Pennsylvania Budget Finally Clears, With Not Much Optimism Ahead (RCPA President/CEO Richard Edley Interviewed)
Trump Administration Issues Policy Changes on Provision of Gender-Affirming Care
On January 28, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14187 (Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation), directing federal agencies to cut off federal funding and support for gender-affirming care for people under age 19, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgery.
On December 18, 2025, health officials from the Trump administration announced several additional policy changes that, if finalized, will have the effect of essentially banning gender-affirming care for transgender young people, even in states where it remains legal.
One rule would prohibit Medicaid from covering any medical care provided to transgender patients younger than age 18 and prohibit reimbursement though CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) for gender-affirming care for patients under 19.
Additionally, all Medicare and Medicaid funding would be blocked for any services at hospitals that provide pediatric gender-affirming care. This means that hospitals and doctors that perform gender-affirming care on minors will have to forgo federal Medicare and Medicaid funding under the new proposed rules. Virtually every hospital in the country relies on this funding, so the rule would have a wide-ranging impact and could likely make gender-affirming care inaccessible nationwide.
The proposed rules would exclude gender dysphoria not caused by physical impairment from civil-rights health care protections, reducing legal safeguards against discrimination in medical care.
This multi-pronged plan from DHS is part of the Trump Administration’s efforts to limit gender-affirming care, and if finalized, could have a profound impact on care delivery for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.
JCJC Releases 2026 Staff Development Schedule Booklet
The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC) is excited to announce the release of the 2026 Staff Development Schedule Booklet. This booklet includes a list of in-person and virtual workshops currently scheduled in the JCJC Event Management System (JEMS) for the entire year. The booklet workshops will contain engaging, informative, and valuable training opportunities for juvenile justice professionals.
Additional workshops will be added to the JEMS schedule throughout the year; RCPA will send updates as they occur.
For questions regarding the Staff Development Schedule or suggestions for future workshops, please contact Sonya Stokes, Coordinator of Professional Development.
Contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any additional questions.
PCCD and JPRC Virtual Stakeholder Input Sessions
The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), in partnership with the WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center (JPRC), has received funding from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to develop a statewide Continuum of Care for Communities model for Pennsylvania. This initiative aims to provide actionable recommendations for diverting youth from the juvenile justice system toward community-based services and alternatives to detention.
To inform this statewide model, WestEd is seeking collaboration with Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice stakeholder groups to gather insights and evidence-based recommendations.
Their goal is to develop actionable recommendations for diverting youth from formal justice system involvement and to strengthen community-based services, drawing on the expertise and experience of local stakeholders. As someone involved in juvenile justice and juvenile justice-adjacent systems, your insights will be invaluable in shaping recommendations and identifying promising local practices.
What’s Involved: You are invited to join an engagement session to discuss:
- Local prevention and diversion strategies, strengths, and gaps; and
- Recommendations and best practices for serving youth and families across the continuum of care.
Session Details:
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Format: Virtual (calendar invite and Zoom link to be provided upon RSVP)
Session Options
- Community Service Providers: January 8, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Violence Intervention Programs, Restorative Justice organizations, Faith-based organizations, Foster Care Agencies, Housing and Homelessness Services, Workforce Development Agencies, Child and Family Advocacy – Rights and Policy Reform, Residential Placement staff, etc.
- Register Here
- Courts and Related Departments: January 9, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Judges, Magistrates, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, Probation, Children and Youth, CASA, Youth Aid Panels, etc.
- Register Here
- Victims’ Services: January 23, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Victims and Victim Service Providers
- Register Here
- Education: January 27, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: School and District-level Administration, Faculty, Psychologists, Counselors and Social Workers, Student Assistance Programs, and School Security Personnel
- Register Here
- Mental and Behavioral Health & Substance Use Treatment: January 30, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Mental Health, Behavioral Health and Substance Use Treatment Providers, Residential or Community-based
- Register Here
- Law Enforcement & Crisis Response: February 4, 2026, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm EST
- Includes: Police Officers, School Resource Officers, Detectives, Emergency Responders, Crisis Responders, Medical Personnel
- Register Here
- Families & Loved Ones with Experience Supporting Youth in the Juvenile Justice System (Past or Present): February 4, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
- Includes: Family members, friends, caregivers, and loved ones with past or present experience supporting their youth navigate the juvenile justice system
- Register Here
- Youth with Lived Experience Navigating the Juvenile Justice System: February 11, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
- Includes: Youth with juvenile justice or children and youth/foster care experience, ages 25 and under
- Register Here
Your participation will not only contribute to improving outcomes for youth and families but also ensure that the report and recommendations reflect the needs and realities of your community.
If you are able to attend, please take 2–3 minutes to fill out the RSVP link connected to the session you wish to attend — please plan to attend one session. This will ensure you a spot and send you a calendar invite and Zoom link. Please feel free to share this email and flyer within any of your networks as well.
Lastly, if you have any questions, please reach out via email.
OMHSAS TAC Training Series: Upcoming Housing and Homelessness Trainings
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in partnership with the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC), is offering upcoming trainings focused on strengthening housing partnerships and improving coordinated responses for unsheltered individuals with behavioral health needs.
