Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 49, December 7, 2024
Section 15.31 - Limitations on Commonwealth grants(a) Commonwealth grants provided to local health departments under a section of the act may not be used for any of the following: (1) The cost of hospital care and treatment given patients regardless of whether or not they are receiving welfare assistance.(2) The construction of public hospitals, clinics, laboratories, dispensaries, health centers or similar public health facilities.(3) The maintenance or operation of communicable disease hospitals, general hospitals and medical dispensaries, exclusive of diagnostic and preventive services usually considered general public health activity.(4) Plumbing inspection for the purpose of checking conformity with building codes, exclusive of inspections for cross connections as covered by environmental program standards.(5) Weights and measures control activities.(6) Extermination of birds, insects, weeds and other similar nuisances, except as essential to protect the public health in accord with accepted public health practices. Advisory services or inspections are excluded from this exception.(7) The purchase, maintenance or operation of ambulances.(8) The construction, maintenance, or operation of the following: water and sewage treatment plants; swimming pools and bathing beaches; facilities for garbage and refuse collection, storage, transportation or disposal; public toilets and public bath houses.(9) The cost of treatment of public water supplies, exclusive of cost to county or city health departments for inspection and advisory services which are a part of a control program undertaken in the supervision of environmental health services.(10) Compensation or expenses paid any boards of examiners or authorities.(11) Rentals space utilized for local health department purposes, if such rentals are payable to the county or municipality operating the local health department. This does not preclude reimbursement for the pro rata share of utility costs and janitorial services.(12) Any other expenditure which the Secretary determines is not reasonably related to the purposes of the act.(b) Commonwealth grants provided to local health departments under section 25(d) of the act (16 P. S. § 12025(d)), relating to grants for environmental health services, shall be used only for environmental health services and related administrative and supportive services as defined in the act or in this chapter, or as approved by the Secretary. These grants are not subject to a matching requirement.