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Authors Posts by Jim Sharp

Jim Sharp

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Young Girl Talking With Counselor At Home

The Pennsylvania Office of Children, Youth and Families (PA OCYF) has announced  that the Pennsylvania 5-Year Prevention Plan for the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was officially approved by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) on August 15, 2023. This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance and strengthen our state’s child welfare and family support systems. This also brings to a close a two-year approval process toward the plan, which outlines the comprehensive framework that Pennsylvania will implement to fulfill the requirements and goals set forth by the Family First Prevention Services Act. This legislation seeks to prioritize family-based services aimed at preventing the unnecessary placement of children in foster care, promoting family stability, and improving overall outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

The effective dates of the Pennsylvania 5-year Prevention Plan for FFPSA will be from October 1, 2021, to October 1, 2026. As Pennsylvania moves forward with the implementation of this plan, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) is excited about the positive impact it will have on the lives of Pennsylvania’s children and families. PA OCYF acknowledges the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders, including partner agencies, community organizations, and dedicated professionals who have contributed to the development of this comprehensive strategy.

Should you have any inquiries or require further information regarding the approved Prevention Plan, its strategies, or the implementation timeline, please do not hesitate to visit Pennsylvania’s Family First website or submit an inquiry through the Pennsylvania Specific Family First Questions Form.

OCYF Leadership will be on the RCPA Children’s Division Meeting on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 1:00 pm and will cover this and other topics. If you have questions or feedback, please contact RCPA Mental Health Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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On behalf of the RCPA Community Residential Rehabilitation (CRR) service providers and the individuals of Pennsylvania that they serve, RCPA submits our CRR Regulatory Reform Recommendations to the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS). The current lack of access to care is a result of the workforce crisis and operational requirements of implementing the regulations. We feel these access issues and individuals waiting for services are compelling reasons, in the interest of the public, to merit a review of the regulations based on section 8.1 of the Regulatory Review Act (71 P.S. § 745.8a).

The COVID-19 DHS regulatory flexibilities provided relief for providers, and OMHSAS continues to offer waivers to agencies experiencing critical staffing shortages. Providers are grateful for these temporary solutions; however, these waivers do not address the long-term impacts of the current regulatory requirements. Providers continue to struggle to hire qualified staff and contend with burdensome operational requirements, many of which negatively contribute to the efficiency of care delivery. Therefore, many of the guidelines that were allowed under the suspension of regulations and frequent waiver requests are incorporated into recommendations for permanent improvements to the regulations.

Our recommendations place focus on the care of the individuals and address the challenges and barriers CRR service providers have faced in creating the staffing infrastructures and meeting the burdensome operational protocols for regulatory compliance. The overreaching nature of the regulations, coupled with the impact of the pandemic, has caused great strain on an already depleted behavioral health workforce. These system stressors limit the ability to provide vital, quality services to individuals. Under current regulations, programs are forced to focus on administrative details that do not have a meaningful effect on the actual care of the individual.

These CRR Regulatory Recommendations will also be directed to the Governor’s Policy Office, the Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Arkoosh, and members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

RCPA would like to thank the members of the CRR Regulatory Review team for their focused and diligent efforts to make this submission possible. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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March to Promote Increased Funding for Mental Health Initiatives

We are just a few weeks away from the March on Harrisburg, and we cannot wait to advocate alongside you and our partner stakeholders on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, on the Capitol steps at 10:30 am.

Please review the agenda for the day as well as march logistics regarding getting to Harrisburg, parking, and the march route. We have some amazing and inspirational speakers joining us as we all come together and raise our voices for a united message.

The flyer includes information for registering. Registration is for planning purposes (i.e., there will be limited number of t-shirts) as well as to help us understand how we can better support our CSPs and individuals who may need assistance with transportation. Everyone is encouraged to join us on the day of the event, even if you do not register. We encourage you to register here. You can also follow the Facebook event page for more information.

Stay tuned for more details about the speakers and comment cards that will be available for you to share with your legislators. We look forward to seeing you at the March on Harrisburg on Wednesday, September 27 at 10:30 am.

