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Authors Posts by Jim Sharp

Jim Sharp

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Message From the Department of Human Services
June 8, 2023

Harrisburg, PA — The Shapiro Administration today announced it has completely eliminated a backlog of Medicaid provider enrollment and revalidation applications, paving the way for more health care providers to become part of the Medicaid program, and giving Medicaid recipients more options for care. This announcement follows news in late April that the Department of Human Services (DHS) had already reduced the provider backlog by 75 percent within Governor Shapiro’s first 100 days in office.

As of January 2023, there was a backlog of more than 35,000 provider applications and revalidation applications that were more than 30 days old. Within the first 100 days of the Administration, the number of waiting applicants was reduced by 75 percent to under 8,500 applications, and that backlog has now been entirely eliminated.

“Pennsylvania is fortunate to have so many caring, high-quality health care providers and professionals who want to be part of the Medicaid program and care for some of our most vulnerable friends, neighbors, and loved ones,” said DHS Acting Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “I want to thank them and DHS staff who worked so diligently on this issue. They have helped to ensure that Medicaid recipients in the Commonwealth can continue to get the care they need and deserve.”

By federal law, organizations are not able to offer care to patients under the Medicaid program unless they are enrolled providers. In addition, DHS must revalidate Medicaid service providers every five years. Any backlogs in processing applications means that providers who want to offer services to Medicaid recipients cannot do so until their applications are approved.

The Medicaid program in Pennsylvania serves more than 3.7 million people, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Recognizing the scope of the backlog and its impact on Pennsylvanians, the Shapiro Administration and DHS staff and leadership acted quickly to address it, removing roadblocks to processing applications quickly and cutting red tape.

Read the full announcement here. If a member has not been notified of the status of a pending enrollment or revalidation, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.

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Folders with the label Applications and Grants

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) is soliciting applications for Prevention Services Evaluation Partnerships. These grants aim to support summative (i.e., impact) randomized control trial or quasi-experimental evaluations of a mental health, substance abuse prevention and/or treatment, in-home parent skill-based, or kinship navigator program or service. The grants will support collaborations among evaluators and partnering Title IV-E agencies, community entities, and/or researchers that have experience in working with foster children or children in kinship care arrangements to conduct well-designed and rigorous summative evaluations of programs and services intended to provide enhanced support to children and families, including pregnant and parenting youth in foster care, as well as prevent child abuse and neglect and foster care placements.

Grant recipients are expected to conduct a randomized control trial or quasi-experimental evaluation design that aligns with Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse (the Clearinghouse) Design and Execution Standards for Moderate or High Support of Causal Evidence and may contribute to the research systematically reviewed by the Clearinghouse. Grant recipients may collect and analyze primary data or leverage existing data for the proposed evaluation. ACF is particularly interested in evaluations of programs or services that are eligible for review by the Clearinghouse but which are not yet rated; programs and services with a rating of “does not currently meet criteria” by the Clearinghouse, and programs and services that have been designed for or adapted for specific cultural, ethnic, or racial groups, or programs and services that aim to serve other populations that have been historically marginalized and/or have historic or ongoing disproportionate representation in the child welfare system.

Estimated Total Funding:
$8,900,000

Expected Number of Awards:
12

Award Ceiling:
$1,500,000
Per Project Period

Award Floor:
$250,000
Per Project Period

Average Projected Award Amount:
$750,000
Per Project Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:
10/01/2023

View the funding summary announcement for more details. Any questions regarding this announcement should be directed to the federal Administration for Children and Families contacts outlined in the announcement.

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All child welfare professionals in Pennsylvania are eligible for the following FREE trauma trainings facilitated by Lakeside Global, Inc.

If you have completed Trauma 101 and Enhancing Trauma Awareness, you are eligible to register for the Train the Trainer course scheduled for May!

