The next Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) Stakeholder Webinar is scheduled on Thursday, August 1, 2024, from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm. To participate, please register for the webinar using the provided registration link. After registering, a confirmation email will be sent to you with details on how to join the webinar.
If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, in partnership with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), will host a webinar titled “CCBHC’s Synergies With Crisis Systems” on Friday, July 12, from 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm ET. This event, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), marks the final session in a four-part Crisis Stabilization Learning Series. The webinar will feature discussions on how Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) can effectively respond to and manage crisis situations, leveraging their capabilities within community crisis systems. It will also cover the role of peer support and the expansion of crisis services through the CCBHC model. Key speakers include Joe Parks, MD, from the National Council, Carrie Slatton-Hodges from NASMHPD, and C.J. Davis, CEO of Brightli Inc. An upcoming publication from the National Council’s Medical Director Institute will be highlighted in the discussion as well.
To participate in the upcoming webinar, register here.
If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.
Pennsylvania has launched a new website for the Enterprise Licensing System (ELS) project, designed to streamline and modernize the licensing, permitting, registration, certification, and incident management systems across four state agencies: the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, the Department of Aging, and the Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs. The ELS will be implemented in stages over the next two years, with the aim of improving interagency collaboration and operational efficiency.
For more information and to stay updated on the ELS project, subscribe to the ELS ListServ. If you need additional information or have questions, you can reach out to OCYF through the Contact Us form.
If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is offering a virtual training series on “Implementation, Improvement, Sustainability, and Coaching of the ASAM Criteria” with Train for Change. This training teaches the NIATx model and ASAM Criteria Implementation Guide to foster continuous improvement in areas like trauma-informed care and CBT. Participants must have completed ASAM Criteria 3rd edition training. The training is in three series of five sessions each, with fixed schedules. A one-hour coaching call after the series is required for a CEU certificate. Review the flyer for more information and to register.Top of Form
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is offering funding through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to support Community Mental Health Services Block Grants. Millersville University of Pennsylvania will administer these grants to implement Community Violence Intervention Projects aimed at reducing trauma in communities affected by gun violence. The university plans to award grants to 2–6 nonprofit organizations, with contracts expected to start in July or August 2024 and ending on June 30, 2025. Applicants can request a budget of up to $250,000 but not exceeding $150,000 for the initial term.
Applications are due by July 31, 2024. Completed applications must be submitted as a PDF via email. For more information, contact Millersville via email or visit the Millersville University Safer Communities Grant Information page. For full details and application instructions, refer to the Request for Applications (RFA) flyer.
If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.
Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming addiction treatment, ending stigma, and supporting communities, is seeking individuals to test enhancements to its website and improve user experience. Participants, either those with substance use disorders or those who have assisted someone in finding treatment, should be 18 or older and available for a 30-minute to 1-hour video call. Testers will receive $75 for their participation. Interested candidates can view the current site and should email Shatterproof directly to participate.
View the flyer for more details.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services released Medical Assistance Bulletin 99-24-03 on May 28, 2024, detailing updates to the Medical Assistance (MA) Program Fee Schedule based on the 2024 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) changes. These updates include new codes such as 90867, 90868, and 90869 for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment billing, along with additional modifications to other procedure codes, setting of limitations, fee adjustments, and new prior authorization requirements effective from the same date. This bulletin applies to all providers serving MA beneficiaries under the Fee-for-Service system and those in the MA Managed Care system should contact their respective organizations for specific billing guidance.
For more detailed information, read the full bulletin here.
If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.
The 2024 PA LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment aims to enhance the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community. This survey intends to identify health disparities, barriers to care, and potential strategies for improvement as well as to understand the health care experiences and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians to inform future discussions and actions. It is available in English and Spanish and will remain open until August. Participation is open to LGBTQ+ residents of Pennsylvania who are 13 years or older. The survey maintains anonymity and confidentiality. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is sponsoring the survey, which is being conducted by Bradbury Sullivan LGBT Community Center and Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC).
The Pennsylvania Homecare Association (PHA), the Pennsylvania Association of Home and Community-Based Services, and the Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association (RCPA) provided feedback on House Bill 2372, sponsored by Reps. Jessica Benham and Jason Ortitay. The bill seeks to improve agency accountability and ensure livable wages for home care workers in Pennsylvania by increasing state funding for personal assistance services. The associations support the bill but recommended uniform wage increases across all care models and a standardized rate review process every three years. They also expressed concerns about burdensome funding allocations and reporting requirements as well as provisions that could disproportionately affect nonprofit agencies by linking enhanced rates to tax status.
The groups emphasized the need to focus on investments in workforce development and quality care rather than imposing arbitrary financial mandates. They advocated for collaborative efforts to create a sustainable future for home-based care, ensuring high-quality services for Pennsylvania’s aging population.
For more details, read the full letter here.
Child Guidance Resource Centers (CGRC) is currently offering three free webinars for continuing education credits for LSWs, LCSWs, LPCs, and LMFTs. The links in the titles below are the registration links for each event.
All webinars will be presented by Kelly J. Ace, PhD, JD, and Antonia J. Cianfrani, MA, ATR-BC, LPR. Participants will receive 2 CE credits upon completion.
If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA COO and Policy Director Jim Sharp.