If you have any questions or need to arrange to attend, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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The Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Center for First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) programs is partnering with the Central East Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTCC) for a one-day training on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, from 9:00 am – 4:00pm. The session is titled, “Recognizing and Responding to Emerging Psychosis in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Training Workshop for Community Mental Health Providers.”

This free event will take place in Philadelphia and may be attended virtually or in person. Visit here to register. If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Vatza, HeadsUp Education and Telehealth Manager, via email.

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Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

The PA Department of Human Services and PA Care Partnership are excited to announce the 21st Children’s Interagency Conference is scheduled for April 22 – April 25, 2024, at the Penn Stater Hotel, State College, PA. The conference theme is “Shine The Light on Mental Health – Building Youth Wellness & Resilience.”

Hosted by the PA Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services and the PA Care Partnership, the conference brings together Pennsylvania’s Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) and System of Care (SOC) partners providing behavioral health services. The conference will provide an excellent opportunity for providers, county administrators, youth, family members, practitioners, and educators to learn about changing trends, promising and best practices, resources, and various system of care activities across Pennsylvania. The conference will also add a national perspective on a variety of issues, including government, family peer, early childhood, youth leadership, and school-based mental health.

See the Save the Date flyer, and please share it with your contacts and invite them to attend. Visit the conference website for additional information. For questions or more information, contact our contract meeting planner Katrina Harris at 610-494-8044 or via email.

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PA Family Support Alliance presents “Recognizing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect,” a virtual training program for all mandated reporters. This program, approved by various government departments, including Human Services and Education, meets Act 126 requirements for school employees. It also offers free continuing education credits under Act 31 and Act 48. Sessions are available throughout September 2023, offering flexibility in scheduling. The full schedule can be found on the PFSA website. Each participant should use a separate device to log in, and custom sessions can be arranged for organizations upon request via email. Furthermore, the initiative encourages participants to share this training opportunity with others who may find it beneficial, as collective efforts in recognizing and addressing child abuse and neglect are vital for the well-being of children and families.

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September is FASD Awareness Month (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder). This is an expansion of FASD Awareness Day that has been held each year on September 9 since 1999. People all around the world gather for events to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol use during pregnancy and the challenges of individuals and families living with FASD. The first awareness day was celebrated on 9/9/99. This day was chosen so that on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, the world will remember that during the nine months of pregnancy, the safest option is to abstain from alcohol.

Statistics show that approximately half of all pregnancies are unplanned, and the rates of drinking during childbearing age are substantial; thus, there is ongoing risk of having children born who are affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol (Finer & Zolna, 2011; Green, McKnight-Eily, Tan, Mejia, & Denny, 2016). The estimated prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is conservatively around 1%; however, a recent study in North America found rates as high as 4.8% of the school-age population is affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, indicating a significant public health concern (May et al., 2014; May et al., 2015). While research continues to be completed regarding this public health concern, September is a month we honor all who are living with FASD. We must remember to spread the word that the best information is 0-4-9. Zero alcohol four nine months. Please take time to join a social media group or an activity in your community to spread the word!

Please support RCPA and its members in celebrating FASD Month to bring awareness, education, and advocacy to this critical issue affecting children and families. If you have any questions or want to assist in promoting FASD Month, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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The Mental Health Planning Council, under the direction of the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), has extended the survey on delivering Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) until September 22, 2023. Agencies may access the provider survey directly and view the flyer for more details. Feedback will be de-identified and compiled by the Family Satisfaction Team of Montgomery County to be shared with relevant stakeholders and survey participants.

RCPA, on behalf of our members and those they serve, continues our efforts advocating for children, families, and practitioners delivering IBHS services. We respectfully ask our members to share this survey with families they are currently serving. The information will be utilized to examine challenges and opportunities in creating more viable pathways to IBHS services. Feel free to also share this information with other providers in your network of stakeholders.

If you have questions, please contact Clare Higgins or RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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