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Authors Posts by Jim Sharp

Jim Sharp

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As part of RPCA’s ongoing effort with members and stakeholders regarding the Alternative Pay Arrangements/Agreements (APAs), we are asking members to complete this brief APA survey.

We respectfully request that the survey be completed as the APAs apply to your Drug & Alcohol, Children’s, and Adult Mental Health services continuum. The data we collect will be instrumental in our collective efforts with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and managed care organizations regarding strategic fiscal considerations, as the current APAs are set to end on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

It has been requested we extend the survey date. The survey will now be available until close of business Thursday, May 20, 2021. Thank you, and if you have questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Division Jim Sharp or your RCPA Policy Director.

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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is pleased to share the 2020 Behavioral Health Telehealth Report, developed in collaboration with the OMHSAS Telehealth Steering Committee and Mercer Government Services Consulting. This report provides recommendations for the future of telehealth after the resolution of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The work of the Steering Committee and other stakeholders has been and will continue to be vital in ensuring that the behavioral health needs of Pennsylvanians continue to be met. The report is available on the OMHSAS website.

If you have questions or feedback, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp. If you have questions regarding this report, please email OMHSAS directly.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Magellan Healthcare collaborated with Neuromotion, Inc., the developer of Mightier, an in-home digital platform that empowers children to learn lifelong emotional skills through play, to make Mightier available to certain Magellan members with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a pilot program.

Read the press release on the results and the white paper on this landmark study to understand how digital tools can help children with ASD here.

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As part of RPCA’s ongoing effort with members and stakeholders regarding the Alternative Pay Arrangements/Agreements (APAs), we are asking members to complete this brief APA survey.

We respectfully request that the survey be completed as the APAs apply to your Drug & Alcohol, Children’s, and Adult Mental Health services continuum. The data we collect will be instrumental in our collective efforts with DHS and managed care organizations regarding strategic fiscal considerations, as the current APAs are set to end on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

It has been requested we extend the survey date. The survey will now be available until close of business Monday, May 10, 2021. Thank you, and if you have questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Division Jim Sharp or your RCPA Policy Director.

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Effective April 17, 2021, ChildLine has changed the format of the FBI Clearance Result letter. The major change you will observe in the new format is the consolidation of result boxes. Instead of the four checkboxes previously used on the letter, all result letters now display only two boxes and either “ELIGIBLE” or “INELIGIBLE” will be checked.

Any agency that receives these result letters and wishes to verify the validity may contact ChildLine at 717-783-6211 or 877-371-5422. We cannot discuss the specific outcome for the applicant(s) with third parties but can verify receipt of the new letter template.

As always, information regarding clearances and fingerprinting can be found on the DHS website. For further clarification or questions please contact Jim Sharp, RCPA Director of Children’s Policy.

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As part of RPCA’s ongoing effort with members and stakeholders regarding the Alternative Pay Arrangements/Agreements (APAs), we are asking members to complete this brief APA Survey.

We respectfully request that the survey be completed as the APAs apply to your Drug & Alcohol, Children’s, and Adult Mental Health services continuum. The data we collect will be instrumental in our collective efforts with DHS and managed care organizations regarding strategic fiscal considerations, as the current APAs are set to end on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

We request the surveys be completed by Friday, May 7, 2021. Thank you, and if you have questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Division Jim Sharp or your RCPA Policy Director.

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Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash

To and Through: Creating Conditions that Support Higher Education Success for Youth with Experience in Foster Care
Thursday, May 13, 2021 from 10:00 am–11:30 am EDT

Register Here

Hear from members of the Pennsylvania Youth Advisory Board (YAB) about their journey to and through higher education. The Pennsylvania YAB is comprised of current and former youth in foster care, ages 14-21. YAB youth leaders educate, advocate, and form partnerships to create positive change in the substitute care system.

This training will feature a moderated panel of YAB alumni that will discuss their experiences transitioning to higher education as well as how educators and child welfare professionals can create conditions that support youth who have experienced foster care to and through higher education. The webinar will also highlight key information pertaining to Pennsylvania’s new Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program (FosterEd).

Panelists:
Pennsylvania Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Alumni    

Shayla Jones, Youth Quality Improvement Specialist, Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh                            

Teresa Musser, Human Services Program Specialist, Office of Children, Youth and Families, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

Jillian Schreib, Human Services Program Specialist, Office of Children, Youth and Families, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

Act 48 and NASW credits are available for those attending the webinar in its entirety.

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The Department of Human Services today announced that its Adult Community Autism Program (ACAP), a program that promotes integrated and meaningful employment for adults with autism, has been recognized by the Vienna, Austria-based Zero Project as a model deserving international attention and replication. ACAP was one of three American programs of 443 nominations from around the world to be honored by the Zero Project.

“DHS is committed to making a future that truly includes individuals with autism as fully integrated members of our communities. We work every day to ensure that all Pennsylvanians have what they need so they can live everyday lives, and I’m thankful to the Zero Project for recognizing DHS’ work,” said Acting DHS Secretary Meg Snead. “As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is absolutely critical that people with autism have the opportunities they deserve in order take part in that recovery. I hope that with this recognition, other states and countries will look to Pennsylvania as a world leader in supporting people on the autism spectrum.”

ACAP is a comprehensive system of care for adults with autism that provides services and supports to help them participate in their communities in the way that they choose. It is a managed care program that includes access to physical and behavioral health professionals, transportation services, education, in-home and independent living supports, and more, all with the goal of fostering independence and increasing a person’s quality of life.

The program also connects participants with support coordinators in order to develop job skills and create tailored employment plans while offering job coaching and guidance and support to companies and employers. ACAP has an employment rate 2-3 times higher than other programs supporting adults with autism – more than 50% of participants were employed in 2020, with an average job retention rate of 4.25 years.

ACAP was created in 2010 and is funded and administered by DHS’ Office of Developmental Programs’ Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations, in partnership with Keystone Human Services, a managed care organization and a provider of services. ACAP is currently only available in Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, and Lancaster counties. 

The Zero Project’s mission supports the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the United Nations by sharing programs and models that improve the daily lives and legal rights of all people with disabilities. More information on the Zero Project can be found here.

More information on DHS’ resources for people with disabilities seeking employment can be found here. More information on Keystone Human Services can be found here.

For additional info, please contact Carol Ferenz, RCPA Director of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

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