Healthbeat: New Report Shows PA is Ranked Among Best for Mental Health Care
Jim Sharp
Not Just ADHD? Helping Children With Multiple Concerns
Many children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have other concerns or disorders. For some children, symptoms that look like ADHD can be better explained by another diagnosis. Recognizing symptoms of ADHD and other disorders and finding ways to help children can be a challenge for families. Read more about how to help children who have ADHD and other disorders.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds the National Resource Center on ADHD (NRC), a program of CHADD — Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Visit the NRC for more information and resources for children with ADHD and their families. The NRC also operates a call center (866-200-8098) with trained staff to answer questions about ADHD and related disorders.
OMHSAS Reinstates Licensing Inspection Visit Regulations
Effective October 18, 2021, the following regulatory statutes and regulations are reinstated:
- 62 P.S. § 911(a)(2) — Visitation and Inspection;
- 62 P.S. § 1016 — Right to Enter and Inspect; and
- 55 Pa. Code § 20.31 — Annual Inspection.
If you have any questions or concerns related to this announcement, please contact your local OMHSAS Regional Field Office at the following numbers:
Central Field Office — 717-705-8395
Northeast Field Office — 570-963-4335
Southeast Field Office — 610-313-5844
Southwest Field Office — 412-565-5226
If you have further questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director(s).
RCPA Workforce Survey Closes Today — Monday, October 18, 2021
RCPA will close the workforce survey at close of business today, Monday, October 18, 2021. The survey, which is open to all Human Service Providers in Pennsylvania, covers workforce issues for a diverse range of programs, including Mental Health, IDD/Autism, Brain Injury, Drug & Alcohol, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF). The survey responses seek to gather data related to hiring, retention, vacancy rates, pay structures, vaccinations, and COVID-19 impacts on programs as well as access to care associated with the pandemic.
We thank you for your time in completing this survey. We will begin the survey analysis of the survey outcomes and will complete a report for distribution to our General Assembly, state stakeholders, members and participants.
Please complete the survey here. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Services Jim Sharp.
RCPA Workforce Survey Extended to Monday, October 18, 2021
RCPA has extended the deadline to complete the workforce survey to Monday, October 18, 2021. The survey, which is open to all Human Service Providers in Pennsylvania, covers work force issues for a diverse range of programs, including Mental Health, IDD/Autism, Brain Injury, Drug & Alcohol, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF). The survey responses seek to gather data related to hiring, retention, vacancy rates, pay structures, vaccinations, and COVID-19 impacts on programs as well as access to care associated with the pandemic.
We thank you in advance for your time in completing this survey and would ask that you share this information with your colleagues, fellow leaders, and Human Resources teams. The more information collected, the more we will be able to provide to stakeholders, which will affect not only RCPA members but all providers within the Commonwealth.
A copy of the results of this survey will be available to all participants at the conclusion of the study. Please complete the survey here. The workforce survey will end at close of business on Monday, October 18, 2021.
If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Services Jim Sharp.
OMHSAS Offers Free Virtual Training: The Coach Approach Workshop
OMHSAS Offers Free Virtual Training:
The Coach Approach Workshop for Young Professionals
Message from OMHSAS:
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in collaboration with the PA Care Partnership, is excited to announce that we will be offering a free, two-day virtual workshop entitled “The Coach Approach Workshop for Young Professionals” to be held on October 22, 2021, 9:00 am–3:30 pm and October 25, 2021, 9:00 am–3:30 pm.
The Coach Approach for Young Professionals Workshop was developed to support young professionals and various organizations that provide services and supports build stronger relationships, collaborations, and teams through equity and partnership rather than taking control or giving advice. A detailed overview of the workshop can be found here.
As a follow up to the great work that our Healthy Transitions (HT) counties accomplished under the HT grant, we would like to offer this first two-day workshop to young adult professionals and providers from Berks, Bucks, and Washington Counties, as well as participants from any of our System of Care (SOC) counties. This will be the first of three workshops that will be offered across the state, and based on your experience and expertise, we are very interested in your participation and feedback in order to shape how this continues forward.
*Please note, this is an interactive virtual workshop via Zoom and will require you to use a camera.
Participation is limited; please email to reserve your space.
