Regional Accountable Health Councils Program Updates
Jim Sharp
Your View: What’s Making the Mental Health Care Crisis Even Worse
Mental Health Safety Net Coalition County-Based MH Funding Advocacy Letter: “The Time is Now”
The sustained funding of community-based mental health services, such as community residential programs, family-based support, outpatient care, and crisis intervention, are critical to the wellbeing of our constituents and our communities. Funding levels for county mental health services have direct impacts on whether these important community and family supports will be available. Yet for too many years, state funding for mental health services has lagged far behind its needs. Counties find themselves advocating for the prevention of funds being cut instead of achieving the increases that are needed to catch up from years of underfunding.
This week’s letter of advocacy, sent on behalf of the Coalition, stands as an open call to the PA General Assembly and stakeholders. As we await Governor Shapiro’s budget address, the “Time is Now” for action to sustain the funding of community-based mental health services and to create the legislation to move on the allocation of the $100 million dollars in funding as outlined by the Pennsylvania Behavioral Health Commission.
The Coalition is open to all new partners to join our mission of advocacy for this 2023–24 initiative, as the time to act is now for engaging with your representative. The Coalition will also be developing an advocacy toolkit for members to come together to sustain the safety net and serve those who need it most. The reality is that the demand for service far outweighs capacity and rate structures to serve this population.
If you have additional questions or would like to join the Mental Health Safety Net Coalition, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.
Coalition for the Mental Health Safety Net Meeting Scheduled for March 29
RCPA invites members to participate in the Coalition for the Mental Health Safety Net meeting on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. You can register for the meeting here.
The Coalition will also be meeting on the following dates:
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
The Coalition is open to all stakeholder groups, and we encourage members to participate in these efforts of joint advocacy in protecting and preserving our mental health service delivery system. If you would like to join the collation or have any questions, please contact Jim Sharp.
CMS Release: Public Health Emergency (PHE) New Overview Fact Sheet
As part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) ongoing efforts to provide up-to-date information to prepare for the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, expected on May 11, 2023, we are providing a new overview fact sheet on CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the Transition Forward from the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. COVID-19 efforts have been a significant priority for the current administration, and with the use of whole-of-government approach, the country is in a better place. Over the next several months, CMS will work to ensure a smooth transition back to normal operations.
The fact sheet provides clarity on several topics, including:
- COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatments;
- Telehealth services; and
- Health care access.
There are several telehealth flexibilities listed within the document, including the continuation of virtual supervision to the end of the calendar year. See below for an excerpt from CMS’ PHE release:
Virtual Supervision
To allow more people to receive care during the PHE, CMS temporarily changed the definition of “direct supervision” to allow the supervising health care professional to be immediately available through virtual presence using real-time audio/video technology instead of requiring their physical presence. CMS also clarified that the temporary exception to allow immediate availability for direct supervision through virtual presence also facilitates the provision of telehealth services by clinical staff “incident to” the professional services of physicians and other practitioners. This flexibility will expire on December 31, 2023.
What is missing is guidance around the intersect of telehealth and the prescribing of buprenorphine as directed under the Ryan Haight Act of 2008. As part of the CMS Physicians Fee Schedule of 2023, CMS was in the process of writing language extending this as a flexibility. To date, there has been no guidance, though RCPA continues its advocacy efforts with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, as well as state and federal stakeholders.
Relias Offers Free DEI Training Webinar — Tuesday, February 28
Shapiro Admin Can Do More as Rollbacks to Food and Health Benefits Loom in PA, Experts Say
RCPA ACT Services Update
OMHSAS Monthly Stakeholder Call Today — Registration Still Open
RCPA Supports MA/CHIP Medicaid Advocacy Efforts
As the Federal Public Health Emergency unwinds, more than a million Pennsylvanians on the Medicaid rolls will have their eligibility determinations reviewed. RCPA has been a part of the MA/CHIP Watch Group, an advocacy partnership focused on this process for children and families to ensure coverage for services. The partnership is a group of Pennsylvania health, law, and policy advocates who work directly with and on behalf of Medical Assistance (MA) and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees. For approximately one year, the group has been meeting regularly with DHS staff to discuss DHS’ plans to resume regular operations when the federal provision for continuous coverage, put into place in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), ends.
DHS has an unprecedented task ahead: conducting MA eligibility checks for an estimated 1.1 million MA enrollees, who either no longer appear to be eligible or have overdue renewals. The group remains very concerned about the enormous administrative workload the County Assistance Offices (CAOs) will face when redetermining eligibility for this large volume of cases while resuming regular operations after three years, and how that is likely to translate into individuals losing coverage, though remaining eligible.
Recently, the group presented a letter of recommendations to DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh outlining these concerns and pathways to ensure transitional care and coverage for children. Additionally, RCPA in their meetings with DHS continues its advocacy and support for the recommendations outlined in the letter to Secretary Arkoosh.
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