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Children's Services

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Now, more than ever, health and human service providers need to be proactive in supporting elected officials work towards common sense solutions in the areas of workforce, tax, regulation, health care, and human services.

The Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association Political Action Committee (RCPA-PAC) is asking members to assist RCPA with raising funds for RCPA-PAC. RCPA is advocating for our members with regard to telehealth, regulations, and legislation. RCPA-PAC funds are utilized to attend legislative fundraisers in order for RCPA to lobby legislators face-to-face on health and human service issues.

We need you and your staff to donate to RCPA-PAC because it provides an avenue for our members and staff to make a meaningful impact on the political process. Any funds that you and your staff can contribute will be greatly appreciated. Please note that RCPA-PAC cannot accept corporate checks. Personal checks should be made payable to RCPA-PAC.

Interested in learning more about RCPA-PAC or in donating now? Please visit our website, download the PAC FAQ Card, Donation Card, or email Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs.

Your participation in the RCPA-PAC is completely voluntary, and you may contribute as much or as little as you choose. Donations are not tax-deductible and will be used for political purposes. You may choose not to participate without fear of reprisal. You will not be favored or disadvantaged by reason of the amount of your contribution or decision not to contribute.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Fady Sahhar, COO
M: 856-397-5040

HARRISBURG, May 25, 2021 — ProVantaCare is leading the way in managed care with its proven, innovative model for coordinating services in the fields of behavioral health, drug and alcohol addiction, long-term care services, physical disabilities, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Some of the state’s largest social service and human service providers are part of the provider-owned network, which began as the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Services Organization (RCPSO) in 2014. After a seven-year track record of success, RCPSO has completed its months-long transition into the newly named ProVantaCare.

With more than 80 owners, ProVantaCare specializes in partnering with managed care organizations to expand access by assembling quality care networks that perform to the highest standards in these social service and human service fields.

ProVantaCare’s innovative models drive enhancements through improvements with data management, streamlined contracting, and streamlined operations. Because of its expansive network and years of expertise, customers and clients can be confident about continuously improved outcomes, an area of intense focus among state and federal regulators.

“I’m excited about the new name and new direction,” said Susan Blue, President of Community Services Group and Board Chair of ProVantaCare. “We have an established track record of relationships with regulators, payers, and other stakeholders, and now we have a new identity that better defines what we do — and one that our customers and clients can relate to.”

RCPSO was started by members of the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association, one of the largest and most diverse state health and human services trade associations in the nation, with more than 350 members serving well over 1 million Pennsylvanians annually. ProVantaCare is a fully separate, stand-alone organization with its own bylaws and board of directors.

About ProVantaCare:
Coordinating managed care services for patients and providers in the fields of behavioral health, drug and alcohol addiction, long-term care services, physical disabilities, intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more information, please visit ProVantaCare’s website.

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On May 19, 2021, the Senate Finance Committee conducted a hearing, “COVID-19 Health Care Flexibilities: Perspectives, Experiences, and Lessons Learned,” that focused on how the flexibilities granted during the pandemic have been beneficial to patients and assisted providers in responding to the public health emergency (PHE). The hearing also discussed the potential for permanent policy changes after the pandemic and focused heavily on the support of telehealth.

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Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The Department of Human Services (DHS) issued an update regarding the implementation of an Enterprise Case Management (ECM) system to support the administration and management of various DHS-supervised programs.

A primary goal of ECM is to provide a complete picture of the DHS services provided to participants and families through multiple DHS program offices, regardless of the human services program or county providing the service. ECM will be implemented on a common technology platform that will be configured for various case management system needs across DHS programs. ECM will provide DHS staff and business partners with the tools needed to effectively serve participants by eliminating redundancies, lessening administrative burden, and streamlining core processes. ECM will mostly affect the Offices of Administration (OA), Children, Youth and Families (OCYF), Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), Long-Term Living (OLTL), and Developmental Programs (ODP). When implemented, ECM will support a statewide child welfare case management system; enrollment and case management for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS); intake and management for hearings and appeals; and application, enrollment, and support services for programs administered by OLTL. ECM will replace several legacy systems across program offices through the implementation of one common solution, composed of the following four major subsystems:

  • Home and Community-Based Services Subsystem (HCBSS): The HCBSS will replace what is currently known as the Home & Community Services Information System (HCSIS). It will serve as the enrollment and case management system for the DHS program offices, counties, and providers supporting the HCBS programs, including Medicaid waivers.
  • Hearings and Appeals: The Hearings & Appeals subsystem will replace the collection of legacy systems DHS uses to manage appeals under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (BHA).
  • Office of Long-Term Living Enrollment Services: The OLTL Enrollment Services subsystem will be used by an Enrollment Services Entity and DHS to manage the process to assist individuals/participants in exploring and applying for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS).
  • Child Welfare Case Management (CW CM): The CW CM subsystem will create a single, statewide Child Welfare Case Management System for all Pennsylvania Counties.

The ECM At a Glance document contains a high-level overview of DHS’ ECM initiative, positive impacts to participants, goals and objectives, scope and interfaces, and the anticipated timelines for subsystem implementations.

