Disability Leaders Look to Legislature With Optimism (Opinion)
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New PROMISe Guidance: Provider Electronic Portal Update
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is pleased to announce new provider enrollment portal enhancements designed to improve a provider’s enrollment experience. Providers will enter the enrollment portal from PROMISe™ using their existing registered login criteria. Upon successful login, providers will have access to these new enhancements:
- Applications for adding additional service locations, revalidations, and reactivations will prepopulate parts of your application;
- After logging into the portal, existing providers will be able to submit change requests to update their provider file without the need to complete a full application; and
- Proof of provider enrollment status with PA Medicaid is available to view and print.
See the PROMISe Quick Tips update for more information. If you do not have an existing login, please select “Register Now” in the Provider Login box and complete the process options. Additional enhancements are planned and will be communicated through future banner alerts and quick tips.
If you have further questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.
PA Department of State Extends Waiver Allowing Tele-Induction of Buprenorphine
The Pennsylvania Department of State (DOS) has reversed course and extended its waiver allowing for an initial prescription of buprenorphine without an in-person physical exam. DOS had announced previously that the waiver would expire on June 30, 2022; however, DOS’s waiver will now continue until the last day of the federal public health emergency declaration, unless the exemptions are ended sooner by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) or the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
On Sept. 4, 2020, DOS issued a waiver suspending the State Board of Medicine’s regulation at 49 Pa. Code § 16.92(b)(1), which requires an initial physical examination of a patient prior to prescribing buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder. This waiver was sought specifically to complement the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ (DDAP) suspension of 28 Pa. Code § 715.9(a)(4) and “relates to Federal exemptions granted under the Federal public health emergency (PHE) declaration,” specifically the exemptions granted by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Therefore, in accordance with section 2102-F(a.3) of the Pennsylvania Administrative Code of 1929 (amended by Act 14 of 2022), the Department of State’s waiver will continue until the last day of the federal public health emergency declaration, unless the exemptions are ended sooner by SAMHSA or the DEA. This waiver will not expire on June 30, 2022. More information about the federal public health emergency can be found here.
It is important to note that, to be considered within the acceptable and prevailing standard of care, the physician/prescriber must be following the applicable SAMHSA/DEA guidelines.
Pennsylvania has not received notification that the PHE will be terminated on July 15. The commonwealth expects the PHE to be extended again. If this occurs, this waiver and others tied to or related to the PHE will be extended until mid-October 2022.
Additional information:
Policy Forum: “Are Large Institutions for People with IDD a Thing of the Past?”
Institute on Community Integration (ICI) Policy Forum:
Thursday, June 23, 2022, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Central Time
Register here
Join Mary Sowers, Celia Feinstein, and Sherri Larson on June 23 for a Policy Forum webinar on deinstitutionalization. The large, state-run institutions that housed people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are closing as people with disabilities increasingly live in the community. The seventeen states that have already closed their institutions have found ways to support all people with IDD, regardless of age or type or intensity of support needs, in home- and community-based settings. Policy initiatives and technical assistance efforts should help the remaining states to do the same. Julie Bershadsky will moderate. Registration is free but required.
The Policy Forum is a bi-monthly web-based presentation and facilitated discussion exploring research published in the most recent Policy Research Brief. Please visit the website, z.umn.edu/icipolicyforum, for details and to view previous forums. The Policy Forum and Policy Research Brief are produced/published at the University of Minnesota by the Institute on Community Integration.
View or download Policy Research Brief: Are Large Institutions for People with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities a Thing of the Past?
ODP Transition to Independent Living Payments
ODP Announcement 22-068 is intended to provide guidance to all stakeholders who participate in the process of transitioning an individual from residential habilitation service to supported living or lifesharing. ODP is pleased to announce the availability of transition to independent living payments. These payments are directed towards providers of residential habilitation, lifesharing, and supported living programs to incentivize exploration and movement to supported living or lifesharing living programs.
Providing COVID-19 Therapeutics: Your Questions, Answered – July 12 Webinar
Tuesday, July 12, 2022 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The PA Department of Health (DOH), Department of Human Services (DHS) and Management Agency, and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation are jointly hosting an informational webinar on COVID-19 Therapeutics.
Outpatient COVID-19 treatment and preventive therapies can improve patient outcomes and save lives. Oral antivirals (Paxlovid, Lagevrio) and monoclonal antibodies for pre-exposure prophylaxis (Evusheld) are now widely available in Pennsylvania, but more can be done to improve awareness, access, and equity. This session is intended for providers and facility administrators and will cover why, when, and how to prescribe and access outpatient COVID-19 treatment and preventive therapies. The session will include presentations by leaders and clinicians from DOH, DHS, and additional organizations, as well as provide an opportunity for Q&A.
Use this link to register for the webinar scheduled for Tuesday, July 12 at 4:00 pm. See the flyer for more information including registration assistance.
Data, Data Everywhere Member Webinar Recording and Materials
IMPACT: Change in PA Physical Health Plans on Behavioral Health Service Delivery
Follow-Up RCPA Member APA Status Survey
Final Acts of Love
Curtis and his wife, Lisa
Final Acts of Love
Curtis Upsher is remembered for his many years of service as a pioneer as an original, founding member of The Black Student Union at Millersville University, and as an avid supporter of the autism community.
His legacy continues in his final acts of love as an organ donor.
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