Coalition for the Mental Health Safety Net Meeting Scheduled for Feb. 22
Jim Sharp
Court Ruling Declares PA’s School Funding System Unconstitutional
HRSA Workforce Expansion Funding Notice
OMHSAS Releases Telehealth Funding Opportunity
As discussed in the recent RCPA Telehealth Operations Work Group meeting, the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) announced a telehealth funding opportunity. To participate in this funding, or for additional details, please visit this website.
OMHSAS will accept funding requests beginning today, February 1, 2023. RCPA recommends all members interested in this funding to review the announcement as soon as possible.
If you have questions or concerns related to this opportunity, please send via email. If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.
Governor Shapiro Signs Executive Order to Improve Commonwealth Licensing & Certification Processes
Governor Shapiro is directing all state agencies, boards, and commissions to compile a catalog of the licenses, certificates, and permits they issue – including the statutory authority governing the length of time they must process applications and the application fee charged by each agency. Commonwealth agencies will have 90 days to send this information to the Governor’s Office, which will then review, analyze, and establish efficient application processing times for all occupational permits or licenses based on agency recommendations. Once those recommendations are put in place, if an agency does not respond to an applicant before the date-certain, the agency will be required to refund the application fee.
Under this Executive Order, the Governor’s Office will also conduct a review of the existing digital services that Pennsylvanians use to apply for licenses, certificates, and permits and work to modernize those application platforms and services to better serve Pennsylvanians.
Unpredictability and long wait times for Commonwealth-issued licenses, certificates, and permits can create unnecessary barriers for Pennsylvania workers and businesses. For example, an NPR analysis from 2021 found that Pennsylvania had some of the longest wait times in the country for issuing nursing licenses. More than half of the nursing applicants who applied in Pennsylvania that year waited at least three months to hear back.
In addition to nursing licenses, the Commonwealth issues hundreds of licenses, certificates, and permits, from barber and salon licenses to teacher certifications to business permits. Under the direction of the Governor, the Administration will work expeditiously to ensure Pennsylvanians get responses in a timely manner — and the Shapiro Administration will have real skin in the game. Governor Shapiro is making clear his Administration will be customer-service oriented and that state government will work harder to get them a response, so that they can pursue their dreams.
Read Executive Order 2023-07, Building Efficiency in the Commonwealth’s Permitting and Licensing Processes, here.
RCPA Provider Member Inquiry Regarding Use of Medical Marijuana in Facilities
Life After Lockdowns: RCPA Member Wellspan Philhaven Sees Increase in Mental Health Services After Stress of Past Few Years
Behavioral Health Division Update: Get Involved With Work Groups and Committees
RCPA’s Behavioral Health Division committees and work groups are the foundation of our legislative and advocacy efforts on behalf of members. Member involvement in these groups provides unique perspectives on operational and service-level experiences that shape our positions and strategies.
There are larger bi-monthly Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Adult and Children’s Mental Health Division meetings that include stakeholder updates and discussions. DDAP, OMHSAS, OCYF, and guest speakers from across the continuum of human services typically participate in these meetings. Additionally, we have several active specific work groups that include:
| SUD Committees | Adult MH Committee |
|---|---|
| Opioid Treatment Programs | Adult Mental Health Steering Committee |
| Centers of Excellence | 988/Crisis Services |
| SUD Regulatory Reform | ACT Program |
| SUD Legislative | Regulatory Reform |
| Children’s MH Committees | Combined SUD/MH Committees |
| Children’s Steering Committee | Telehealth |
| IBHS Work Group | Criminal Justice |
| Children’s Residential Services | Value-Based Purchasing |
| School-Based Behavioral Health | ICWC/CCBHC |
| Early Intervention | Workforce |
| Family-Based Services Ad Hoc Group |
Several of the groups are open only to provider members, while others include any interested member. Participation in the groups is open to individuals that you feel best fit the needs of your organization. If you would like to participate in any of the committees or work groups, please contact your Behavioral Health Division Directors Jim Sharp or Jason Snyder. We look forward to collaborating with you in the future.
OMHSAS Releases Updated Act 65 Bulletin: Consent to Mental Health Treatment for Minors
OMHSAS Telehealth Funding Opportunity to Be Released on February 1
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