Ahead of Veterans Day, Gov. Shapiro hosts veterans to honor their service

WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro hosted Pennsylvania veterans for a luncheon this week at the Governor’s Residence, honoring their service ahead of Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Pennsylvania is home to nearly 800,000 veterans — the fourth-largest veteran population in the country. The Shapiro Administration has been working to serve Pennsylvania veterans across the Commonwealth — from making improvements to veterans’ homes to investing in county mental health services and workforce training programs for veterans and military families.

“The First Lady and I were honored to host veterans at the Governor’s Residence and we extend our deepest gratitude to all veterans for their commitment and service to our country,” said Gov. Shapiro. “Our veterans have defended our Commonwealth and upheld our freedoms and my Administration is proud to support them every day. We will keep working to ensure that the courageous men and women who safeguarded our freedoms have real opportunity to thrive here in Pennsylvania.”

Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has taken significant steps to support Pennsylvania’s veterans — ensuring they access the benefits they’ve earned.

In the 2024-25 budget, Gov. Shapiro secured a record $1.1 billion in compensation and pension benefits for veterans — a 10% increase over the previous year.

Over the past year, accredited veteran service officers, supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), have assisted with more than 1,100 veteran inquiries each month, helping veterans connect to their earned benefits.

The 2024-25 budget also dedicates $1.4 million to establish a new walk-in outreach center outside Fort Indiantown Gap, providing a one-stop resource for service members, veterans, and their families to easily access support and benefits.

“We are grateful to Governor and First Lady Shapiro for again honoring Pennsylvania veterans,” said Brigadier General John Pippy, acting Pennsylvania adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “Through special events like this one, we can all continue to show our gratitude to our American heroes for all they have done to preserve our way of life. Together as one team, it is important that we all work to keep veterans in the forefront and assure that their legacy of sacrifice is not forgotten, not just on Veterans Day but every day.”

In the last two years, the Shapiro Administration has supported a broad range of initiatives benefiting veterans. These include improvements to veteran care facilities, such as a new long-term care facility at Pennsylvania’s largest veterans’ home in Hollidaysburg, as well as restoring county mental health funding and creating a Behavioral Health Council to strengthen mental health support for veterans.

The Administration also helps veterans transition to civilian life through the Military Crosswalk program, which assists veterans in obtaining occupational licenses and jobs.

Rep. Meuser co-sponsors legislation recognizing servicemembers

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, co-sponsored a Veterans Day resolution this week honoring the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans.

Pennsylvania’s 9th district is home to more than 52,000 veterans.

Veterans Day commemorates all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, whether in times of war or peace. Since the nation’s founding, more than 41 million Americans have served, and in 2023, around 15.8 million veterans were counted, spanning from World War II to the post-9/11 era.

Meuser said these veterans have defended our nation against threats from fascism to terrorism, protecting the freedoms of all Americans.

Rep. Meuser’s office is committed to helping local veterans access the benefits they deserve. In 2023 alone, his office assisted more than 300 veterans in addressing their concerns with the federal government, resulting in $469,702 returned to veterans through dedicated casework efforts.

“Throughout our nation’s history, through every hardship, American service members have remained steadfast, united by a shared belief that the United States is worth defending,” Meuser said. “Whether called to duty or volunteering, all stood shoulder to shoulder, committed to protecting our nation. My office is dedicated to supporting Pennsylvania’s veterans, working closely with federal agencies, military branches, and veterans’ organizations to assist all veterans — whether recently returned or long-serving. I am pleased to cosponsor this resolution applauding these heroes, past and present, for their service and sacrifice.”

This resolution was referred to the House Veterans Affairs Committee for further consideration.

AG Henry reaches settlement with California-based energy provider

Attorney General Michelle Henry announced a settlement with Inspire Clean Energy this week that will require the California-based energy provider to pay restitution for misleading consumers into service agreements, in addition to other monetary relief.

The Office of Attorney General’s investigation revealed that Inspire representatives allegedly told consumers they were merely participating in a survey or signing up for a mailing list to receive information about clean energy, when in fact they were being enrolled in Inspire’s energy services.

Some consumers were promised savings, but then typically faced higher energy costs from Inspire.

The settlement requires Inspire to pay $250,000 — with $150,000 to go toward consumer restitution — and to make clear disclosures when contacting potential customers.

“This settlement protects Pennsylvanians from being duped by Inspire representatives who try to sell service packages disguised as surveys and mailing lists,” AG Henry said. “Any company that misleads Pennsylvania consumers about essential services, such as electricity, will be held accountable.”

According to the investigation, some consumers even reported that Inspire’s representatives told them they were affiliated with the government or with a different utility company and that Inspire representatives photographed consumers’ electric bills without consent.

The settlement, in the form of an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance that has been submitted for filing, requires Inspire to, among other things:

• Obtain express informed consent from a consumer prior to enrolling the consumer in any of Inspire’s electric services.

• Clearly and conspicuously disclose all material terms of Inspire’s services to consumers including, but not limited to, terms pertaining to cancellation policies, pricing and rates, and the presence, purpose, and effect of trial periods.

• Create and implement training and oversight reasonably necessary to ensure that its representatives comply with the settlement and with applicable consumer protection laws.

State launches training series on workforce impacts of opioid crisis

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) announced the launch of the “Recovery Coach Workforce Education Series” — a partnership with the Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, to address workforce challenges stemming from the opioid crisis.

The comprehensive five-part virtual training series is designed for care coordinators and professionals working in treatment and recovery services. The program will prepare participants with evidence-based strategies to integrate employment services into the recovery process.

This initiative is part of L&I’s broader strategy to address the opioid crisis’s impact on Pennsylvania’s workforce, which includes developing the health care workforce, providing employment support at different stages of recovery, and helping employers support those in recovery.

“The opioid crisis has had a profound impact on our workforce, and it’s crucial that we approach this challenge holistically through programs like the Recovery Coach Workforce Education Series,” said Nancy A. Walker, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. “By empowering care coordinators and recovery professionals with the tools to guide their clients toward meaningful employment, we’re not just addressing immediate workforce needs – we’re contributing to long-term recovery success and building stronger, more resilient communities across Pennsylvania.”

The training series will primarily target Pennsylvania’s 45 Centers of Excellence (CoEs), hubs for opioid treatment across the state and other community recovery centers. This initiative builds on existing partnerships with the PA Department of Human Services and uses federal funding from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Statewide Set-Aside funds to address the Opioid Crisis.

Interested individuals can register here and courses will begin in December, running through April 2025.

This series is 100% supported with federal WIOA funding in the amount of $150,000.