Partnership with Public Housing Authorities (PHA): Best Practice Strategies for Stronger Collaboration
Date/Time: Thursday, January 22, 2026, 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Registration Here
This 90-minute interactive training is designed for housing and service system leaders seeking to strengthen and sustain effective partnerships with Public Housing Authorities (PHA). This session will highlight strategies to improve communication and alignment between PHAs and county systems, approaches for sustaining partnerships during times of system change, and an overview of standard PHA regulations and available flexibilities. The training will include facilitated breakout discussions for participants to share real-world strategies, lessons learned, and best practices with colleagues across communities.
- Trainers: Jim Yates (MPA), Liz Stewart, and Jordan Gulley (LICSW), Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC)
- Open to: County Housing Coordinators
Building Coordinated Responses for Unsheltered Individuals With Behavioral Health Needs
TAC will conduct two 90-minute trainings exploring best practices for coordinated, compassionate, and effective responses to support individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness with significant behavioral health needs.
Session 1: Trauma-Informed Outreach, Collaboration, and Engagement Strategies
Date/Time: Monday, January 26, 2026, 9:30 am – 11:00 am
Registration Here
The first session will highlight practical models and partnerships that enhance trauma-informed outreach, crisis diversion, and person-centered engagement. It will include approaches that reduce law enforcement interactions and improve cross-system coordination to ensure wraparound supports and an array of housing options for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and co-occurring conditions.
- Trainers: Ashley Mann-McLellan (MPH) and Jordan Gulley (LICSW), Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC)
- Open to: County staff overseeing direct care outreach and homelessness response providers; county supported housing and homelessness providers; PATH staff; outreach staff; county housing coordinators
- To be announced: Regionally based Communities of Practice (CoP) will be announced following this training, focused on best-practice outreach/engagement strategies and cross-sector partnerships for staff providing direct care or supervising programs supporting unsheltered individuals.
Session 2: System Approaches to Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampment Responses
Date/Time: Thursday, February 26, 2026, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Registration Here
The second session will provide a foundational understanding of encampment dynamics and encampment resolution, including an overview of decommissioning practices. Emphasis will be placed on humane and coordinated approaches that prioritize connection to services and pathways to stable housing. The webinar will highlight the critical role of cross-sector partnerships (Continuum of Care (CoC), PATH, behavioral health, outreach teams, law enforcement, local government entities, advocates) and will explore targeted housing navigation strategies that support long-term stability beyond clearance efforts.
- Trainers: Ashley Mann-McLellan (MPH) and Jordan Gulley (LICSW), Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC)
- Open to: County and municipal leaders, including County Mental Health Administrators; County Human Services Directors; County Housing and Homelessness Service Administrators; Coordinated Entry Leads and Continuum of Care (CoC) leadership; PATH program staff; outreach providers and behavioral health directors; outreach supervisors; housing program managers; Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services-designated program leadership
- To be announced: A statewide Community of Practice (CoP) will be scheduled following this training, focused on collaborative learning for county and municipal leaders implementing systemic responses to unsheltered homelessness for individuals with SMI. Dates will be announced soon.
Questions and Comments can be directed to the OMHSAS housing inbox.
Washingtonian Names National Council President/CEO Chuck Ingoglia One of the “Most Influential People Shaping Healthcare Policy” for 2025
National Council Releases H.R. 1 Implementation Journey Map
IRRC Releases Licensure of Crisis Intervention Services Comments
The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) has published their comments on the proposed Licensure of Crisis Intervention Services regulations, summarizing the comments submitted by the stakeholder community during the public comment period. As part of the IRRC’s regulatory process, OMHSAS will have to address and clarify any questions that have been submitted.
Similar to RCPA’s public comments, the IRRC response highlights concerns regarding the proposed rulemaking in the following areas:
- Potential issues with “one-size-fits-all” approach to crisis intervention.
- Lack of availability of qualified staff and how to pay for them.
- Elimination of an “in-between” level of care by imposing hospital-like standards that do not align with current outpatient structures.
- Possibility of inadequate government funding to cover providers’ implementation costs.
- Lack of inclusion and integration with law enforcement, first responders, 911 operators, and 988 lifeline centers.
In support of RCPA’s recommendation, the IRRC comments also urge the Department to reconvene the stakeholder work group that had been assembled in 2021, especially given the drastic shift in the mental health landscape that has occurred since the group last met.
Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions.
OMHSAS Opens Public Comment Period for Proposed Regulations for State HIPAA Compliance
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has released the proposed Mental Health Procedures regulations, which are open for public comment. The posting on the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) website can be found here.
The proposed regulations are to be in compliance with Act 32 of 2022. OMHSAS is choosing to go beyond the updates required by Act 32 and is doing a full alignment of the chapter with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to increase the clarity of the regulations for stakeholders.
Starting December 6, 2025, and closing January 5, 2026, the public may submit written comments regarding the proposed rulemaking to the Department via email. Please be aware that all public comments must be published verbatim on the IRRC website with the name of the commenter included. OMHSAS fully supports and encourages individuals with lived experience to comment on the regulation. However, please ensure you are comfortable with the content of your comment being made public, with your name attached to it.
RCPA has conducted an internal review of the proposed regulations and is seeking member feedback and comments to be included in our submission. Members are encouraged to review and provide recommendation and guidance on the impacts of the proposed regulations on your organization. Agencies may submit separately or in conjunction with RCPA.
Comments may also be submitted to RCPA COO and Mental Health Policy Director Jim Sharp by January 2, 2026, OR to the following address:
Department of Human Services
OMHSAS – Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Program Development,
Attention: BPPPD
Commonwealth Tower, 11th Floor
303 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105
Bill Would Create Alert When Children With Autism Go Missing in Pennsylvania
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