Reminder: RCPA’s Workforce Survey Invitation — Survey Closes October 13
We invite and encourage all Human Service Providers in Pennsylvania to participate in the RCPA workforce survey. The statewide survey examines workforce topics for a diverse range of programs, including Mental Health, IDD/Autism, Brain Injury, Drug & Alcohol, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF), and others. The survey responses seek to gather data related to hiring, retention, vacancy rates, pay structures, vaccinations, and COVID-19 impacts on programs as well as access to care associated with the pandemic. The workforce survey will close on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.
The survey was developed for Legislative and State Stakeholders that requested RCPA to quantify the impact of the pandemic on our workforce so that we might effectively lobby for the welfare of the agencies that support and serve individuals with disabilities and health issues. RCPA has made the survey available to providers across Pennsylvania, not just RCPA members. Please be assured that response data will be de-identified and aggregated for reporting by an independent research entity, and your individual data will be shared with no one.
We thank you in advance for your time in completing this survey and would ask that you share this information with your colleagues, fellow leaders, and Human Resources teams. The more information collected, the more we will be able to provide to stakeholders, which will affect not only RCPA members, but all providers within the Commonwealth.
Please review the Master List of survey questions, which includes all service line areas, questions on the program operations, and vaccinations, to assist in your survey responses. A copy of the results of this survey will be available to all participants at the conclusion of the study. Please complete the survey here.
If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Services Jim Sharp.
Updated Guidance: OMHSAS Telehealth and Regulatory Suspension Status
DHS Issues Guidance on Status of Suspended Regulations
Message from the Department of Human Services (DHS):
Pursuant to Act 73 of 2021 (HB 1861), the suspension of various regulatory provisions under the state disaster emergency declaration that are currently in effect and which were set to expire on September 30, 2021, are now extended until further notice. A list of the regulations that were suspended in whole or in part and their current status is available at Suspended Regulations Lift.
In addition, some regulations were reinstated prior to September 30, 2021 and are not subject to Act 73 of 2021.
Please note that Act 73 of 2021 only affects state regulations that were suspended under the state disaster emergency declaration and were to be reinstated on September 30, 2021. Federal flexibilities provided through the federal public health emergency will remain in place as long as the federal public health emergency remains in effect. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) extended the federal public health emergency on July 19, 2021 to October 17, 2021 (90 days).
RCPA Policy Directors will be reviewing the regulatory status and provide additional guidance and information as it is communicated by the respective DHS Departments, including any special instructions on the reimplementation of any of the suspended regulations. If you have any additional questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director or your DHS Licensing Office.
DHS Releasing $655M in Child Care Funding
Source: City & State Pennsylvania, Sept. 27, 2021
Wolf Announces $655 Million for Child Care Providers
More American Rescue Plan dollars are being allocated for the kids.
The Department of Human Services is distributing about $655 million in funding to the child care industry in the commonwealth, Acting Secretary Meg Snead announced at a press conference Monday afternoon.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Pennsylvania’s child care industry – from increased expenses and decreased demand early in the pandemic to the current challenges of staffing shortages and waiting lists for families that need affordable child care to get back to work,” Snead said. “Our goal with this funding distribution is to offset those challenges and create a pathway for recovery from this pandemic – not just for child care, but for our economy as a whole.”
This will be the fifth round of funding given out to child care providers since March 2020. Nearly $400 million in stimulus grants have been given to child care facilities hit hard by the pandemic through the first four rounds. The most highest demands are addressing increased costs related to COVID-19 health and safety guidelines and the need to offset the impact of reduced enrollments.
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning, known as OCDEL, partnered with Penn State Harrisburg’s Institute of State and Regional Affairs to develop the methodology for distribution. The institute’s report states that this round of stabilization grants will use a “methodology that incorporates individual provider data and extensive cost-basis research that is specific to Pennsylvania child care.”
Licensed providers can submit applications for one-time grants, and if approved, they will have nine months to use the funds and provide a report to DHS.
RCPA has discussed this funding stream and its application for Early Intervention providers, and it would not be applicable unless they are a licensed child care provider. RCPA continues to advocate with Pa. General Assembly on accessing the ARP funds to stabilize and sustain Early Intervention programs across the Commonwealth. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Director Jim Sharp.
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