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The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, the PA Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, and the JCJC Awards Committee are pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 JCJC Awards Program. Award nomination forms can be found on the JCJC website. This year’s program categories for which your program may be eligible include:

Residential Program of the Year Award: Available to any public or private sector program serving alleged and/or adjudicated delinquent youth in a residential setting. This includes foster homes, group homes, residential treatment programs, general childcare facilities, shelter care facilities, detention centers, independent living programs, and other programs providing out-of-home, overnight care to children. Award Winners prior to 2016 are eligible for nomination.

Community-Based Program of the Year Award: Available to any public or private sector program, not operated by the court, which provides community based, non-residential services to alleged and/or adjudicated delinquent youth including, but not limited to, day treatment programs, in-home services, Boys and Girls Clubs, Education Services, and out-patient services

Meritorious Service Award: Available to a volunteer committed to furthering the development of at-risk, alleged and/or delinquent youth (Examples of volunteer work may include youth aid panels, youth commissions, anti-violence programs, school-based programs, diversionary programs, mentoring programs, faith-based programs, community centers or other similar programming).

As in previous years, all nominations must be submitted by county juvenile probation departments. Therefore, if you would like to have your program or volunteer nominated, please contact a Chief Juvenile Probation Officer to discuss the possibility of submitting a nomination. Formal professional award nomination materials must be submitted via email by Monday August 16, 2021.

Youth Awards: In addition, the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission will once again sponsor a Youth Awards Program as part of this year’s Annual Awards Program to honor the youth selected as winners.  The Youth Awards Committee is accepting nominations for the Outstanding Achievement Contest and the Creative Expression Contest both of which are described below.

Please note that in an effort to recognize the expanding and creative artistic talent of youth, the Creative Expression Contest category will once again include either a Written, Poster, or Video entry in two age categories, fifteen (15) and under and sixteen (16) and over. The requirements of each nomination are listed below and included in the attached nomination forms. Please note that these forms will also be available on the JCJC website. This year’s theme is “Moving Forward in Unity”. The winners and their chaperones will be honored guests at the 2021 Youth Awards Program and Dinner. Individuals submitting nominations will be responsible for ensuring that winners attend the Youth Awards Program. Winners will have the opportunity to say a few words upon receiving their award. All youth award nominations must be postmarked by Monday August 16, 2021.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT CONTEST:

The Outstanding Achievement Contest consists of a narrative description of a youth’s outstanding qualities of community service, victim reparation, academic accomplishments, citizenship, attitude, extra-curricular activities, peer relationships and positive changes in behavior, submitted by a counselor, teacher, or juvenile probation officer.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION CONTEST:

The Creative Expression Contest submission consists of a Poster, no larger than 22” H X 28” W with a 1” border as a picture, drawing, painting, or collage; or a Written essay, poem, story, etc. entry typed and limited to one page in length; or a Video entry on a USB Flash Drive, DVD or CD, in a mpeg, mov, wmv, mp3, or avi format of no longer than 2 minutes. This contest has a fifteen (15) and under category and a sixteen (16) and over category.

The Awards Committee encourages you to present the Youth Awards theme and requirements to the youth in your program for their participation in the contest.

Thank you for your interest and support of the 2021 JCJC Awards Program. Please contact JCJC Awards Liaison Angel R. Stewart at 717-783-7835 or via email or contact Keysla Rodriguez at 717-783-6263 or via email for questions or further assistance.

If you have further questions, please contact RCPA Children Director Jim Sharp.

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Today, Governor Tom Wolf signed a renewal of the Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 vaccinations have increased dramatically in recent weeks, and we are making significant progress in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Wolf. “As previously announced, we are lifting all mitigation measures on Memorial Day, but we need just a little more time under this current disaster declaration to ensure that we do not risk valuable resources that will help Pennsylvania recover from the pandemic.

“The disaster declaration allows more medical professionals to administer vaccines, ensures families harmed financially by the pandemic have access to healthy food through SNAP benefits, and ensures Pennsylvania counties and businesses remain eligible for federal disaster recovery dollars.

“We will continue to monitor vaccination rates and adjust mitigation orders accordingly. I have been in touch with the General Assembly regarding this extension, and we will continue to collaborate on the future of this disaster declaration and any future declarations that become necessary to help Pennsylvanians in the midst of an emergency.”

The emergency disaster declaration renewed today provides for increased support to state agencies involved in the continued response to the virus and recovery for the state during reopening.

The disaster declaration has allowed for waivers and extensions to continue to provide for Pennsylvanians and businesses under the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic, including the ability to waive the one-week waiting period to receive unemployment compensation and the registration requirement with PA CareerLink for applicants and allowing the commonwealth to suspend numerous training requirements and certification and licensure renewals for health care professionals, child care workers, direct care workers, direct support professionals, among other professional groups who provide life-sustaining services to our children, seniors, and vulnerable residents. The flexibilities available because of the disaster declaration have allowed many more health care professionals to provide services virtually during the pandemic, expanding opportunities for individuals to seek needed physical and mental health services. It allows the commonwealth to increase the number of vaccine providers and improve vaccine distribution.

Through the disaster declaration, PEMA has been able to assign the National Guard to provide various types of support for long term care facilities, including providing direct patient care support, ancillary support, and testing, and at community-based testing sites. It also provides PEMA with the ability to leverage continued federal support such as non-congregate sheltering.

You can view the announcement at the Governor’s website. If you have any questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.

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