With families likely to feel the impact of the rising costs of health insurance plans, we wanted to share a few ways PHAN can help.

For those who don’t know, PHAN is Pennsylvania’s only statewide consumer-driven organization working to expand and protect access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.

PHAN’s certified enrollment assisters can help you enroll in Medicaid, CHIP, and Pennie, as well as understand and troubleshoot your coverage. At PHAN, they work directly to get people enrolled in health insurance, help them use and understand their coverage, and troubleshoot problems, serving over 10,000 Pennsylvanians annually. 

For more information or to utilize PHAN’s services, call or text their statewide helpline at 877-570-3642. 

Pennie’s official Open Enrollment period for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026, through January 15, 2027, with December 15, 2026, as the cutoff for coverage starting January 1, 2027.

To learn more about Pennie, visit Home | Pennie - PA’s Official Health Insurance Marketplace.

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ (DMVA) Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy (KSCA) is now accepting applications for its first class of 2027, which begins in January. There is no tuition cost to attend, and meals, housing, uniforms, and school supplies are provided at no charge. 

A cornerstone of DMVA’s outreach, KSCA’s mission of providing teens in jeopardy of not graduating on time or dropping out of school with a second chance at obtaining their basic education is centered around the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program’s 8 Core Components: leadership; self-discipline; job skills; health; hygiene; values of community service and civic duty; physical fitness; responsibility to build a better life. To meet growing demand for the program, the 2026-27 budget signed by Governor Shapiro increased funding for KSCA by $80,000.  

The program is open to 16- to 18-year-old Pennsylvania residents who are failing to progress in high school or may not be on a clear path to graduating. Applicants must be willing to be drug-free, free of felony convictions, and voluntarily commit to the program. The program lasts for five and one-half months as a residential phase and 24 months of mentorship by academy staff back in their home

communities. Graduates work to receive high school credits, credentials or a GED. KSCA is also increasing the number of graduates who earn their diploma through Act 158 legislation that allows for alternative pathways to graduation.

With KSCA’s online eligibility checker at pa.gov/ksca, applicants can quickly confirm their eligibility before completing the full application. Applicants can also request a mailed form by emailing RA-MVPACHALLENGE@pa.gov or calling

717-861-7767 or 717-861-8831.

Here is a friendly reminder of upcoming election deadlines as the General Election is approaching in a little over a month.

• Monday, Oct. 19 – Last day to register to vote.
• Tuesday, Oct. 27– Last day to apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot.
• Tuesday, Nov. 3 – Election Day: Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Voters must be in line by 8 p.m. to cast their ballot. Mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by your county election office by 8 p.m.

If you are unsure of your polling location or have other inquiries about voting or elections in Pennsylvania, please click below for more information:

Voting & Election Information | Voting & Election Information | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

On Tuesday, I was invited to state Rep. Joe Webster's district office to attend a ceremony in remembrance of veterans who have died by suicide and to raise awareness about veteran suicide prevention.

Thank you to Rep. Webster and his office for bringing our community together to remember these veterans, honor their service, and help ensure that those who are struggling know they are not alone and that help is available.

Over the past year and a half, SEPTA has made significant progress in the areas that matter most to their riders – safety, cleanliness, customer experience, and financial discipline and they are seeing meaningful results.

Accelerate is SEPTA's vision for the future - the plan for improvements for riders and the projects and initiatives required to support our region and the Commonwealth now and in the future.

For more information on Accelerate as well as the progress that has already been made, please visit https://wwww.septa.org/accelerate/.

Need to return your mail-in or absentee ballot?

Secure ballot drop boxes are open as of September 21, 2026 (starting at noon) for the 2026 General Election and will remain open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day. See below for the closest drop boxes located in and around the 152nd District. Residents can deposit mail-in ballots and absentee ballots at a secure ballot drop box as an alternative to returning their ballot by USPS mail.

Remember, you may only return your own ballot to a secure ballot drop box. 

You may also return your mail-in or absentee ballot to one of the Voter Services Satellite Offices. All five satellite offices for the 2026 General Election will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from October 17 through October 25 with new operating hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The closest satellite office in our district is the Willow Grove Satellite Office

Willow Grove Annex • 102 N. York Road • Willow Grove, PA 19090.

Ballots are collected from the drop boxes daily by County Security and stored securely at the Voter Services office.

Once you have returned your mail-in or absentee ballot, you can check the status of your ballot here:

Check the status of your mail-in ballot.