16 Pa.C.S. Ch. 157

in effect

16 Pa.C.S. § 15701 Health work.

The county commissioners may provide and annually appropriate from money in the county treasury not otherwise appropriated an amount deemed necessary for the protection of the health, cleanliness, convenience, comfort and safety of the people of the county.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15730 Appropriations to hospitals, health clinics and homes.

The county commissioners may make appropriations to support: (1) a hospital, health clinic or comparable facility that is engaged in charitable work and extends treatment and medical attention to residents of the county; and (2) a home or place of detention of dependent, delinquent and neglected children located within the county.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15732 Aid to municipal corporations for sewage purposes.

The county commissioners may make appropriations to aid municipal corporations in the construction or maintenance of sewers or wastewater treatment facilities if the project has received all necessary approvals or permits from the Department of Environmental Protection.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15733 Aid to municipal corporations for water systems.

The county commissioners may make appropriations to aid municipal corporations in the construction or maintenance of public water systems if the project has first received all necessary approvals or permits from the Department of Environmental Protection.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15750 Elimination and abatement of larvae breeding places and liens.

(a) Authorization.-- (1) The county commissioners of counties of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class may eliminate breeding places of mosquitoes on private or public property within the county. (2) The county commissioners may provide for all acts, including entry upon private or public property, to carry out plans which, in the county commissioner's opinion and judgment through consultation with public health or veterinary officials, are deemed to be necessary for the preservation of human or animal health by the elimination of breeding places of mosquitoes or which will tend to exterminate disease-carrying mosquitoes within the county. (b) Public nuisance abatement.-- (1) Any water in which mosquito larvae breed is declared a public nuisance and subject to abatement. (2) If a breeding place exists on any lands in the county, other than meadow or marsh lands subject to the ebb and flow of the tide, which breeding place should, in the opinion of the county commissioners, be abated, the county commissioners shall, in writing, order the owner of the lands to abate the public nuisance within a reasonable period and in a manner to be specified in the order. (3) If the owner has failed to comply with an order at the expiration of the period under paragraph (2), or if the owner of the land cannot be ascertained or found, the county commissioners shall abate the public nuisance and may assess all or part of the cost of the abatement against the lands on which the breeding place exists. The county commissioners may file municipal liens for the assessments within the time and in the manner provided by law, to be subject in all respects to the general law providing for the filing and recovery of municipal liens.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15751 Not to affect public water supply.

An order of abatement may not authorize and the county commissioners may not employ any method of extermination by a municipality or a water supply company which affects waters used and useful in the supply of water to the public. Manmade pools which allow mosquito propagation are subject to be targeted first, and strategies shall be supported that minimize environmental impact.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15752 Appropriations.

The county commissioners may appropriate the amount of money necessary for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subchapter. The amount appropriated under this section may not exceed one-fourth of one mill on each dollar of the assessed value of taxable real estate in the county in a given year. The amounts appropriated under this section shall be paid out by the county treasurer on the orders of the county commissioners.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15760 Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Dependent." An indigent individual requiring public care, including maintenance, medical care, clothing and incidentals, due to physical or mental health needs or disability. "Institution." A hospital, health care clinic or comparable facility. "Institution district." A county institution district managed by the county commissioners. "Public charge." An individual who is unable to maintain the individual and who requires and receives aid from the Commonwealth or from any political subdivision.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15761 County institution districts abolished.

Each county institution district in counties of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class is abolished. The property, real and personal, of each county institution district existing on July 31, 1963, is transferred to and vested in the county in which the institution district is located. The indebtedness of an institution district, regardless of if current or bonded, incurred in the acquisition of property or erecting improvements, shall become the debt and obligation of the county and shall be paid by the county. All the powers and duties of an institution district, in connection with administering the affairs of the institution district, are transferred to the county in which the institution district is located.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15762 Records.

The county commissioners of each county of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class shall keep records of the work necessitated by this subchapter as prescribed by the Department of Human Services and shall make reports to the Department of Human Services as the department requires.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15763 Powers and duties.

The county commissioners of counties of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class shall have the power and their duty shall be to: (1) Erect, equip, maintain, repair, alter and add to institutions for the care of dependents. A plan for the erection or substantial alteration of an institution must be approved as to suitability by the Department of Human Services. (2) Pay the necessary expenses of land and buildings for the care of dependents and farms.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15764 Further powers and duties.

The county commissioners of counties of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class shall have the power and duty, with funds of the county and according to the rules, regulations and standards established by the Department of Human Services, to: (1) care for any dependent in the county, who is not otherwise cared for; (2) contract with other counties or an individual, association, corporation or other entity for the care of any dependent; (3) contract with any association in this Commonwealth organized to provide a home or employment for individuals with disabilities; (4) pay the cost or part of the cost imposed by law upon county institution districts for patients with mental health needs or intellectual disability; (5) take any other action authorized by law; (6) contract with an individual, association, corporation, institution or governmental agency for the purpose of providing foster home care for individuals over 18 years of age. If, in the discretion of the county commissioners, foster home care is advisable, the county commissioners may expend money for a foster home care in addition to any money paid by the Commonwealth or an individual, association, corporation, institution or governmental agency to or for individuals over 18 years of age; (7) require that an individual cared for in an institution shall pay for the cost of the individual's care to the extent of the individual's available resources; and (8) provide or contract with an individual, corporation, institution or governmental agency to provide care and services designed to help dependents remain in or return to community living, outside county institutions.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15765 Referral by Department of Human Services.

The county commissioners of counties of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class may care for a dependent or other indigent individual in the county who is referred to the county commissioners by the Department of Human Services or by a local board under the supervision of the Department of Human Services.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15766 Provision for burial.

