the time teachers
and other school faculty spend with children, they are often making
referrals or guidance for their students,” she explains.

A 17-member advisory board made up of professionals in the
fields, clients and providers is being formed and will hold its
first meeting in November.

“The rejuvenated department looks forward to progressive
leadership in the new era,” Chew-Sturm said this week.

Commissioner Bruce Burdick Friday expressed confidence in
Chew-Sturm and her team of Linda Gault, director of mental
retardation; Jim Gelston, director of mental health; Russ Linden,
fiscal officer; and Vera Cloud, fiscal supervisor; saying that they
would continue to provide a high level of service and that he is
sure both clients and providers would be pleased.

He noted also that commissioners have already had a favorable
reaction from some service providers.