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Children's Services

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Image by Katja Fuhlert from Pixabay

Yesterday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12–15. This follows an expanded emergency use authorization issued by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this week.

Parents can now begin to schedule their children ages 12 and up through any vaccine provider administering Pfizer. You can find a vaccine provider administering Pfizer near you.

The authorization follows a Phase 3 clinical trial with 2,260 participants. Data from this trial showed that the vaccine was 100 percent effective in preventing cases of COVID-19, and the immune response was just as strong, and potentially stronger, when compared to clinical trial participants aged 16 through 25 years considered in the vaccine’s initial authorization. Side effects experienced by some participants in the clinical trial were similar to what was experienced by older teenagers and adults — tiredness, headaches, muscle pain, and fever. As with all other vaccines, Pfizer, the FDA, and the CDC will continue to monitor for safety moving forward.

While children and adolescents are not as likely to experience severe effects from COVID-19 as older adults, they are still able to transmit the virus if they contract it. Vaccine uptake in children and teenagers and protecting them from catching and further spreading the virus can help reduce community transmission and protect more vulnerable people. There is also still great risk and uncertainty surrounding this virus and its long-term effects, and this vaccine is a way to help keep more people safe from COVID-19. More information about the Pfizer vaccine’s extended emergency authorization is available from the FDA and through a fact sheet for recipients and caregivers.

We understand that there may be questions as children and their caregivers consider their options regarding these vaccines. We hope that families and caregivers will continue to trust the rigorous testing and scrutiny these vaccines undergo before emergency authorization and choose this option to protect their children from COVID-19. If you have further questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Director Jim Sharp.

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The recording of the Finance and Reimbursement Committee meeting is available on the members only section of RCPA’s website, which is accessible here. The PowerPoint from the April 2021 Mercer/ODP webinar regarding Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/ID) budgets is available here.

For more information about the Employee Tax Credit program and Synergi, follow this link to the Synergi Partners RCPA landing page. You can also reach out directly to Jeff Walker or Clint Foster.

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Today CMS released guidance to the State Medicaid Directors regarding the 10% increased Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for certain Medicaid expenditures for Home and Community-Based Waiver Services (HCBS). States must use the funds to supplement and not supplant state funds expended for HCBS Waiver Services in effect as of April 1, 2021, and states must use state funds equivalent to the amount of federal funds attributable to the increased FMAP to implement or supplement the implementation of one or more activities to enhance, expand, or strengthen HCBS under the Medicaid program.

The purpose of this letter is to provide guidance to states on the implementation of section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), as well as to describe opportunities for states to strengthen the HCBS system in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), increase access to HCBS for Medicaid beneficiaries, adequately protect the HCBS workforce, safeguard financial stability for HCBS providers, and accelerate long-term services and supports (LTSS) reform under section 9817 of the ARP.

This increased federal funding can help states increase community living options for people with disabilities, in accordance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities  Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131–12134, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999), which requires public entities to administer services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

In addition, this letter updates Medicaid retainer payment policy for HCBS providers during the COVID-19 PHE.

The letter outlines additional guidance.

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As part of RPCA’s ongoing effort with members and stakeholders regarding the Alternative Pay Arrangements/Agreements (APAs), we are asking members to complete this brief APA survey.

We respectfully request that the survey be completed as the APAs apply to your Drug & Alcohol, Children’s, and Adult Mental Health services continuum. The data we collect will be instrumental in our collective efforts with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and managed care organizations regarding strategic fiscal considerations, as the current APAs are set to end on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

It has been requested we extend the survey date. The survey will now be available until close of business Thursday, May 20, 2021. Thank you, and if you have questions, please contact RCPA Director of Children’s Division Jim Sharp or your RCPA Policy Director.

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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is pleased to share the 2020 Behavioral Health Telehealth Report, developed in collaboration with the OMHSAS Telehealth Steering Committee and Mercer Government Services Consulting. This report provides recommendations for the future of telehealth after the resolution of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The work of the Steering Committee and other stakeholders has been and will continue to be vital in ensuring that the behavioral health needs of Pennsylvanians continue to be met. The report is available on the OMHSAS website.

If you have questions or feedback, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp. If you have questions regarding this report, please email OMHSAS directly.

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Are They Always Listening? How Secure is My Smart Speaker?

Wednesday, June 2, 2021 from 12:00 pm–12:45 pm
30 minutes of interactive learning, 15 minutes for questions

This presentation will answer questions related to privacy and security with smart speakers such as Amazon Alexa and Google Nest. Attendees will learn:

  • How smart speakers work;
  • How their security compares to other everyday devices like cell phones;
  • How smart speakers “listen” and “understand”;
  • What information speakers retain; and
  • How you can protect yourself.

Learn more and register here.

This webinar is hosted by Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) as part of the Smart Homes Made Simple project. Learn more about the project at SmartHomesMadeSimple.org.
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation Toll Free Voice 888.744.1938 | Voice 484.674.0506 | Fax 484.674.0510 | Email patf@patf.us | www.patf.us

This project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council; in part by grant number 1901PASCDD-02 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

This session will be fully accessible, and the recording, transcript, and slides will be made available. If you have any questions or need assistance with registering, please contact Susie Daily at 888-744-1938 or by email.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Magellan Healthcare collaborated with Neuromotion, Inc., the developer of Mightier, an in-home digital platform that empowers children to learn lifelong emotional skills through play, to make Mightier available to certain Magellan members with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a pilot program.

Read the press release on the results and the white paper on this landmark study to understand how digital tools can help children with ASD here.

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The Morgan Stanley Foundation is providing $500,000 in seed-funding for game-changing mental health care solutions for children and young people through the inaugural Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health Innovation Awards.

U.S.-based non-profits are invited to submit innovative project ideas to advance children’s mental health. Selected organizations should visit the Innovation Awards website, which has all the information on the program, including selection criteria, application information, project scope, and FAQ. For additional inquiries, please email the Morgan Stanley Foundation.

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