Reminder: RCPA to Host Fourth Members-Only PBC Town Hall on February 27
Home Featured
Featured posts
RCPA Publishes White Paper Evaluating School-Based Mental Health Funds
February ISAC Meeting Materials and Updates Now Available
Strawberry Fields, Inc. to Join Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
UPDATE: Results of HCBS Rate and Wage Study Released
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) released the rate study that was commissioned last August after RCPA and other industry associations collaborated to access the information needed to establish rates for services.
For background purposes, HCBS are offered through Medicaid as an alternative to facility or institutional care. Reimbursement rates for these programs are set by DHS and are informed by an actuarial rate setting process and a public comment process. Long-term services and supports (LTSS) help older Pennsylvanians and adults with physical disabilities.
The rate study revealed the need for substantial and immediate rate increases for the services which were evaluated. The study concluded, “Given the comparisons to benchmark rates, it appears that revisions to the rates studied for this report would be appropriate. The tables below show detailed results from the benchmark rate comparison.” The specific rate gaps were:
- Adult Day 19%
- Employment and Training Services 35%
- Personal Assistance — Agency 23%
- Personal Assistance — PDS 12%
- Residential Habilitation 44%
- Structured Day Habilitation 22%
Findings of the study are used to inform the Commonwealth’s budget and future rate setting processes. View the results here.
If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar or Melissa Dehoff.
Save the Date! Autism Spectrum Disorder 2025 In-Person Seminar
TOPIC: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Overview and Practical Application
Over the years the prevalence of autism has increased, Pennsylvania’s service delivery system for individuals with autism has expanded, and best practices to provide quality supports have emerged. To support the individual needs of each person with autism across the lifespan, an understanding of core characteristics must be established. It is also important to learn how the individual’s presentation of autism may change across settings and situations. This seminar will provide attendees with an in-depth presentation on core characteristics of autism and the impact of the characteristics on daily life, routines, and activities. A review of common terms and basic principles used to change behavior, teach new skills, and develop practical application of best practices will be included. Opportunity for discussion and engagement will occur throughout the seminar.
Who should attend?
Direct Support Professionals, Front Line Supervisors, and Program Managers supporting individuals with autism in residential and other home and community-based settings. Professionals supporting individuals in Adult Autism Waiver (AAW), Adult Community Autism Program (ACAP), Consolidated Person/Family-Directed Support Waiver (P/FDS), and Community Living are encouraged to attend.
Where and when will sessions be held?
3 Locations, 1 session per location. 125-person max per session.
- April 1 — PaTTAN East, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
- April 24 — PaTTAN Central, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
- April 30 — PaTTAN West, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Registration will open in early March.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
- This training satisfies the basic autism training requirement for Residential Performance Based Contracting measures CN-DD/Bx.01.1S and CN-DD/Bx.01.1CE for all Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Frontline Supervisors (FLSs), and program managers.
- This training also fulfills 6100 ongoing training requirements.
Please contact the Bureau of Autism Training inbox with questions.
OPEN MINDS: How Stigma Stifles
Article reprinted with permission from OPEN MINDS. To sign up for a free OPEN MINDS news feed on https://www.openminds.com/market-intelligence/, go to https://www.openminds.com/membership/.
DDAP Webinar to Examine Real-World Implications of 42 CFR Part 8 Final Rule
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will host a webinar at 10:00 am on Monday, March 3, to discuss the changes to 42 CFR Part 8 and their real-world implications in treatment settings. The interactive session will feature Dr. Sarah Kawasaki and Elizabeth Ward, both from the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute’s Advancement in Recovery Opioid Treatment Program.
Add the meeting to your calendar.
Email DDAP to receive calendar invitations to upcoming webinars, which are held the first Monday of every month.
Re-Issue of Residential Provider P4P Data Submission Tool Availability
The ODP Announcement 25-019, which was issued Friday, February 14, 2025, has been re-issued with a corrected link for the Provider P4P Data Submission Tool Link. The tool is available here. The link in the initial announcement was pointed to the Primary survey. The Primary survey is NOT the P4P Survey.
Please view the announcement for additional information and details.
New Funding Opportunity: Request for Proposals — Family Navigator Pilot
The University of Pittsburgh’s Youth and Family Training Institute (YFTI) is working with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services and Bureau of Policy, Planning & Program Development to develop and implement a two-year innovative pilot that will define, develop, implement, and evaluate the role of the Family Navigator in up to six sites within the Commonwealth. The goal of the pilot will be to assist in defining Pennsylvania’s Family Navigator Model by testing the effectiveness and implementation strategies of pilot family navigator models for children, youth, and young adults (CYYA) with serious emotional disturbance (SED). The pilot is designed to promote early access, engagement, coordination, and optimization of mental health treatment and services for CYYA aged 5–21 who are experiencing symptoms of mental health problems along with their family caregiver (defined as family members or other caregivers with a primary responsibility of caring for the individual).
A Family Navigator plays a critical role in guiding and supporting family caregivers through the array of mental health services and other systems of care that may be needed to support CYYA. They help them navigate the often confusing, overwhelming, and fragmented services available, ensuring that family caregivers have the resources, information, and support needed to access the appropriate care for their CYYA. Family Navigators who are also Family Peers are able to share their own lived experience related to connecting their loved ones to mental health services. This approach offers a safe and comfortable means of educating family caregivers that may be overwhelmed in the midst of accessing care for their children.
Request for Proposals — Call for Applications:
- Up to six sites across the Commonwealth will receive up to $250,000 each year of the 2-year pilot to design and implement a model within the parameters of the Family Navigator definition. This will include varying recruitment strategies, referral sources, and strategies to connect to families.
- Sites are expected to participate in the evaluation process, training, coaching, and skill-based technical assistance throughout the implementation of their approved pilot with guidance and oversight from The University of Pittsburgh/YFTI to ensure sites are meeting minimum implementation standards in order to continue to receive funding.
- Counties, provider organizations, health facilities, or other public, private, or non-profit entities within Pennsylvania that serve children, youth, and young adults aged 5–21 are eligible to apply.
- A diversity of sites is being sought in various contexts such as setting (urban, suburban, rural) and target population.
Submission/Review: Applications are due on or before March 28, 2025. For more information, please contact Bryon Luke, Director of Program Implementation.
Applications will be reviewed by a team of OMHSAS and YFTI staff who will be responsible for selecting the pilot sites.
A list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is available as part of the RFP document. Additional questions can be submitted until March 15, 2025 to Bryon Luke, Director of Program Implementation and will be added to the FAQ on the YFTI website.
If there are follow-up questions from YFTI/OMHSAS regarding the submissions, a member of the review team may contact the project coordinator on the application for clarification.
*NOTE: Current participants in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) funded System of Care (SOC) grants or interested applicants for an upcoming SAMHSA-funded PA CARE SOC grant are not excluded from applying to this RFP and are encouraged to apply. Please indicate any relevant SAMHSA-funded grants in which your agency is participating in your application and describe how they would be connected to this pilot.
Selected sites will be notified in writing by YFTI by April 25, 2025. The projected start date for implementation will be July 1, 2025.
Please contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any questions.
Prev