Except as otherwise provided by law, the county commissioners of a county of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class shall provide for the burial of an individual who dies in the county unless the individual's body is claimed by a relative by blood or marriage, a friend, a fraternal or veterans' organization, a charitable organization or the Department of Health, and is buried at the expense of the relative, friend or organization. Burial may not cost more than $300.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15768 Powers and duties of county commissioners relating to children.

The county commissioners of a county of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth class may, and for the purpose of protecting and promoting the welfare of children and youth, shall, provide child welfare services designed to: (1) keep children in their own homes; (2) prevent neglect, abuse and exploitation; (3) help overcome problems that result in dependency, neglect or delinquency; (4) provide in foster family homes and child-caring institutions adequate substitute care for any child in need of substitute care; and (5) upon the request of the court, provide services and care for children and youth who have been adjudicated dependent, neglected or delinquent.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15769 Contributions for medical care.

The county commissioners of each county of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth class may make annual appropriations from the money of the county for the support of any public institution operated or to any nonprofit corporation organized to give medical care to the dependents and children of the county.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15770 Inspections by Department of Human Services.

The institutions and books, accounts and records of each county pertaining to the county's powers and duties authorized by this subchapter shall, at all times, be open to the inspection of the Department of Human Services and the department's agents.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15771 Reports of individuals applying for treatment of disease.

(a) General rule.--Each county of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class shall make a record of all personal and statistical particulars related to the inmates in the county's institutions, as directed by the Department of Health, for statistical purposes. (b) Future admissions.--The county shall make a record for all future inmates at the time of the inmate's admission. (c) Requirement.--For a dependent admitted or committed for medical treatment of disease, the physician in charge shall specify in the record the nature of the disease and where, in the physician's opinion, the disease was contracted. (d) Acquisition of information.--The information required by this section shall be obtained from the individual dependent, if it is practicable to do so. If the information cannot be obtained from the dependent, the information shall be secured in as complete a manner as possible from the relatives, friends or other persons acquainted with the facts of the disease.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15772 Rules and regulations.

The county commissioners of each county of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class shall have power to make rules and regulations, not inconsistent with this part and not inconsistent with the rules and regulations of the Department of Human Services, as may be deemed proper, convenient and necessary for the government of the county's institutions and to properly care for dependents.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15773 Providing services without charge prohibited.

(a) General rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the county commissioners may not provide without charge items of care or service which an individual is entitled to receive as assistance under the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code. (b) Construction of section.--This section may not be construed to preclude county commissioners from providing additional forms of assistance not inconsistent with the Human Services Code or the regulations of the Department of Human Services.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15774 Payments by county commissioners for assistance.

(a) General rule.--The county commissioners shall pay monthly to the Department of Human Services the: (1) Amount expended by the department during the preceding month as assistance on behalf of: (i) patients receiving public nursing home care in a county medical institution; and (ii) children in foster family homes and child-caring institutions. (2) Cost of administering the assistance, minus the amount of Federal money properly received by the Department of Human Services on account of expenditures increased or reduced by any amount by which the amount paid for any previous month differed from the amount which should have been paid for the previous month and by the proportionate share of refunds of assistance as provided in the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code. (b) Certification.--The Department of Human Services shall certify to the county commissioners the amount to be paid by the county to the department under subsection (a).

16 Pa.C.S. § 15774.1 Limitation of authority respecting public assistance recipients.

The county commissioners may not exercise supervision or control over the finances or services other than medical or remedial care provided as assistance to or on behalf of dependents who are recipients of assistance under the former act of June 24, 1937, (P.L.2051, No.399), known as the Public Assistance Law.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15780 Attendance at training courses and conferences.

(a) General rule.--The county commissioners may approve for county health, human services or probation personnel to attend the following at the county's expense: (1) Appropriate training courses. (2) National or State conferences in the health, welfare or correctional fields. (b) Account of expenses.--Each individual attending a training course or conference shall submit an itemized account of expenses related to the event under section 12346 (relating to associations and organizations concerned with governmental affairs).

16 Pa.C.S. § 15799.5 Establishment and creation of municipal authorities.

The county commissioners may acquire, hold, construct, improve, maintain and operate, own and lease, either in the capacity of lessor or lessee, general hospitals within the county for the use, benefit, health, comfort, safety and general welfare of the residents of this Commonwealth and appropriate money from the county treasury for such purposes or may create a municipal authority under the former act of May 2, 1945 (P.L.382, No.164), known as the Municipal Authorities Act of 1945, and appropriate money to the municipal authority for any of the purposes under this section. Cross References. Section 15799.5 is referred to in section 15799.6 of this title.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15799.6 Expenses.

All expenses incident to the maintenance and operation of a hospital owned or leased to the county, or otherwise established under section 15799.5 (relating to establishment and creation of municipal authorities), including any lease rentals payable by the county to a municipal authority shall be paid by the county out of county money.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15799.7 Administration of hospitals.

A hospital owned by or leased to the county may be operated by and under the authority of the county commissioners in the same manner that other county buildings and institutions are operated or may be subleased to the governing body of a general hospital within the county for operation by the governing body.

16 Pa.C.S. § 15799.8 Use of hospital.

Each hospital owned by or leased to the county shall be used for the benefit of all residents within the county in which the hospital is located, and all residents within the county shall be entitled to occupancy, nursing, care, treatment and maintenance according to the rules and regulations prescribed by the county commissioners. The county commissioners may exclude from the use of the hospital an individual who willfully violates any rule or regulation adopted for the hospital by the county commissioners. The county commissioners may charge and collect from an individual admitted to the hospital or an individual legally responsible for their maintenance, reasonable compensation for the care, treatment and maintenance of the individual.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=16Fetched: 10/16/2026