Did You Know Your RCPA Membership Includes ANCOR and National Council Benefits?
Jim Sharp
City & State Media Name Power 100 for PA Nonprofits: RCPA Members and Partners Recognized
City & State PA is a premier multi-media news firm that dedicates its coverage to Pennsylvania’s state and local government, political, and advocacy news. City & State PA annually cite among their Power 100 rankings those in the nonprofit field for their achievements and contributions. This year, several RCPA members and stakeholder partners have been recognized for their efforts in their field and those they serve. Included in the list are:
- Jill Bowen, Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services;
- Colleen McNichol, President and CEO, Child Guidance Resource Center;
- Marco Giordano, CEO, Resources for Human Development;
- Mike Smith, President and CEO, Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania;
- Gordon May, President and CEO, CONCERN 4 Kids;
- Sherri Landis , Executive Director The Arc of Pa; and
- Representative Frank Ferry Pa House of Representative 142nd Districts.
RCPA congratulates these members and partners for their recognition in this year’s Power 100 Nonprofit Leaders. You can view the full article here.
CMS Releases Final 2023 Physician Fee Schedule
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Calendar Year 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule. The final rule includes several National Council and RCPA recommended priorities. These are wins for mental health and substance use care organizations that will help expand access to care by strengthening the workforce.
RCPA recommends members review this 2023 Physicians Fee Schedule Final Rule Summary for impacts on your agencies practice and/or policies.
Key Highlights:
- Telehealth Flexibility Extensions: CMS is extending telehealth flexibilities implemented under the Public Health Emergency (PHE) for a 151-day period after the expiration of the PHE.
- CMS is allowing behavioral health clinicians to offer services incident to a Medicare practitioner under general (rather than direct) supervision.
- Licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists are now able to bill incident to Medicare practitioner for their services.
- Medicare will allow opioid treatment programs to use telehealth to initiate treatment with buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder, continuing the flexibilities under the Ryan Haight Act of 2008.
- CMS is also clarifying that opioid treatment programs can bill for opioid use disorder treatment services provided through mobile units, such as vans, in accordance with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) guidance.
The Final Rule, in alignment with the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2022, implements an extension of a number of flexibilities for a 151-day period after the expiration of the Public Health Emergency (PHE), which is set to expire on January 11, 2023.
In the event of further extensions of the federal PHE, we will communicate this info to members. Under the current timeframe for PHE continuation, states must be notified by November 11, 2022.
We thank our members and Steering Committees for their guidance, recommendations, and support through the review process. If you have any questions, please contact your respective RCPA Policy Director.
OMHSAS Extends Selected Flexibilities Beyond PHE
Behavioral Health Clinic Awarded Another $4M Grant: RCPA Member WellSpan Philhaven Featured
State Commission Makes Recommendations for $100 Million in Mental Health Spending
Reminder: OMHSAS and OCYF Offer Free Trauma Training
In partnership with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) is funding trauma training opportunities for all child welfare professionals in PA via Lakeside Global. From September 30, 2022, through September 30, 2023, PA child welfare professionals serving children in PA are able to take advantage of FREE trainings facilitated by the team at Lakeside Global to become trauma-aware, trauma-sensitive, trauma-informed, or healing-centered. This also includes “Train the Trainer” sessions to support trauma-informed sustainability within a child welfare organization.
To learn more about how you can take advantage of this professional development, please view the Trauma Training Announcement.
If you have questions relating to any of these trainings, please email PA Care Partnership or RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.
OCDEL Confirms Use of Tele-Intervention for EI
DHS Revises Fingerprint Notification Process
OMHSAS Guidance on New Act 98 Revised Regulations & Telehealth
On October 28, 2022, House Bill 1630 was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf as P.L. Act 98 of 2022 and is effective immediately. This law repealed three sections of the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) regulations at 55 Pa. Code § 1153.14(1); § 1223.14(2); and § 5230.55(c) that were previously suspended by the Public Health Emergency (PHE). Behavioral Health (BH) providers may now deliver and bill for BH services through audio-only telehealth for both Outpatient Psychiatric Services and Outpatient Drug and Alcohol Services that is consistent with OMHSAS bulletin OMHSAS-22-02, titled “Revised Guidelines for the Delivery of Behavioral Health Services Through Telehealth” that was issued on July 1, 2022. Additionally, BH providers delivering Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services now have the ability to provide supervision through a video or audio platform.
The purpose of this email is to inform you that the following sections have officially been repealed:
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