Approval Antics: Navigating the Drug Maze of IDD & BH — Tarrytown Expocare Pharmacy Webinar on April 10
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RCPA Member BHARP Announces Justin Wolford as New COO
Federal COVID-Related SUD Grants to Continue While Courts Consider Request for Temporary Restraining Order
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) notified single county authorities (SCA) that it will continue to distribute federal COVID-related grant funding to SCAs while the US District Court considers a 23-state lawsuit seeking an emergency temporary restraining order against US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for abruptly terminating COVID-grant funds that were appropriated for use for states until September 30, 2025. Those grant funds include a supplemental to the Substance Use Disorder Block Grant. The lawsuit was filed on April 1.
Though not confirmed, media reports suggest the termination of grants could cost the Pennsylvania Department of Health $301 million, along with an additional $28 million or more hit against DDAP.
DDAP had been using these grant funds to expand testing and provide resources for COVID; support providers and help meet local needs during the pandemic; and expand the substance use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support services continuum, including various evidence-based services and supports for individuals, families, and communities.
April 2, 2025 LTSS Subcommittee Meeting Documents Available
The meeting documents from the April 2, 2025 Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting are now available. These documents include agenda and PowerPoint presentations. The meeting transcript will be sent separately when it is released. You can view the meeting documents below:
- Agenda
- OLTL Update
- Supporting Pennsylvania’s Direct Care Workforce
- 2024 Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Survey Results
- Mercer HCBS Rate and Wage Study Results (UPDATED)
The next LTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, in person at the Keystone Building in the Forest Room at 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120, and as a webinar, from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. To register for the webinar, please use this webinar registration link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.
Employment Overview for Supports Coordinators
This five-part training discusses employment services in the Office of Developmental Programs’ (ODP) waivers, other services that can support successful employment, and your role and responsibilities in advocating with individuals to find and keep jobs in the community. This employment training is provided and recommended by ODP for new supports coordinators during their first year of employment (days 61–365). The training can be accessed at Employment Overview for Supports Coordinators.
OMHSAS Peer Support Services Stakeholders Quarterly Meeting
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) will be holding a quarterly public meeting on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 10:00 am to 11:00 am, for anyone interested in discussing the topic of peer support services (PSS) while working in the mental health field. In particular, OMHSAS will be providing updates on staffing and the release of frequently asked questions.
The Microsoft TEAMS link for this meeting can be found below.
Please send any discussion topics, questions, or agenda items via email by April 7. The email account will be monitored, and the sender will receive a reply only if more information is needed.
If you or your colleagues would like to be added to an OMHSAS Listserv to receive the quarterly invitations, please visit this website and then click on the “join or leave the list” link.
Meeting Date/Time: Agenda Topics Due By:
Tuesday, 1/14/25, 10:00 am December 30, 2024
Tuesday, 4/8/25, 10:00 am April 7, 2025
Tuesday, 7/8/25, 10:00 am June 24, 2025
Tuesday, 10/14/25,10:00 am September 30, 2025
OMHSAS is open to ideas and suggestions on maximizing the effectiveness of these meetings.
These quarterly meetings are not a replacement for the Mental Health Planning Council quarterly meetings; those will continue in addition to these newly established meetings.
Questions pertaining to these meetings should be submitted via email.
TEAMS MEETING INFORMATION:
Microsoft Teams Need help?
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 223 156 162 141
Passcode: QkkY9M
Please contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any questions or concerns.
PA Among 23 Plaintiffs Suing US HHS Secretary RFK Jr. Over Termination of COVID Grants
Governor Shapiro and Pennsylvania are listed along with 22 other plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in US District Court in Rhode Island, requesting an emergency temporary restraining order against US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for abruptly terminating COVID-grant funds, including a supplemental to the Substance Use Disorder Block Grant, that were appropriated for use for states until September 30, 2025.
Though not confirmed, media reports suggest the termination of grants could cost the Pennsylvania Department of Health $301 million, along with an additional $28 million or more hit against the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP).
DDAP had been using these grant funds to expand testing and provide resources for COVID; support providers and help meet local needs during the pandemic; and expand the substance use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support services continuum, including various evidence-based services and supports for individuals, families, and communities.
DDAP is examining its options to maintain the full array of services offered by single county authorities and their providers to ensure Pennsylvanians continue to receive the lifesaving supports they need.
The factual allegations and legal background in the lawsuit state that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress appropriated substantial funds to strengthen public health programs that were not tied to the duration of the public health emergency. HHS and Congress continued to make these public health funds available after the end of the pandemic.
On Monday, March 24, with no advance notice, HHS abruptly terminated $11 billion in grants and cooperation agreements funded by appropriations from COVID-related laws. States were notified through letters from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). The letters indicated the grants were issued for a limited purpose: to ameliorate the effects of the pandemic. The end of the pandemic provides cause to terminate COVID-related grants. Now that the pandemic is over, the grants are no longer necessary.
The lawsuit goes on to state the terminations have caused and will continue to cause irreparable harm and asks the court to vacate and set aside the termination of the funding and any other further actions taken by US HHS to implement or enforce them, among other requests.
ODP PBC Quarterly Provider Forum Overview
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) held a Quarterly Provider Forum today, April 1, to discuss Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) submission status updates and tier assignments, Pay 4 Performance (P4P) status updates, upcoming important dates, stakeholder notification letters, and to announce the new Performance Analysis Services (PAS) vendor. Updated CIE and IM data is available on the forum handouts, as well.
ODP staff shared that 366 residential providers submitted their data for PBC by the deadline of March 15. Submissions included Primary: 307; Select: 33; and Clinically Enhanced: 26. 39 providers failed to submit (receiving DCAPs).
ODP is on schedule with scoring for May. Tier notification letters are anticipated to be sent by May 15, 2025. Provider data was re-run from the first submission period using CY 2024 data; 5 providers from option 1 period advanced tiers and were notified on February 25, 2025.
P4P approval notifications are to be sent no later than April 20, 2025.
For any questions, please contact Tim Sohosky, IDD Division Director, or Cathy Barrick, IDD Policy Analyst.
PCHC to Host Special In-Person Presentation & Performance “It Took a Village: Raising A Child With Special Needs Into Adulthood”
ODP Fiscal Year 2023/24 Annual Data Report Released
The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has released the FY 2023/24 Annual Data Report. The ODP Annual Data Report provides statistical information to educate stakeholders about the individuals ODP serves and the services they receive. The accompanying resource, Everyday Lives: Values in Action Information, Sharing and Advisory Committee (ISAC) Recommendations, Strategies, and Performance Measures, provides information on indicators of success used to gauge the effectiveness of the work of ODP.
Access the ODP FY 2023/24 Annual Data Report here. This document can also be found by visiting MyODP and following this path: Everyday Lives > Everyday Lives Publications > ODP’s Annual Data Reports.
The Everyday Lives: Values in Action ISAC Recommendations, Strategies, and Performance Measures publications are available here.
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