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Authors Posts by Jack Phillips

Jack Phillips

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Mr. Phillips is responsible to assist the association with health policy, which primarily includes member communication and advocacy with the Governor’s office, General Assembly, and state regulatory agencies. Mr. Phillips was most recently at the Pennsylvania Department of State as Director of Legislative Affairs.

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The following bills were voted out of the House and will now move to the Senate for their consideration.

 

HB 126

 
 

Baker, Matt

 (PN 92) The Epinephrine Auto-Injector Entity Act provides for the use and stock of epinephrine auto-injectors by recreation camps, colleges and universities, day-care facilities, youth sports leagues, amusement parks, restaurants, places of employment, and sports arenas. Requires completed training by employees of eligible institutions before administration and provides Good Samaritan protections. Effective in 60 days.

HB 126 passed unanimously on Wednesday, March 22 by a vote of 191 YEAS, 0 NAYS.

HB 478 Pickett, Tina (PN 502) The Outpatient Psychiatric Oversight Act requires an outpatient psychiatric clinic to have a psychiatrist on site for two hours of psychiatric time per week for each fulltime equivalent treatment staff member employed by the clinic. Further provides telepsychiatry provided by a psychiatrist that is not on site with prescriptive authority in Pennsylvania may be utilized with a service description approved by the Department of Human Services but shall not be included in the required psychiatric time. Also provides that 50 percent of the required on-site time may be provided by other advanced practice professionals specializing in behavioral health with prescriptive authority in Pennsylvania. Requires the Department of Human Services to promulgate regulations as necessary to carry out the provisions of the act. Effective in 60 days.

HB 478 passed unanimously on Wednesday, March 22 by a vote of 190 YEAS, 0 NAYS.  RCPA already has a meeting with Senate Health and Human Services Committee staff on Friday, March 31 to discuss moving this bill out of committee.

HB 644 Baker, Matt (PN 681) Amends the Community-Based Health Care Act, in health care assistance, further providing for Community-Based Health Care Program by removing the 25 percent limitation on grants awarded going to federally qualified health centers. Effective in 60 days.

HB 644 passed unanimously on Wednesday, March 22 by a vote of 190 YEAS, 0 NAYS.

HR 63 Costa, Dom (PN 297) Resolution recognizing April 2, 2017, as “World Autism Awareness Day” in Pennsylvania.

HR 63 passed unanimously on Wednesday, March 22 by a vote of 195 YEAS, 0 NAYS.

HR 132 Toohil, Tarah (PN 825) Resolution recognizing the month of March 2017 as “Intellectual Disability Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania.

HR 132 passed unanimously on Wednesday, March 22 by a vote of 195 YEAS, 0 NAYS. The State Senate did not vote on any bills that RCPA has on its legislative tracking report. Questions, contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director, Government Affairs.

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The National Council for Behavioral Health has drafted a document outlining Medicaid funding in Pennsylvania for mental health and drug and alcohol services. The document provides pertinent information regarding how much money Pennsylvania receives in Medicaid funding and how Medicaid expansion has helped the state’s economy and allowed more individuals to receive health care benefits. Please contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs, with questions.

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On Monday, March 13, the House Health Committee will hold a meeting at 9:30 am in Room 205, Ryan Office Building to vote on HB478, which is sponsored by Rep. Tina Pickett (R – Bradford). The bill aims to assist outpatient psychiatric clinics to meet the growing demand and address the shortage of psychiatric time we are facing in Pennsylvania by changing the number of hours of psychiatric supervision required for each staff member per week. Additionally, the bill will allow licensed prescribing professionals to work within their scope of practice as is the case in the physical health care arena.  RCPA requests members to contact legislators that serve on the House Health Committee, and ask them to vote YES to move the bill out of committee.

The following legislators serve on the House Health Committee:

Republicans
Matt Baker, Chair
Kristen Hill
Aaron Bernstein
Alexander Charlton
Becky Corbin
Eli Evankovich
Frank Farry
Aaron Kaufer
Dawn Keefer
Harry Lewis
Paul Schemul
Todd Stephens
Jesse Topper
Judy Ward
Martina White
David Zimmerman

Democrats
Flo Fabrizio, Chair
Mary Jo Daley
Vanessa Brown
Mike Schlossberg
Kevin Boyle
Jason Dawkins
Pam DeLissio
Ed Gainey
Stephen Kinsey
Gerald Mullery

For your convenience, you can find the above legislators’ contact information here. Questions, contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs.

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RCPA released the following statement to the media following
Governor Wolf’s 2017/18 budget address:

HARRISBURG (February 7, 2017) — In today’s budget address, Governor Wolf outlined his proposal to consolidate four existing departments into one new, unified Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services (PA-HHS). RCPA applauds the governor’s commitment to restructuring state government and how the Commonwealth delivers services to Pennsylvania’s aging population, as well as Pennsylvanians with intellectual and physical disabilities, mental health, and substance use disorders.  According to RCPA’s President and CEO Richard S Edley, “RCPA is eager to partner with the governor and his staff on this monumental transformation of state government. RCPA’s diverse membership is generally supportive of the governor’s proposal to create a new Department of Health and Human Services. Our members and staff look forward to providing information and recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly regarding areas relating to unfunded mandates, duplication of services, and modernizing and streamlining the regulatory process.”

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Media contact:   Sharon Militello, RCPA Director of Communications
(717) 364-3280 •  smilitello@paproviders.org

About the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA):
With more than 300 members serving well over 1 million Pennsylvanians annually, Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA) is among the largest and most diverse state health and human services trade associations in the nation. RCPA provider members offer mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injury, residential, and rehabilitation services for children, adolescents, and adults through all settings and levels of care. Visit www.paproviders.org for more information.

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