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Authors Posts by Jim Sharp

Jim Sharp

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School Based Services Work Group
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
2:00 – 3:30 pm (in person and via webcast)
PaTTAN Pittsburgh: 3190 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh 

RCPA members providing school based behavioral health and rehabilitation services are encouraged to register and participate in this meeting along with their school partners in the community.

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Open Forum: Challenges and Potential Solutions in School Based Behavioral Health
    • Family Engagement
    • Challenges for APS and Alt Ed Services
    • Implementing and Sustaining Collaborative SBBH Services
    • Funding, Grants, Contracts, Partner Agreements
    • Certification and Background Checks
  • Open Forum: Challenges and Potential Solutions in Pediatric Rehabilitation Health Care
    • Contracts, Partner Agreements for OT, PT, S&LT
    • Coordination of Autism/Neurobehavioral Services
    • Certification and Background Checks
  • Professional Staff Recruitment and Retention Challenges
    • Licensed Clinical and Rehab Staff
  • Report from the State SBBH Community of Practice

See full agenda here

RCPA thanks the leadership and staff of PaTTAN Pittsburgh for their hospitality.

Meeting will be available via webcast; webcast instructions sent 24-48 hours prior to meeting

Next meeting: January, 2016, date and location to be determined

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For some time, RCPA has been tracking concerns regarding the Medicaid requirement that behavior specialists working with children on the autism spectrum hold a Behavior Specialist or other appropriate license in order to bill for services. Our members have communicated growing concerns about workforce adequacy, staff recruitment, and access to services. Over the past month, this has resulted in two actions that are likely to impact providers of autism services to children.

In August of this year, Representatives Dan Miller (D-Alleghany) and Marguerite Quinn (R-Bucks), began to circulate a co-sponsorship memo for an amendment to Act 62 that would create a time-limited temporary license, creating a pathway to full licensure, thus addressing the growing workforce problem. This action was in response to issues raised by their constituents serving children with autism and others. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has expressed concern that there may not really be a workforce problem; it may instead be a limited problem, and that opening Act 62 may have unintended negative consequences. Representatives Miller and Quinn have agreed to slow action on their bill pending an alternative proposal from DHS to address the workforce concerns.

On Friday, DHS issued this memo and directive to counties and behavioral health managed care organizations (BH-MCO), requiring them to complete a detailed survey regarding autism services, including:

  • Access and timing of services;
  • Information on individual practitioners;
  • Information on provider organizations; and
  • Information regarding challenges related to staff attrition and recruitment.

This survey is to be completed and submitted to DHS by the HealthChoices contractors on or before Friday, September 11, 2015. Because the time frame for completion of this survey is very aggressive and will be challenging for counties, BH-MCOs, and provider organizations, RCPA wanted to inform members of this action immediately.

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On May 29, the Department of Human Services released a request for information (RFI) to help guide the department’s planning process for the release of a new procurement for the provision of managed care services for physical health. RCPA submitted comments and recommendations to the department in response to the RFI. Secretary Dallas has worked to be transparent during this process and has published a summary of some of the most frequently provided comments in the responses to the RFI. He has also identified some of the changes that the department is considering for the new HealthChoices physical health managed care procurement. This list is not intended to be final and merely reflects some of the ideas that are being considered at this time. Because many of the comments and related action plans communicated by Secretary Dallas address integrated physical and behavioral health care, data and information sharing, service system simplification, and other initiatives that have implications for RCPA members, this interim report is being shared at this time. Please submit any additional comments on the concepts included in this summary, or an area that is not listed in the document, via email by August 10.

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The Bureau of Human Services Licensing (BHSL) has released a survey to assess licensed operators’ understanding of the changes that were recently made to the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL). BHSL will use this data to target areas where increased training and support are needed to assist facilities in maintaining regulatory compliance. This survey is optional and will take approximately 10 minutes to complete by the following programs and service providers:

  • 55 Pa.Code Chapter 3800 residential treatment facilities and day treatment (not partial hospital)
  • 55 Pa.Code Chapter 5310 host homes for children
  • 55 Pa.Code Chapter 6400 community homes that serve children
  • 55 Pa.Code Chapter 6500 family living homes that serve children 

 

Information provided in this survey will not be used to issue regulatory violations and will be kept anonymous. RCPA encourages members to take the time to participate. The deadline for completion of the survey is August 14.

