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In this Update:
Wishing You a Happy and Healthy New Year
As we turn the calendar page on another eventful year, I want to wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2026. May the new year bring you joy and success, shared with those you love. 2025 Review: Improving Pennsylvania Health Care
Healthy and safe communities are one of my top priorities. The Senate passed several measures in 2025 aimed at improving health care across Pennsylvania. Legislation of note included bills expanding no-cost breast cancer screening, saving lives from overdoses and preserving prescription drug coverage for seniors. The Senate also acted to alleviate staffing shortages in long-term care facilities, expand access to high-quality maternity services, and more. As we enter the second year of the 2025-26 legislative session, I’ll continue working to improve access to affordable, quality health care. Read more about health care legislation and other important bills here. Heating Assistance Program Now Open
Residents who struggle with their home heating bills can apply for assistance from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps individuals and families pay their heating bills through home heating energy assistance grants. It also provides crisis grants to help in the event of an emergency or if a resident is in danger of losing his or her heat due to broken equipment, lack of fuel or termination of utility service. Learn about income eligibility and other details here. Apply online at www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS or by phone at 1-866-857-7095. The program runs through April 2026. PA Treasury Mails Nearly 100,000 Money Match Checks Check your mailboxes, because the Pennsylvania Treasury Department recently mailed nearly 100,000 Pennsylvania Money Match checks totaling more than $22 million. Treasurer Stacy Garrity urges those who receive a check to cash or deposit it immediately – this is a real program, and this money belongs to Pennsylvanians. Money Match, a law that went into effect in 2025, allows the Pennsylvania Treasury to return single-owner unclaimed property valued at $500 or less automatically without the need to search or file a claim. Money Match successfully returned $50 million in its first year and will continue issuing checks quarterly. More than one in 10 Pennsylvanians is owed some of the over $5 billion of unclaimed property in Treasury’s care. The average value of a claim is $1,000. Visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property to start searching. Watch Out for Black Ice
Nearly impossible to see, black ice is a thin, transparent layer of ice that forms on road surfaces creating a significant driving and walking hazard. It appears “black” because the dark color of the pavement or surface beneath shows through the clear ice. Black ice typically forms when air temperatures are at or just below freezing. Common locations are bridges and overpasses, shaded areas and low-traffic roads. Please proceed with caution in these conditions and get where you’re going safely. You can find other useful winter driving tips here. PA State Police Chaplaincy Program Accepting Applications
The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is accepting applications from Pennsylvanians who want to volunteer as PSP chaplains. The positions are open to licensed or ordained clergy interested in providing spiritual support to state troopers. Interested residents are encouraged to apply by Jan. 1, 2026. Contact RA-SPMAP@pa.gov for details and applications.
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