By MARIEKE ANDRONACHE

Special to The Press

An announcement earlier in the day by State Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, for $1.6 million in grants for nonprofits and county criminal justice programs was praised by Chairman Geoff Brace during the June 12 Lehigh County commissioners’ meeting.

Highlights include $96,000 for the county’s rapid postmortem toxicology screening at the county coroner’s office, $100,000 for the Youth Justice Advisory Board Council Pilot, and $660.000 toward the Treatment Continuum Alternative Program.

“It’s great to see these resources become available for us,” Brace said.

He also spoke on the consolidated waiver program, which currently has 300 individuals on the waitlist for medical assistance in the county and 13,000 across the state.

“These are people waiting for services for the intent of these individuals maintaining independent life in the community,” Brace said. “Often, these are individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Transportation needs, counseling and education needs are among the services provided.

“Three-hundred people on a wait list for these types of services is a significant wait list,” he added.

According to Brace, $78 million would need to be allocated to this program to clear 1,600 individuals.

In other matters, the board approved a professional services agreement with CGI Communications to update the county website.

County Executive Phillips Armstrong spoke with the commissioners on April 10 about CGI Communications in other counties.

Valley Housing Development Corporation will receive a subgrant coming out of county funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of $400,000.

The money will go to four affordable rental housing units in the Borough of Fountain Hill.

A vehicle no longer in use by the county was donated to Lehigh Valley Zoological Society.

The 2002 Chevrolet 2500 truck had previously been used by the parks department.