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Authors Posts by Jim Sharp

Jim Sharp

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The Pennsylvania State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) is seeking interested family members, caregivers, and professionals to serve on ad hoc subcommittees. The PA SICC is a Governor-appointed council that advises and assists the Departments of Health, Education, and Human Services to ensure that a comprehensive delivery system of integrated Early Intervention programs and services is available to all eligible infants, toddlers, and young children as well as their families.

Individuals are needed to serve on one or more of the following committees:

  • Mental health committee;
  • Workforce development committee;
  • Outreach and communication committee; and
  • Access and inclusion committee.

The deadline to apply is Monday, October 28. All applicants will be notified about the decision of their application by early January via email.

Please share this information with professionals and families within your network. For more information about the committees and to apply, view the application here. Please send any questions electronically.

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Image by Dirk Wouters from Pixabay

The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has submitted to the Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) IRRC No. 3417 — Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (14-555) regulations for the first phase of the promulgation process.

At this time, the regulations will be open for the submission of public comments from November 2, 2024, to December 1, 2024. The IRRC will review these comments and work with OMHSAS on developing responses as well as any potential language changes.

This process for regulation development with stakeholders began in 2019, and RCPA and its members have been active partners with the OMHSAS Children’s Bureau in the ongoing process through forums and work group meetings. The RCPA Residential Services Work Group completed a cursory review of a PRFT regulation presentation by OMHSAS in July and will begin working on developing a full response to the regulations.

RCPA will be connecting with these members this week to schedule the PRTF Regulatory Review Team that will support our recommendations to the current draft. If any member is interested in participating in the review group, please contact RCPA COO and MH Director Jim Sharp.

The regulations can be view at the links below.

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) October 2024 Stakeholder Webinar is currently scheduled for Thursday, October 17 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

Use this link to register for the webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

For those that want to join via phone:
Call-in Number: 914-614-3221
Access Code: 854-614-804

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Director Jim Sharp.

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Providers who hold a license to operate a facility licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) are being notified of a change to the Civil Rights Compliance process. There is a new Civil Rights Compliance form when submitting a new licensing application as well as a new Civil Rights Compliance Renewal form when submitting a licensing renewal application.

Entities seeking a new license will utilize a Civil Rights Compliance (CRC) form (HS2126). The prior Civil Rights Compliance (CRC) form is now obsolete and will be returned back to providers. This form must be included in the packet submitted as part of any new license request. The new application, supporting documents, and CRC form must be emailed to the DHS office that issues your license; the email address can be found in the chart below.

Entities licensed by OCDEL or ODP who use CLS or PELICAN to submit new applications must submit the form by email. The CRC forms are not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN new application process. The updated CRC form for new applications can be found on the DHS website under the “Application for License” page.

For licensing renewals, a licensee will now submit a CRC Renewal form (HS 2125). The prior Attestation form is now obsolete and will be returned back to providers. The renewal form must be submitted as part of a renewal licensing application, and the renewal notice will still be sent out 130 days prior to expiration. The renewal application must be emailed to the DHS office that issues your license; the email address can be found in the chart below.

Entities licensed by OCDEL or ODP who use CLS or PELICAN to submit renewal applications must submit the renewal by email. The renewal is not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN renewal application process. The CRC form for can be found on the DHS website under the “Application for License” page.

Previously, the DHS Bureau of Equal Opportunity (BEO) would issue you a letter verifying that you are compliant with applicable civil rights laws. With the new process, a letter from BEO will no longer be sent out to licensed entities. Instead, the issuance of the new license or renewal license will indicate that your CRC form or renewal form submission was approved. If there are issues or questions on the submitted CRC or renewal form, a staff member from BEO or DHS will contact you.

If your license is issued by… Submit your application AND your CRC form (if new license)
or  CRC Renewal (if license renewal) to:
The Bureau of Human Services Licensing (Renewals) – PCH & ALR [email protected]
For NEW applications for Personal Care Homes or Assisted Living Residences Send the application, supporting documents, Civil Rights Compliance Form (HS2126) and the application fee, check or money order payable to DHS to:

Via USPS:                              Or via courier:

DHS/BHSL                                 DHS/BHSL

Room 623                                  Health & Human Services Bldg.

PO Box 2675                              Rm 623

Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675        625 Forster Street

Harrisburg, PA 17120
The Office of Children, Youth, and Families [email protected]
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services [email protected]
The Office of Developmental Programs* [email protected]
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning* Child care providers should include their MPI number in the subject line and email the appropriate regional office:  

Northeast Region:

[email protected]

Central Region:

[email protected]

Counties: Dauphin, Cumberland,

Lancaster, York, Adams, Lebanon and York

[email protected]

Counties: Snyder, Perry, Juniata, Centre, Mifflin, Tioga, Lycoming, Northumberland, Union and Clinton

South Region:

[email protected]
Western Region:

[email protected]

Counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland

[email protected]

Counties: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset

*Licensees who use CLS or PELICAN to submit renewal applications must submit the renewal by email. The renewal is not part of the electronic CLS/PELICAN renewal application process.

The new process is effective on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Existing licensees and applicants must begin following the new process on or before that date.

