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ODP Announcement 23-028 shares that the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has published its 2022 Annual Waiting List Report. The waiting list is comprised of individuals who are eligible to receive services and supports through ODP’s four home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers; however, due to insufficient waiver capacity, the state cannot currently meet their needs.

In this report, you’ll find information regarding ODP’s strategies and initiatives to address the problem. The report also demonstrates the progress that has been made since 2015 to reduce the number of individuals on the waiting list

Please send any questions you may have electronically.

Photo by Copernico on Unsplash

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2023 Statewide Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Symposium! PCCD, in collaboration with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) and Centre County CIT, will hold the annual Statewide CIT Symposium at the Wyndham Garden State College on April 20, 2023.

This one-day event will feature informative sessions covering topics on building a certified CIT program, first responders, and collecting data, as well as a special virtual reality session focused on the evolution of a CIT scenario. PCCD is pleased to host Brian Peete, Director with the Riley County Police Department in Manhattan, Kansas, who will provide attendees with information on tactical-based concepts to help increase survivability for both responders and the person in crisis, allowing for verbal de-escalation to start.

To register, view the agenda, and session descriptions, please follow the link to the CIT Symposium web page.

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will offer an instructor-led, two-hour training titled, “Xylazine: A New Drug Additive.” Savage Sisters Recovery, a Pennsylvania nonprofit that provides trauma-informed recovery housing, harm reduction, outreach, and statewide education, will lead the training.

According to a recent New York Times article, “In Philadelphia, and increasingly in drug hot zones around the country, an animal tranquilizer called xylazine — known by street names like ‘tranq,’ ‘tranq dope’ and ‘zombie drug’ — is being used to bulk up illicit fentanyl, making its impact even more devastating.

“Xylazine causes wounds that erupt with a scaly dead tissue called eschar; untreated, they can lead to amputation. It induces a blackout stupor for hours, rendering users vulnerable to rape and robbery. When people come to, the high from the fentanyl has long since faded and they immediately crave more. Because xylazine is a sedative and not an opioid, it resists standard opioid overdose reversal treatments.”

This instructor-led training will provide information on national and statewide opioid statistics and updates on current drug supply trends, including critical information on xylazine. A demonstration of overdose reversal procedures when the presence of xylazine is suspected is also included in this training.

DDAP is holding two sessions of this training at its office in Harrisburg on May 25, 2023. Please visit DDAP’s Training Management System for details and to register. Pennsylvania Certification Board continuing education credits will be available for these sessions.

RCPA SUD Treatment Services Policy Director Jason Snyder will testify on Thursday, March 9, at the Center for Rural Pennsylvania’s hearing, “New Developments in the Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Crisis in Rural Pennsylvania.”

Snyder will testify on a panel that will examine SUD treatment workforce and regulation. Justin Wolford, Director of Outpatient Services at RCPA member CenClear, also will testify on the panel. Wolford will focus on the workforce crisis, while Snyder will discuss regulations that exacerbate the crisis and should be reformed.

The hearing will be comprised of four total panels:

  • Developments in the Supply of Narcotics;
  • Data Resources;
  • Funding and Programming; and
  • Workforce and Regulations.

The hearing begins at 9:00 am and will take place in the Main Capitol Building, Room 8E-B, in Harrisburg. It also will be livestreamed online.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has released the Request for Information (RFI) to gather input from stakeholders regarding the Community HealthChoices (CHC) program.

This RFI seeks information to assist the Department in gathering stakeholder feedback on the statement of work (SOW) for the upcoming re-procurement before issuing a Request for Application for vendors to bid on program participation. Through this RFI, the Department hopes to become aware of and knowledgeable about stakeholder areas of interest in the current CHC program and opportunities to strengthen the program for the benefit of participants. A vendor may respond to all or any of the specific questions or topics contained in this RFI.

The Department is requesting that all responses to this RFI be submitted by 12:00 pm on April 14, 2023. Responses must be submitted electronically with “Community HealthChoices Re-Procurement RFI” in the email subject line.

While the Department does not intend to respond to questions or clarifications during the RFI response period, vendors may submit administrative questions related to this RFI electronically using “Community HealthChoices Re-Procurement RFI question” in the email subject line. The Department may or may not respond based on the nature of the question. The Department will post all answers provided online.

RCPA will be scheduling calls to obtain member feedback on this RFI that will be used in providing comments by the April 14 deadline.

Photo by Kane Reinholdtsen on Unsplash

The 2023 RCPA Conference, which will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary as a leader in shaping policy and enhancing lives, will be held October 10 – 13 at the Hershey Lodge for a statewide audience. The Conference Committee is seeking workshop proposals in every area for possible inclusion, particularly those that assist providers in developing and maintaining high-quality, stable, and effective treatments, services, and agencies in an industry where change is constant. The committee looks for presentations that:

  • Highlight new policy, research, and treatment initiatives, such as telehealth innovations, suicide prevention, and employing people with disabilities;
  • Provide specific skills and information related to individual and organizational leadership development and enhancement;
  • Discuss advanced ethics practices;
  • Address system changes that affect business practices, including integrated care strategies, value-based purchasing, acquisitions/mergers, and alternative payment models;
  • Provide guidance on building a culture of a committed workforce, including recruitment and employee development as well as effective remote workforce strategies;
  • Offer concrete skills and tools to operate more efficient, effective agencies; and
  • Inspire ideas for organizations to be leaders in their field.

The committee welcomes any proposal that addresses these and other topics essential to rehabilitation, mental health, substance use disorder, children’s health, aging, physical disabilities, and intellectual/developmental disabilities & autism. Members are encouraged to consider submitting and to forward this opportunity to those who are exceptionally good speakers and have state-of-the-art information to share.

The Call for Proposals (featuring a complete listing of focus tracks) and accompanying Guidelines for Developing Educational Objectives detail requirements for submissions. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 13, 2023, at 5:00 pm. Proposals must be submitted electronically on the form provided; confirmation of receipt will be sent. Proposals submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

If the proposal is accepted, individuals must be prepared to present on any day of the conference. Workshops are 90 or 180 minutes in length. At the time of acceptance, presenters will be required to confirm the ability to submit workshop handouts electronically four weeks prior to the conference. Individuals unable to meet this expectation should not submit proposals for consideration.

Individuals are welcome to submit multiple proposals. Notification of inclusion will be made via email by Friday, May 12, 2023. Questions may be directed to Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.