Officials warn rescinded federal grant freeze would have jeopardized services; Gracedale reports hiring, higher census and in-house dialysis planning

On Feb. 6, 2025, the Northampton County Human Services Committee heard that a now-rescinded federal executive order temporarily freezing certain federal grant funds would have put hundreds of county jobs and millions in service contracts at risk, and committee staff gave a detailed operational update on Gracedale, the county-owned nursing home.

The human-services presentation matters because the county relies on federal and state funds to pay staff and subcontractors who deliver mental-health services, aging services, children and youth services and nursing-home care. Committee members pressed for details about payroll exposure, Gracedale’s census and staffing, and next steps on several clinical and licensing initiatives.

Lamont McClure, a resident of Bethlehem Township who addressed the committee during courtesy of the floor, said county advisers had modeled the possible effects of President Trump’s executive order when it was active and reported that the county estimated “approximately 954 employees” whose salaries are paid fully or partly by federal-grant dollars would have been affected. McClure said a conservative county estimate identified about 610 employees who would have needed immediate furloughs and that the freeze “would have placed $238,844,000 in revenue in…