Legislation authored by Rep. Gene DiGirolamo to create a new Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs was signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell on July 9. The department will receive cabinet-level attention and will take effect next year. The ultimate goal is to make drug and alcohol treatment services more accessible to those in need. Pictured reviewing the new law are staff members and representatives from various treatment providers, including clockwise from left: Thanaaa Bey from Pro-A, Michael Early from the Caron Foundation; Deb Beck from Drug and Alcohol Service Providers of Pennsylvania; and Pam Huss, DiGirolamo’s legislative assistant.

This summer, Rep. Gene DiGirolamo authored House Resolution 876 that proclaims Aug. 9-14, 2010, as “Kidney Disease Awareness and Education Week” in Pennsylvania. The proclamation is designed to educate the public about kidney disease, including irreversible kidney failure, of which 14,535 Pennsylvanians are diagnosed. The only treatment is dialysis or kidney transplantation. Pictured with him outside his district office are several nurses who work specifically with dialysis patients and include (from left): Laureen McClure, Lisa Balk, Kim Rispo, Paula Richards, and Nida-Quiron-Jones.