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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) released Information Bulletin 01-22 today. The purpose of the bulletin is to remind all recovery houses in Pennsylvania, as well as entities who refer individuals to recovery houses, of several requirements of the recovery house law (Act 59 of 2017). A letter from DDAP Secretary Jennifer Smith communicating details of the bulletin was issued today to all stakeholders, as well.

A message from the Department of Human Services (DHS):

Attention Personal Care Services (PCS) and Home Health Care Services (HHCS) Providers:

DHS would like to announce that the Alternate EVV Technical Specifications and updated Sandata Alternate EVV Error Handling Overview and Reference Guide are available online for your review prior to the upcoming Alternate EVV Town Hall on April 11, 2022, at 1:00 pm ET (visit here to register). There will be a second session held May 27, 2022, at 12:00 pm ET for any additional questions that may arise.

All Alternate EVV vendors will need to be certified following the new Alternate EVV Technical Specifications published March 30, 2022. Vendors are expected to review the technical specifications document in its entirety and submit any questions during your registration to the Alternate EVV Town Hall.

If a vendor is not certified (due to being new to EVV) or recertified, the EVV visits will not be accepted for any provider agency the vendor supports. For PCS, the claims or encounters will deny because visit data would not be accepted as a result of the vendor not being recertified. 

DHS recommends providers work with their EVV vendor to complete system updates to allow for sufficient time to complete integration testing and the recertification process prior to the Sandata EVV Release. The deployment date is currently expected to be on June 15, 2022. Any changes to this date will be communicated in a future Listserv. The initial certification process can be lengthy, and vendors should prepare accordingly. The minimum recommended time is 7.5 business weeks.

Further contact information for recertification will be provided at the Alternate EVV Town Hall on April 11, 2022.

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Digging Deeper: School Policing in Allegheny County
Slots still available for free webinar
April 7, 2022, 2:00 pm–3:30 pm EST
REGISTER!

Schools should be safe places for learning, but the increased presence of police in schools has made schools less safe for some students, particularly students of color and students with disabilities. As school administrators, school boards, parents, and advocates seek to better understand the role police are playing in their schools, it is important to both listen to students and to critically examine data. But can the community count on data about school policing in schools? A recently-released report by ACLU of PA, Student Arrests in Allegheny County Schools: The Need for Transparency and Accountability, has found serious discrepancies and inconsistencies in how schools report student arrests and citations. While flawed, some patterns clearly emerge, including that race and disability-based disparities in policing are greater in Pennsylvania than the national averages, and that Pittsburgh has higher rates than other parts of the state. The co-authors of the report will present their findings, and we’ll discuss the implications.


Race + Disability Check-in: Representation in Media and Society
April 19, 2022, 12:00 pm–1:30 pm EST
REGISTER!

1 in 4 people in the US has a disability, yet disability is not widely portrayed in mainstream culture. Movements like #DisabilityTooWhite have shone a light on the limited scope of disability representation in media and society. In this interactive lunchtime conversation, we will unpack mainstream depictions of disability with an eye to how they engage with white supremacist culture as well as how they harm people people of color and people with disabilities.


You can always find the full list of upcoming programs here and recordings from past programs here.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared the message that the Provider Electronic Solutions software, commonly referred to as PES, will be sunset on June 15, 2022. PES was distributed free of charge to providers as a method of submitting HIPAA-ready transactions such as claims and eligibility to the PROMISe system.

Effective June 15, 2022, the software will not work with Microsoft Edge or other commonly used internet browsers. The Department of Human Services (DHS) will no longer upgrade PES due to the product’s age, limited configurability, and end-user experience. The Provider Assistance Center (PAC), which was maintained by Gainwell Technologies, will no longer provide user support for PES effective June 15. 2022.

Providers are encouraged to use the PROMISe Provider Portal to submit claims, validate eligibility, conduct claim inquires, and access their weekly remittance advice. The PROMISe Provider portal is available free of charge and allows single-entry interactive submissions. Additionally, users can purchase certified software from software vendors or contract with a clearinghouse to handle ongoing HIPAA transaction needs.

DSPs are a vital part of agencies everywhere. MITC is awarding $5,000 in September to Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who stand out and go above and beyond to provide exemplary service.

MITC values the hard work put forth by DSPs every day and is hoping to show our appreciation through these prizes!

Your participation is important — it shows DSPs you appreciate their hard and, at times, dangerous work.

  • 13 Prizes Will Be Awarded
  • One Prize of $1,000
  • Two Prizes of $500.00 
  • Ten Prizes of $300.00

MITC will share the awardees’ stories with providers. The winners will be announced during DSP Recognition Week in September 2022.

The deadline to nominate a DSP is August 1, 2022. Nominate your DSP here.

The Office of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has released the following bulletin that applies to county mental health/intellectual and developmental disability (MH/ID) administrators, base service units (BSU), mental health review officers, county crisis intervention programs, and hospital emergency departments.

The purpose of this bulletin is to clarify the part of the Mental Health Procedures Act (MHPA) referring to the involuntary commitment process under Section 302 and the 120-hour limitation on holding a consumer for involuntary emergency examination and treatment.

If you have any questions, please call 717-772-7900 or contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.