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Authors Posts by Jim Sharp

Jim Sharp

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The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) invites OMHSAS stakeholders to participate in the DHS 2024–2029 Housing Strategy Feedback Forums. These virtual forums aim to gather valuable insights for the development of the updated five-year Housing Strategy. For detailed information about DHS’ housing work, please visit the housing web page. The Housing Strategy team will host these one-hour feedback forums; participants can register for their preferred session:

Additionally, stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback through the DHS 2024–2029 Housing Strategy Survey. For any inquiries, please contact the DHS Housing Strategy resource account.

After the long-awaited budget resolutions for the 23/24 year, the PA General Assembly, as outlined in the Fiscal Code Bill, has allocated funds for school-based mental health and safety programs grants. We have posted this information below. RCPA recommends our provider members who have interest in providing these services or expanding current service offerings in the school contact their respective school districts to assist the planning process and hopefully contracted process. The grant funding allocation will go directly to the districts who will submit applications to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

The School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) of the PCCD announces the availability of federal COVID relief – ARPA – school mental health grants funding to support the behavioral health needs of students within this Commonwealth. This noncompetitive funding announcement is specifically for school districts, intermediate units, area career and technical schools, charter schools, regional charter schools, and cyber charter schools to support mental health initiatives. A total of $90 million is being announced to support this initiative. Allocation amounts per eligible school entity are included in Appendix A of the solicitation.
The following grant opportunities are now open in PCCD’s Egrants System:

Funding Announcement Title: 2023–24 School Mental Health Grants
Plan Year: 2023
Release Date: 1/10/2024
Due Date: 2/29/2024
Concept Papers Required: No
Competitive/Noncompetitive: Non-Competitive
Amount Announced: $90,000,000

 

Funding Announcement Title: 2023–24 Competitive School Safety Grants
Plan Year: 2023
Release Date: 1/10/2024
Due Date: 2/29/2024
Concept Papers Required: No
Competitive/Noncompetitive: Competitive
Amount Announced: $32,179,000

 

Funding Announcement Title: 2023–24 School District Meritorious
Plan Year: 2023
Release Date: 1/10/2024
Due Date: 2/29/2024
Concept Papers Required: No
Competitive/Noncompetitive: Non-Competitive
Amount Announced: $18,655,000

You can view detailed documentation regarding these funding announcements by clicking on the funding announcement title on the screen.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

The Early Intervention Providers Association is hosting the “Early Intervention Advocacy Agenda Webinar” on Monday, January 30, 2024, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. The webinar aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the federal and state systems related to early intervention. It will explore the intersection of policy and early intervention, highlighting how policies impact daily activities and the relationship between fieldwork and overarching programs. Participants will learn how to align their daily work with the PA Part C Advocacy Agenda and gain insight into the impact of state requirements on their field activities. The discussion will emphasize the connection between work and policy for the greater good of Part C Early Intervention Services. Attendees will also receive a certificate for 1.5 hours of Infant/Toddler training. Register for the webinar here.

The Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) in Pennsylvania has continued partnering with the Office of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) to offer free trauma training for child welfare professionals. Lakeside Global Institute facilitates this initiative and caters to anyone in Pennsylvania working to improve the lives of children and families. The training, available until September 30, 2024, covers various aspects of trauma awareness and includes both workshops and intensive courses. Sessions are conducted live via a web-based platform; all tuition and material costs are covered. The training includes:

  • Enhancing Trauma Awareness;
  • Deepening Trauma Awareness;
  • Applying Trauma Principles;
  • Trauma-Sensitive Certification;
  • Train the Trainers;
  • And more!

One notable offering is the Trauma-Sensitive Professional course, a 50-hour program that aims to equip participants with the title of Certified Trauma-Sensitive Professional upon completion. Registration for both workshops and intensive courses is open, and professionals are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Participants who have already completed certain prerequisite courses are advised not to duplicate content. For inquiries, individuals can reach out to Lakeside Global Institute. You can register for workshops here or intensive courses here.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

With the completion of the training for the Cost Report and Personnel Roster documents, it is time to begin completing both, as the deadline is set for January 16, 2024. Completed documents should be uploaded using the PA EI Rate Study website’s “Submit Data” tab.

The following resources are available on the PA EI Rate Study website:

  • Cost Report and Personnel Roster Workbooks;
  • Cost Report and Personnel Roster Instructions;
  • Cost Report and Personnel Roster FAQ; and
  • Cost Report and Personnel Roster Recorded Training.

Questions about next steps? Attend a Cost Report and Personnel Roster Office Hour. Available time slots are listed below:

If you have any questions, please send them electronically or contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.