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Authors Posts by Jim Sharp

Jim Sharp

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has issued clarification on policy regarding encounter signatures for crisis services. The updated policy outlines that OMHSAS considers mobile mental health crisis services to be emergency services. While every effort should be made to obtain a signature from the beneficiary or a parent, legal guardian, relative, or friend, when such a signature cannot be obtained due to the nature of the situation, crisis intervention service providers are permitted to insert “Signature Exception” on the signature line of the encounter form.

RCPA has inquired if the encounter verification under these circumstances can be considered for similar applications to other programs under other OMHSAS licensed services. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) is hosting a virtual session with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Philadelphia Division to discuss pharmacy best practices in ordering and dispensing controlled substances, particularly medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) like buprenorphine. This session, scheduled on Wednesday, April 24 from 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm, aims to address concerns raised during PA DOH’s Fall 2023 listening sessions on patient access to controlled substances. Participants can register for the session using this form and are encouraged to submit questions in advance by Friday, April 19, 2024. Even if unable to attend, individuals can still submit questions for a later response. Please submit inquiries via email. This collaborative learning opportunity is crucial, and recipients are encouraged to share the invitation with interested parties.

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Photo by Unseen Studio on Unsplash

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) has announced multiple in-person clinical supervision skills trainings occurring in the upcoming months in various locations. These sessions, aimed at enhancing clinical supervision skills and providing tools for working with supervisees, will take place on May 20–24 at Courtyard by Marriott in Lancaster, and June 10–14 at Holiday Inn Express Grove City in Mercer. Additional sessions are planned for July, October, and November in different regions. Each training is from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily, with a registration fee of $300. Registration is limited and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested individuals can download the registration form from the Training Management System (TMS).

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The 2024 Virtual Dual Diagnosis Conference, titled “Full Diagnosis: Impact of Trauma, Physical Health, and Metabolic Health,” will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Hosted by The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs, and Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the conference features nationally recognized speakers who will explore various perspectives on these crucial issues. Featured speakers include Dale Adair, MD, FAPA, Syard Evans, PhD, Beth Barol, Stacy Nonnemacher, Self Advocates United as 1, Brandi Kelly, PhD, and Dan Dubovsky. Registration for the conference is open.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Director of Mental Health, Jim Sharp.

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Lack of BH Providers in Medicare and Medicaid Impedes Enrollees’ Access to Care

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has released a report citing there are not enough behavioral health providers participating in Medicare and Medicaid networks.

In an analysis published April 2, the government watchdog studied one urban and one rural county in 10 states across the country. The analysis found relatively few behavioral health providers are participating in Medicaid, Medicare, and Medicare Advantage programs, leading to difficulties in access for enrollees.

Notable Findings:

  1. On average, there were fewer than five active behavioral health providers accepting Medicare and Medicaid patients per 1,000 enrollees. Traditional Medicare had the lowest rates of providers, at 2.9 per 1,000 on average, and Medicare Advantage had the highest rate at 4.7 per 1,000 enrollees.
  2. Rural counties had fewer providers accepting Medicare and Medicaid than urban counties. In rural counties, there were 1.5 providers accepting traditional Medicare per 1,000 patients, compared to 4.4 in urban counties.
  3. Across Medicaid, traditional Medicare, and Medicare Advantage, there were fewer than two providers per 1,000 enrollees that could prescribe medication for mental health issues, such as psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners.
  4. Active providers accepting public insurance make up around one-third of the behavioral health workforce, according to the report.
  5. Fewer than 10% of public insurance beneficiaries received mental health treatment in 2023.
  6. CMS could also tighten network adequacy standards in Medicare Advantage and Medicaid to increase the size of insurers’ networks, the OIG said in its report.
  7. The OIG recommended CMS up its oversight of Medicaid and Medicare enrollees’ use of behavioral health services, and recommended CMS examine allowing more types of behavioral health providers to participate in Medicare and Medicaid.
  8. CMS said it concurred with the OIG’s recommendations and said it has already taken several steps to improve access to behavioral health providers for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

If you have questions please contact RCPA COO and Director of Mental Health Jim Sharp.

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has released the OMHSAS-24-01 Restraint Seclusion and Exclusion Bulletin, updating policies on restraint, seclusion, and exclusion in state mental hospitals to reduce these practices. This bulletin supersedes OMHSAS-09-06, necessitating adjustments in local hospital policies. Changes include shifting from “manual hold” to “physical restraint” terminology and clarifications in definitions. It strictly prohibits mechanical and chemical restraints, allowing physical restraint only as a last-resort emergency measure with detailed guidelines on application, documentation, and debriefing protocols. The emphasis is on individualized care, de-escalation techniques, and personnel training to ensure the humane and judicious use of physical restraint.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) April 2024 Stakeholder Webinar is scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 3:00 pm � 4:00 pm. You can now register for the meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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

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Photo by Larry Crayton on Unsplash

The Department of Human Services Office of Children, Youth, and Families (OCYF) has launched the Pennsylvania Meaningful Family Engagement Toolkit, a web-based resource developed through statewide quality improvement efforts. Over a two-year collaboration period, Pennsylvania system partners defined meaningful family engagement, set consistent expectations for day-to-day practice, and prioritized organizational cultures supporting family engagement. The toolkit provides a comprehensive definition of meaningful family engagement and offers specific strategies and skill-building opportunities for child welfare professionals to enhance engagement and improve outcomes. It also highlights populations needing additional support for engagement, which they have included as fathers, youth, out-of-state parents, incarcerated parents, and extended family. Child welfare professionals are encouraged to utilize this resource to ensure consistent and sincere practice of meaningful family engagement.

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

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