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The Mental Health Safety Net (MHSN) Coalition’s weekly advocacy communication focused this week on the Commonwealth’s need for an increase in Behavioral Health Capitation to ensure sound rates to sustain providers and access to services. The full advocacy letter can be read here.

The Mental Health Safety Net (MHSN) Coalition is a group of stakeholders participating in a joint advocacy effort to protect and preserve our mental health service delivery system. RCPA invites all members, non-members, and systems-wide behavioral health stakeholders to participate in the MHSN Coalition meeting on Monday, June 30, 2025, from 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm. This meeting will serve to update the group on strategy, activities, and engagement opportunities.

Please contact Emma Sharp with questions or if you would like to join the coalition.

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Earlier this week, the Senate Parliamentarian advised lawmakers that several provisions in the budget reconciliation bill will not be able to pass with a simple majority vote. This includes the Senate’s proposed reductions to state provider taxes that were expected to result in billions of cost savings to the federal government. Senate Republicans now have several options to consider before moving forward, including removing key Medicaid provisions in the bill or re-drafting and re-submitting them to try to earn Parliamentarian approval. Other policies that were ruled unallowable under the Byrd Rule included the exclusion of specific groups of immigrants from Medicaid and withholding federal funds from states that use their own funds to provide coverage.

Senators are expected to vote in the coming days. While Pennsylvania Federal legislators are hearing the message from RCPA and other state associations, they are hearing very little from the constituencies in their home districts.

To assist with outreach and to help tailor the letter provided above, National Council and RCPA have provided additional resources below:

  • Find your US legislators here.
  • Call or write to your legislators here.

Your outreach TODAY is critical. If hundreds of billions of dollars are cut:

  • Millions of people are expected to lose access to lifesaving care and services;
  • Community behavioral health providers, operating on the thinnest of margins already, will face additional financial hardship; and
  • The cuts are unlikely to save any money overall because costs will simply shift to states, who will be forced to try and make up the funding difference.

Specific proposals under consideration, like mandatory work requirements and provider tax policy changes, are expected to create huge administrative burdens that are likely to result in eligible people losing their coverage, plus massive funding losses for states that could result in reduced availability of mental health and SUD services.

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RCPA is excited to host a membership benefits webinar on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 10:00 am, as an opportunity for members to orient themselves with all that RCPA membership includes. This is not just for new and future members. For current members, there may be benefits associated with our membership that you may not be aware of, including targeted meetings and groups that occur throughout the year.

Registration is required; please register here to attend the webinar. Items we will review include the below and much more:

  • Virtually meet the dedicated RCPA Policy Staff and RCPA lobbyists;
  • Discuss the 2025 Legislative and Administrative priorities;
  • Preview RCPA divisional committee and subcommittee meetings and what they offer;
  • View the RCPA member-only website;
  • Review exclusive yearly educational and networking events; and
  • Understand the value of the National Association and ANCOR memberships included with RCPA membership.

Visit the RCPA member benefits web page for more information, or contact Tieanna Lloyd for benefit details.

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Message from Rep. Dan Williams’s Office:

HARRISBURG, June 24 – Bipartisan legislation introduced by state Rep. Dan Williams, D-Chester, that would help Pennsylvanians take advantage of new federal Medicaid rules that give patients and clinicians more telehealth options for behavioral health services passed the PA House today with overwhelming support.

“The longstanding and outdated ‘four walls’ requirement has limited Medicaid reimbursement to services within the physical walls of a clinic,” said Williams. “This only creates barriers to care, particularly in rural areas and regions experiencing mental health workforce shortages.”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave states the option to waive the requirement on Jan. 1. In response, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has submitted a State Plan Amendment to adopt this flexibility, which is currently awaiting federal approval.

House Bill 1590 would repeal state regulations that conflict with the new federal flexibility. Importantly, the bill would not change existing rules requiring in-person treatment hours for outpatient behavioral health clinics.

“Under this bill, Pennsylvania can fully implement the change, expanding access to behavioral health services and reducing care gaps for our vulnerable populations across the Commonwealth,” Williams said.

The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.

It is important to note that, at this time, OMHSAS is awaiting approval from CMS. To address the Federal Medicaid payment conditions in the Pennsylvania statute, there was a need for this legislation to permit services be covered under Medicaid, and HB 1590 would achieve this. It is also important to reiterate that this bill will not change outpatient behavioral health clinic rules requiring in-person treatment hours. The passage of this bill will address these conditions for outpatient clinics as well as the delivery of SUD services.

Both the CMS SPA approval and the legislation would be retroactive to January 1, 2025.

Until then, the completion of both the SPA and the legislation on 4 walls flexibilities will remain in place. RCPA is grateful to have partnered with OMHSAS, House legislators, and other stakeholder associations on the development of this bill. We will continue our efforts in getting the legislation to the Governor’s desk.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Director of Mental Health Services Jim Sharp.

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Cooling centers are designated locations with air conditioning where people can go to escape the heat during extreme temperatures. They are typically open during the hottest parts of the day and offer a cool environment, water, and sometimes other support services.

Types of locations that typically serve as cooling centers during a heatwave include:

  • Senior centers;
  • Libraries; and
  • Other community spaces.

Please call PA 211 or visit the Search Pennsylvania 211 website for more current and up-to-date information.

Additional resources about cooling centers:

Please note:

This is not an all-inclusive list. There are more cooling centers than those listed on the PA211 map link.

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Through a contract with the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA), the Department of Human Services’ Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) is supporting a specialized training on the reporting requirements for incidents involving children served in Child Residential and Day Treatment Facilities. This training is designed for child residential facility staff, their related purchasing entities, law enforcement agencies, OCYF Regional Office Reps, MCO staff, and staff of other entities that interact with Child Residential and Day Treatment Facilities.

Title of Training: Reporting Requirements for Children Served in Residential Care Facilities

Training Hours: Three (3) Hours

Format: Live Virtual

Register for an Upcoming Training:

Training Summary:

This training is for providers and other child serving entities and clarifies what allegations must be reported to ChildLine as suspected child abuse and/or HCSIS as a reportable incident, and further clarifies when an alternative plan of supervision must be put into place. This training also teaches minimal facts interviewing skills to better determine when to make a report, and then explains how those reports of suspected child abuse are categorized and handled at ChildLine. Lastly, internal follow up recommendations and communication are discussed. Other entities that interact with these 3800 facilities are also welcome to attend – OCYF Regional Office Reps, Law Enforcement, MCOs, etc.

This training mirrors the information outlined in the OCYF Bulletin # 3800-21-01 issued January 19, 2021, and is meant as additional training (not a replacement for the mandated reporter training).

Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions.

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The House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on June 24, 2025, regarding the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget. The hearing will begin at 10:00 am, and Secretary of HHS Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is expected to serve as witness and provide testimony on the President’s proposed budget.

The hearing is open to the public and will be livestreamed online using the link above.

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