Lancaster County amends General Assistance guidelines to match federal poverty rates

The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously May 12 to update the county’s General Assistance Guidelines to align income thresholds with the federal poverty rate.

Sarah Hy, director of Human Services, told the board the change is limited to Appendix A of the guidelines and ‘‘essentially increases the amount that an individual can make,’’ citing a $26 increase for a single-person household as an example. The amendment is intended to keep county assistance thresholds current with federal standards.

Commissioners moved and seconded the measure following a brief public hearing during which Hy presented the revision. The roll call recorded all five members voting ‘‘yes.’’

The change is administrative in nature, Hy said, and does not alter the broader purpose of General Assistance, which the county describes as providing short-term help to residents in financial need. Following approval, the amendment takes effect as the county implements the updated Appendix A.

The board did not schedule further debate; the amendment passed by a unanimous vote.