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Overview
The first leg of the Commission's "three-legged stool" is social services, which address individuals' long-term needs. The Commission helps low-income clients remove barriers to self-sufficiency so they may move toward social and financial independence.
Money In Your Pocket/Free Tax Service
The money in your pocket free tax preperation program is for income eligible families with dependent children. A household may participate even if they do not itemize deductions.
 Are You Eligible?
Where To File
Individual and Family Self-Sufficiency
In order to empower low-income individuals, the Commission provides social work and advocacy services for up to five years, concentrating on removing barriers to long-term self-sufficiency, and capitalizing on family strengths and assets.
Definitions
A "self-sufficient" individual/family has maintained an income level of 80% of median income for two years. No subsidies or tax dollars are utilized to support the family.
A "stable" individual/family receives limited subsidies/tax dollars to provide service to or support the family. The family is stable in major outcome indicators (for example, housing, employment, child care, transportation, health) and are pursuing their goals leading to self-sufficiency.
The "at risk/vulnerable" individual/family has lost or may lose cash benefits, employment, or other source of income. Individual/family has needs and is unable to remain stable in major outcome indicators.
When an individual/family is "in crisis," most major outcome indicators have not been met. The family resources or system has collapsed or is in danger of collapsing and strong outside intervention is required.
The investment return of CAC's long-term social work program is substantial. Taxpayers save an average of $75,156 a year in Department of Public Welfare subsidized cash and food stamp benefits NOT paid, because program participants increasingly pay their own way. Over a five-year period, the projected savings to taxpayers is more than $375,000 for those families who remain independent of the welfare system.
Parents & Children
Families working toward self-sufficiency need many different forms of help because families themselves come in many different forms. The Commission's Family Centers were created to foster healthy and positive social and physical development in children 0-5 years old. Family Educators make bi-weekly home visits and, when necessary, make referrals to outside agencies as a way to promote healthy family life and avoid out-of-home placements. Additionally, there are school-related programs for children 6-12, and a variety of family-oriented activities and resources offered at or by the Centers.
Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and licensed by the PA Department of Public Welfare, The Growing Center ensures that working parents receive affordable, consistent, quality care for their children. The Center is housed at the Hall Manor public housing development in Harrisburg and provides year-round age-appropriate early childhood development programming and day care to children six weeks to 12 years of age. The Center's philosophy and practice are to support families by offering children a safe, loving and nurturing environment.
The Commission also operates a court-ordered program, Especially for Dads, administered in partnership with Dauphin County Adult Probation and Parole. Fathers attend two, four-hour workshops on such topics as positive male/female role models, parental obligations, parenting, responsible sexuality and decision-making, and conflict resolution. They may also opt to attend an interactive session with their child/children.
At-Risk Youth
A self-sufficient family and a community that cares about its young people go hand-in-hand. The Commission oversees programs that foster positive youth development and work toward preventing juvenile delinquency, such as Students Helping Our Communities. SHOC
rewards 8-to-17 year olds for doing good works by paying them $2.00 an hour for performing community and personal services. As a result, participants are staying in school, getting better grades, staying away from drugs, and keeping out of trouble with the police.
The impact of drug and alcohol use, truancy, lack of appropriate role models, and ways to engage today's young people are all addressed in Across Ages. The four components of this program are: senior citizens mentoring at-risk youths, youths involved in community service, youths instructed in a life skills curriculum, and family involvement.
Adult Services
A Commission case manager coordinates home health and personal care services for Dauphin County residents who have disabilities, are between the ages of 18 and 59, and do not qualify for other programs, in order to help them avoid intensive medical or nursing home care.
Consumer Education
Helping individuals and families become more informed and responsible consumers is another way the Commission helps them move toward self-sufficiency. For example, the Commission participates in the PPL OnTrack program, which offers electricity customers with limited incomes special reduced monthly payments based on income, electricity usage and family size.
For more information on Community Action Commission's social services, phone (717) 232-9757 or e-mail: socservs@cactricounty.org
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