It was a morning for proclamations at Wednesday’s Adams County Commissioners meeting as the commissioners gave tribute to the Adams County Library System, Hispanic Heritage Month, Heritage Festival Day, Suicide Prevention Month, and Hunger Action Month.
Laura Goss, Executive Director of the Adams County Library, and Erica Duffy, Development Director, asked Adams County residents to sign up for library cards. They also announced the library’s largest fundraiser of the year, the Signature Event, featuring author Sarah Penner, whose best-selling book, “The Lost Apothecary,” will soon become a FOX drama series. The event will also feature a silent auction. Tickets are available by visiting https://adamscountylibrarysystem.square.site/signature-event-tickets.
In her comments to the commissioners about Hispanic Heritage Month, Wellspan Health Educator Yeimi Bautista asked decision-makers to consider how their decisions impact the Latino populations here and to “make sure our leaders have a voice.” She said the Hispanic community is very supportive of the suicide prevention task force because, while mental affects everyone, often this population is not sure where to go for help or won’t seek help because of the stigma attached. She said members of the local Latino population are very connected to each other and celebrate that connection from generation to generation.
The Adams County Heritage Festival Day on Sept. 17 will celebrate Hispanic and other cultures by presenting foods, information, music, and fun for its 32nd year at the Gettysburg Rec Park. Sponsored by the Interface Center for Peace and Justice, the event will start at noon. Featured bands include Ladies in the Parlor (American roots), Simple Gifts (Eastern European), Cam Sounds and Vibrations (African American music), and Los Monstrols (Latin Fusion).
Commissioner Marty Qually read the Suicide Prevention Awareness Month proclamation on the courthouse steps at noon, accompanied by Kathy Gaskin, Health Adams County Director, and Bruce Bartz, York-Adams County Mental Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (MHIDD).
Bartz, who lost his son to suicide, read remarks by Casey Darling-Horan, county administrator for MHIDD.
“Suicide must also be measured by human costs. Each number of the statistics represents a lost life, a family devastated, and a community left behind to grapple with the aftermath. It touches all of us.” Bartz said everyone can help by fostering help and non-judgemental communications about mental health issues.
The national suicide rate has increased in the last 20 years, and in 2021, someone committed suicide every 11 minutes. Suicide is the 9th leading cause of death in the United States.
Kathy Gaskin, Executive director of Healthy Adams County, invited people to join the Suicide Prevention Task Force through Healthy Adams County. The task force has trained community members in CPR, mental health first aid training, and other emergency responses. Information about the task force can be found on the Healthy Adams County website.
Cards were handed out with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number and a list of behaviors that might indicate a person needs help. The group of about 25 participants, holding bright green signs, walked together around Lincoln Square.
September is also Hunger Action Month, in which organizations nationwide work together to prevent hunger insecurity. In Adams County, more than seven percent of the population is considered food insecure, and 42 percent of school-age students qualify for free and reduced lunch programs. The Adams County Food Policy Council and South Central Community Action Programs, Inc. are working together to educate people about the role of food banks in addressing hunger and raising awareness of the need to devote more resources and attention to hunger issues throughout the county.
In other board business, Adams County will receive 20 new voting booths and new camera monitoring equipment for the upcoming elections. The total cost is $21,172, which is expected to be reimbursed to the county through the Act 88 elections integrity grant.
Adams County Adult Correctional Center
According to Commissioner Jim Martin, backup internet service for the Adams County Adult Correction Complex (ACACC) will cost less than anticipated. Speakding of the $4,237 two-year agreement with Comcast. Martin said the modification that will leverage additional service to the existing line “was much less than what we expected,”
The ACACC will use nearly $9,000 of commissary funds to pay for 12 50-inch monitors, which will be located throughout the jail to relay essential information to the inmate population. The purpose of the monitors is to reduce the current time and costs consistent with preparing individual documents or other paperwork. These monitors and the programming will be utilized to communicate information to the inmate population, staff, and visitors about various topics. According to Steve Nevada, Adams County manager, effective and accurate communication of programming offered, resources available, assistance information, special events/activities, and where to go for more details significantly impacts facility morale, safety, and security.
A project modification for the Transition to Recovery Program Grant will use more than $87,000 in federal funds with about a $29,000 in-kind match from the ACCAC commissary fund to allow a one-year extension to continue the transition to recovery program for those inmates suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD). It will continue the use of Buprenorphine as part of the medication-assisted treatment program. This drug helps reduce cravings and the effects of illicit opioids, enabling the patient to focus on recovery activities, such as counseling or cognitive behavior therapy.
County disperses/receives grant funding
South Central Community Action Programs will receive $465,000 of the Adams Response and Recovery Funds to provide four affordable housing units on the second floor of the building housing SCCAP’s homeless shelter. The Heidlersburg Area Civic Association and York Springs Fire Companies will receive $250,000 of ARRF funding to provide upgrades to their respective self-contained breathing apparatus systems. These are specialized pieces of equipment that enable firefighters to breathe while fighting fires in extreme conditions.
A third distribution of more than $230,000 of Opioid Settlement Funds will be distributed to the county to be used according to the settlement terms. Although the county will receive funds from the settlement for the next 18 years, nothing has been spent at this time.
Featured image captions (clockwise from top [Judi Seniura]:
Commissioner Marty Qually proclaims September suicide prevention month with Bruce Bartz, Mental Health Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of York-Adams County.
Proclaiming the 32nd Adams County Heritage Festival on Sept. 17 are Commissioner Jim Martin, Bill Collinge, Commissioner Randy Phiel, Janet Powers, Commissioner Qually, and Nancy Lilley.
Celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month are Commissioner James Martin, Laura Gross, Executive Director of Adams County Library, Commissioner Phiel, Errica Duffy, Development Director of Adams County, and Commissioner Marty Qually.
September 15 to October 15 is proclaimed Hispanic Heritage Month at Wednesday’s Adams County Commissioners meeting.
Judith Cameron Seniura is a freelance reporter. She began her journalism career in the early ‘70s and has written for newspapers, magazines, and other media in Ontario, Canada, Alaska, Michigan, Nebraska, San Antonio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.