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The Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society, through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, brings you “A Consumer’s Guide to the Management and Care of Concussion in Sport.” This program gives a detailed look at the importance of proper identification and treatment of sport concussion, and the role of the licensed athletic trainer as part of the health care team to manage these injuries appropriately. The Safety in Youth Sports Act directs schools and athletic programs to create a health care team, and a concussion policy action plan, to aid in the management of concussions. This program will air on the Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) during the “Sunday Fusion” programming on the following dates and times:

  • Sunday July 26, 3:30 pm
  • Sunday August 2, 2:30 pm
  • Sunday August 9, 5:30 pm
  • Sunday August 16, 2:30 pm
  • Sunday August 23, 4:00 pm

Beginning Monday, July 20 the program will be available on the PCN website.

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On June 30 the American College of Physicians issued a position paper calling for better integration of behavioral health into primary care; The Integration of Care for Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Other Behavioral Health Conditions into Primary Care: American College of Physicians Position Paper. It provides an environmental scan of the current state of conditions included in the concept of behavioral health, and examines the arguments for and barriers to increased integration into primary care. It also examines various approaches of integrated care delivery and offers a series of policy recommendations that are based on the reviewed information and evidence to inform the actions of the American College of Physicians and its members regarding advocacy, research, and practice. A summary of the paper is in today’s Annals of Internal Medicine online edition.

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On July 1 Governor Wolf signed Act 15 (HB 1276) into law. The bill was drafted to “clarify and make more explicit provisions” about which employees and adult volunteers, who work or volunteer with children, must obtain criminal background check clearances and child abuse clearances. It was intended to clarify the new Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) and to address concerns expressed by numerous volunteer-based organizations. Some of the key changes to the CPSL made by HB 1276 include:

  • Adds definitions of adult family member, direct volunteer contact, education enterprise, family child-care home, immediate vicinity, and matriculated student.
  • Reworks the definition of program, activity, or service to further flesh out definition.
  • Limits the employees, at institutions of higher learning, required to undergo background checks, while retaining required checks for adults who have direct contact with youth who remain enrolled in high school.
  • Clarifies which adults will require background checks and need to be in the “vicinity” of the child during an internship, externship, work-study, co-op, or similar program.
  • Extends to 60 months (vs. 36 months) the time frame by which employees and volunteers must have their background checks updated.
  • Expands the portability of the checks.
  • Exempts volunteers, who are also students, from the background checks under specific conditions (e.g., the student is enrolled in school, the student is volunteering for an event on school grounds, or the event is not for children who are part of a child-care service).
  • Permanently waives the fees associated with volunteers completing state background checks.
  • Includes a presumption of “good faith” for agencies screening employees and volunteers.

A very comprehensive analysis of HB 1276 with an analysis table has been produced by The Center for Children’s Justice and is available on their website.

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The Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO), in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is dedicated to ensuring that beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid have access to seamless, high-quality health care, that includes the full range of covered services in both programs. MMCO recently shared an array of tools and resources on integrated health care. This office works with the Medicare and Medicaid programs, federal agencies, states, and other stakeholders, to align and coordinate benefits between the two programs effectively and efficiently, ultimately improving the way Medicare-Medicaid enrollees receive health care.

What is Integrating Primary Care Services into Behavioral Health Settings?

  • Within the context of primary care and behavioral health care, full integration exists when all care providers work together to address the primary care and behavioral health needs of individuals in the same setting.
  • There are several integration levels; some organizations may introduce elements of primary care into their practices, or decide to develop a fully integrated system without going through any of the other levels.

Why Integrate Primary Care Services into Behavioral Health Organizations?

  • Organizations that move along the integration continuum may be able to improve the care they provide to their consumers while increasing the efficiency of care delivery.
  • Organizations that adopt some of these strategies may also benefit from such increased efficiencies, which may translate into reduced health spending for specific target populations.

Related Resources

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Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) has grown rapidly among clinicians and early childhood mental health provider organizations across Pennsylvania. As previously announced, Pittsburgh will be the host city for the PCIT International Conference. This event will take place September 30 – October 2 at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel. The conference will bring PCIT professionals from around the world to share innovations, insights, and experiences as providers of PCIT. The event will also feature several keynote speakers, including Sheila Eyberg, Cheryl McNeil, and Mark Chaffin. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Sheraton Station Square hotel for individuals attending the conference. To learn more about the conference, visit the PCIT International Conference website.

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The Department of Human Services has announced the July training schedule and related information for the approved and required Medication Administration Training. Training will be available online and at various locations across the Commonwealth. Future classroom training sessions are being scheduled throughout the year; announcements will be released when finalized. Classroom training sites have limited capacity, and training candidates from agencies with no certified medication administration staff are required to complete the online course work before they are permitted to attend the classroom training.

Medication administration training is required for designated staff working in: adult training facilities, adult day services, personal care homes, assisted living residences, child residential and residential treatment and day treatment facilities, community homes for individuals with an intellectual disability, and intermediate care facilities. Questions about the information in the training document can be directed to (717) 221-1630 or email.

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