If you have any questions about the new process, please contact the applicable DHS office, DHS Human Services Licensing Office at 717-705-0383, or, if your facility is a childcare facility, please reach the Office of Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) at Western Region 1-800-222-2149, Central Region (Harrisburg) at 1-800-222-2117, Northeast Region (Scranton) at 1-800-222-2108, or Southeast Region (North & South) at 1-800-346-2929.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the completion of your civil rights compliance application, please contact Bureau of Equal Opportunity Licensing office at 717-787-1579 or electronically.

Thank you for your commitment to protecting the rights of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens. If you have any additional questions, please contact your respective RCPA Policy Director.

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The Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) has completed their review of existing Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) regulations codified at 55PA. Code chapters 1155 and 5240, as requested by the RCPA IBHS Steering Committee.

The RCPA IBHS Regulatory Reform Recommendations, submitted on November 29, 2022, requested the commission to review the IBHS regulations under section 8.1 of the Regulatory Review Act, which provides that the commission may review any existing regulation which has been an effect for at least three years.

The commission has noted the burden placed on providers by the Department of Human Services regulation, but while they appreciated our concerns, the commission’s role is to determine whether existing regulations, as a whole, remain in the public interest. In the commission review letter, they determined that further action by the commission is not warranted in this matter.

We have been in contact with OMHSAS throughout this two-year period, and the commission provided the department with guidance as part of the review process. Despite the ruling from the IRRC, OMHSAS has agreed that they will reopen the IBHS for review as announced by OMHSAS Deputy Secretary Jennifer Smith at the RCPA Conference last week. RCPA will be reviewing the recommendations to calibrate those areas that continue to create barriers to access that have arisen since the recommendations created in the Fall of 2022.

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

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The process to route cell phone calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline based on the caller’s approximate location, versus by area code, has started; FCC to vote next month on a final rule that would require all U.S. wireless carriers to implement geo-routing with specific timelines

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline announced that the process to start routing cellular phone calls to 988 contact centers based on the caller’s approximate location, versus by area code — known as “geo-routing” — began last week with two major U.S. wireless carriers that combined make up about half of all wireless calls to 988. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the 988 Network Administrator, Vibrant Emotional Health, have been working with all of the major U.S. cell phone carriers for more than a year to improve call routing to 988 so that callers on a cell phone can be connected more locally to centers that are better equipped to provide nearby resources and services.

These new rules, if adopted by a vote from the full commission next month, would require all U.S. wireless carriers to implement geo-routing. In addition, the rules will also establish an implementation timeline for geo-routing calls to the 988 Lifeline of 30 days following the effective date of the rule for nationwide wireless providers and 24 months after the effective date of the rule for smaller, non-nationwide providers.

More than 200 contact centers across the country provide support through the 988 Lifeline network. Geo-routing connects cell phone callers to the closest 988 contact center to the caller’s physical location. Geo-routing differs from geolocation in that it does not provide a precise location of the caller, allowing callers to maintain their location privacy. Studies have shown that after speaking with a trained crisis counselor, most callers feel more hopeful and less depressed, suicidal, and overwhelmed.

If you have additional questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Director Jim Sharp.

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The Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA) and the Value-Based Care Work Group have created a value-based survey that is being distributed across the US to seek insights into the current state of value-based care, identify existing gaps, and explore opportunities for better alignment between payment models and clinical practice.

The target audience includes health systems, quality and administration professionals, primary and specialist care providers, and funding sources such as payers, policymakers, foundations, and grants.

The results of the 5-minute survey, which you can view here, will be shared with members as accompanying review is completed. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and MH Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) will be holding quarterly public meetings for anyone interested in discussing the topic of peer support services (PSS) working in the mental health realm. These meetings will provide a regularly scheduled opportunity for OMHSAS representatives to give PSS updates and information as well as answer questions and obtain essential insight and feedback from stakeholders.

The first quarterly meeting will be held on October 8, 2024, at 9:00 am – 10:00 am. The TEAMS meeting link is available here. Going forward, these meetings will be held on the second Tuesday in the months of January, April, July, and October 2025. Attendees will receive general updates and discussion topics OMHSAS will send ahead of time. Meeting links will also be provided in advance of each meeting.

Recommendations for agenda topics or questions can be submitted via email and must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the meeting date. The email account will be monitored, and the sender will receive a reply if more information is needed. Responses will not be provided if additional information is not needed.

If you or your colleagues would like to be added to an OMHSAS Listserv to receive the quarterly invitations, please go to the Listserv DHS website, then select the “join or leave the list” link.

Meeting Dates:

  • Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 9:00 am
    • Topic: Introductions, Welcome, & OMHSAS Updates
  • Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due December 30, 2024
  • Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due March 25, 2025
  • Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due June 24, 2025
  • Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 9:00 am
    • Agenda Topics Due September 30, 2025

OMHSAS is open to ideas and suggestions on maximizing the effectiveness of these meetings.

These quarterly meetings are not a replacement for the Mental Health Planning Council quarterly meetings. Those meetings will continue in addition to these newly established meetings.

OMHSAS appreciates your review and hope you will join them for these PSS discussions. Questions pertaining to these meetings should be submitted via email.

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