HEAL PA

I just started in January 2023, as one of the co-chairs for the HEAL PA Racial and Communal Trauma Prevention Action Team. There has been a lot of influx with the action teams as we’ve migrated over to new leadership and strategic direction; however, Fr. Paul Abernathy and I are excited about bringing a consistent focus to this great purpose.  The action team has three subgroups focused on racial trauma at the individual level, communal trauma and radicalization.  

On July 31st, 2019 Governor Tom Wolf by executive order announced that an overhaul of the state services and systems to protect the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians. Governor Wolf’s “Protection of Vulnerable Populations” Executive Order established an Office of Advocacy and Reform (OAR), maintained by the governor’s office with an executive director that included a new Child Advocate position and integrated the Long-term Care Ombudsman; and a Council on Reform, including 25 voting members appointed by Gov. Wolf, to support this effort by looking at protecting vulnerable populations from three perspectives: prevention HEALPA.ORG 14 and diversion, protection and intervention, and justice and support. Both the Council on Reform and the Office of Advocacy and Reform were to identify reforms needed for Pennsylvania to better protect and support individuals relying upon services and assistance from the commonwealth. One of the key directives from Governor Wolf was to establish Pennsylvania as a trauma-informed state to better respond to the needs of people who have had adverse childhood or other serious, traumatic experiences. 

In December of 2019 Dan Jurman was named as the first Executive Director of OAR. Dan had been implementing trainings on the intersection of poverty and trauma for the previous four years as the CEO of the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County. The prospect of making Pennsylvania a trauma [1] informed state was one of the things that drew him to OAR. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to learn more about HEAL PA