Schuylkill County Service Agencies which provide service to the elderly, disabled and children in need are waiting patiently for the first grant checks to arrive from Harrisburg now that the state legislature has approved a state budget after 101 days of wrangling.

According to Fiscal Officer Paul Buber the Schuylkill County debt incurred from services provided by various companies and organizations was $6.1 milllion at the end of September with October's bills not all computed. Buber said the county was able to save money by holding off taking a loan which would have cost addtional expenditures as the providers were patient in waiting to be paid. He said the oldest bills will be paid first.The breakdown showed as of the end of September the Children and Youth Service agency was in debt $4.1 milllon; Mental Health and Mental Retardation Program, $1.6 million and Human Services Block Grant $400,000, which distributes funds to the Schuylkill Transportation Service, which is the county bus line; Schuylkill Community in Action organization, CARE Program and Homemakers Program.The Childlren and Youth Services Agency released a quarterly report showing the average daily cost per child was $109.27 and during the quarter the agency purchased 119,287 days of service. As of March there were 2,082 children that were receiving services, of which 360 were in placement and 1,722 receiving home servicesThe reasons for placement were, child uncontrollable and has emotional problems, nine children; child abuse, six; delinquency, 26; lack of supervision, eight; inadequate housing, 10; child's drug and alcohol problems, two; medical issue, one; parents drug and alcohol problem, three; child's mental health problem, one; and parent's mental health problems, one.For the fiscal year 2008/2009 the agency had received $3,209,888 from the federal govenrment, $7,394,690 from the state and $2,953,311 from the county.