Train the Trainer (25-Hour Course)

Participants who meet course requirements would be certified by Lakeside Global Institute as Adjunct Trainers with authorization to license and present Lakeside Global Institute workshops. Adjunct Trainers are also equipped to facilitate small group discussions. LGI’s Train the Trainers course applies the same approaches and techniques provided in course content. Participants can expect LGI trainers to maintain a high level of integrity with regard to processes of group leadership, management, and facilitation.

Enhancing Trauma Awareness

Enhancing Trauma Awareness (ETA) is a 15-hour course that is the first in a series of trauma courses. ETA provides a rich and sophisticated exploration of the subject of trauma with an emphasis on encouraging professionals to become highly sensitive regarding the nature of trauma as foun­dational to becoming trauma-informed. Professionals will gain heightened awareness and respect with regard to trauma-related behaviors and the consequences of being impacted by trauma that can extend into relationships, systems, and across generations.

Questions?

If you already registered for training and did not receive a training link, here are your contacts:

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Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The Department of Human Services has become aware that there is confusion regarding timeframes specific to the “Warrant for Emergency Examination” under Section 302 of the Act. The field requires guidance on the length of time a warrant is considered active before the subject of the warrant has been located and the individual has been presented at an evaluation location.

When an individual displays an urgent need for evaluation and treatment due to concerns for the safety of that individual or others, authorization for an Involuntary Evaluation is outlined in the MHPA. The legislature designated a specific timeframe for an individual to be held at an evaluation location to avoid deprivation of liberty without further due process (see In Re Chiumento, 688 A. 2d 217, 221 (Pa Super, 1997)).

The mandated time limit reflects the expectation to honor the constitutional due process requirement of balancing individual liberty interests with the government’s interests in ensuring individual and societal safety.

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

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The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC), the PA Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, and the JCJC Awards Committee are pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 Professional and Youth Award Programs. Award nomination forms can be found on the JCJC website. The awards will be presented at the 2023 James E. Anderson Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice November 1–2, 2023, at the Hilton Harrisburg.

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

Residential Program of the Year — Any public or private sector program serving alleged and/or adjudicated delinquent youth in a residential setting. This includes foster homes, group homes, residential treatment programs, general childcare facilities, shelter care facilities, detention centers, independent living programs, and other programs providing out-of-home, overnight care to children. Award Winners prior to 2018 are eligible for nomination.

Community-Based Program of the Year Award — Any public or private sector program, not operated by the court, which provides community-based, non-residential services to alleged and/or adjudicated delinquent youth including, but not limited to, day treatment programs, in-home services, Boys and Girls Clubs, Education Services, and out-patient services.

Meritorious Service Award — A person committed to furthering the development of at-risk, alleged and/or delinquent youth, or advancing the mission of the juvenile justice system (examples of volunteer work may include, but is not limited to, youth aid panels, youth commissions, anti-violence programs, school-based programs, diversionary programs, mentoring programs, faith-based programs, community centers, or similar programming).

Formal professional award nomination materials must be submitted via email by Monday, August 14, 2023.

YOUTH AWARDS

Outstanding Achievement Award — The Outstanding Achievement Award submission consists of a narrative description of a youth’s outstanding qualities of community service, victim reparation, academic accomplishments, school attendance, citizenship, attitude, extra-curricular activities, peer relationships, significant life experience, and positive changes in behavior.

Creative Expression Contest — Using the theme “Believe In My Steps For Tomorrow,” youth are to submit an original creative expression project in one of the following three categories: Poster; Written (essay, poem, story, etc.); or Mixed Media (Dance, song, audio, video, or photography). This contest has a fifteen (15) and under category and a sixteen (16) and over category.

Youth Award Winners and their chaperones will be honored guests at the 2023 Youth Awards Program and Dinner. Individuals submitting nominations will be responsible for ensuring that winners attend the Youth Awards Program. Winners will have the opportunity to say a few words upon receiving their award.  All youth award nominations must be postmarked by Monday, August 14, 2023.

Thank you for your interest and support of the 2023 JCJC Awards Program. Please contact Angel Stewart at 717-783-7835 or via email contact Keysla Rodriguez at 717-783-6263 or via email for questions or further assistance.

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