';
CLOSE
Children's Services

0 3115

The Physical Health Managed Care Organizations (PH-MCOs) serving Pennsylvania’s HealthChoices Medicaid program are now inviting psychiatric service providers to submit a response for the Telephonic Psychiatric Service (TiPS) Request for Proposals (RFP). The PH-MCOs will contract for TiPS that will provide real time telephonic consultative services to primary care providers (PCPs), and other prescribers of psychotropic medications, for children under the age of 21. A TiPS provider is responsible for establishing and maintaining a team of behavioral health professionals who will be available to respond to inquiries from PCPs seeking assistance in providing pediatric behavioral health care. Qualified applicants must have a TiPS staff which includes one full-time equivalent child psychiatrist, one full-time equivalent behavioral health therapist, and one full-time equivalent care coordinator. Now available are the RFP, and supplemental information, including pediatric membership by plan/zone, and a 2014 Health Affairs article on a similar program in Massachusetts. A vendor fair for interested respondents is being held on Tuesday, January 26 in Mechanicsburg. See the RFP for additional details. All questions should be directed to MCO Coalition Consultant, Emily Katz.

0 2710

The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) sent members of the OMHSAS Planning Council’s Children’s Committee the draft Training and Supervision Requirements for Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) Workers bulletin, noting that the document is being distributed for public comment. Public comment on this bulletin is being accepted until Monday, January 11, 2016. RCPA has requested an extension of the period for stakeholder review and comment, given the extremely short time allotted by OMHSAS. OMHSAS is asking that comments be submitted via email.

RCPA will submit comments and will inform members if the time period for review and comment is extended by OMHSAS. In addition to sending your comments to OMHSAS, please also forward them to Connell O’Brien, director, RCPA Children’s Division.

0 2430

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has released her “Plan to Support Children, Youth, and Adults Living with Autism and Their Families.” This autism initiative would include screening, diagnosis, treatment, services, support for families and caregivers, and an increase in research funding.

The plan was released on January 5, with a conference call featuring state Senator Bob Casey, who is a member of the Congressional Autism Caucus. He emphasized the daily challenges for individuals with autism and their families:

  • The need for tools and supports to help lead a full life;
  • Implementation by each state of the ABLE Act to offer funding options for enhancing daily living;
  • Development of a study on autism in adults; and
  • Development of an awareness campaign to emphasize the need for early screening and interventions.

0 2706

As previously reported, the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is conducting work groups to develop recommendations for the development of youth-young adult peer support services and for youth-young adult psychiatric rehabilitation services. RCPA is participating in both work groups through the involvement of the Directors of the Children’s Division and the Mental Health Division. In January, RCPA will be scheduling a focused conference call with members providing Medicaid-funded peer support service, psychiatric rehabilitation services, and adolescent-young adult mental health services. The purpose of the conference call will be to review the status of the OMHSAS work groups and to gather input from the field with regard to service design, the development of service, supervision and program description standards/regulatory changes, and to better understand the operational and clinical care, cost, and compliance implications for these services.

Continue

0 2344

The Bureau of Autism Services (BAS) is conducting a preliminary survey to help inform the design of services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are transitioning out of high school, including those who may have had justice intersections or psychiatric hospitalizations. This survey is designed to be completed by professionals with or without experience supporting individuals with ASD ages 18-25. BAS is asking for feedback on both surveys by Friday, January 1.

BAS has developed two versions of this survey; one for individuals and families, and another to be completed by professionals. The professionals survey can be completed here. Any questions about these surveys can be directed to the Bureau of Autism Services via email.

0 3565

Time is running out; the deadline for revalidating is Thursday, March 24, 2016. Numerous RCPA members have already gone through this process, but it appears that large numbers of providers have not yet done so. A special provider revalidation webinar will be held by RCPA on Wednesday, January 6 at 10:00 am. Jamie Buchenauer, from the Department of Human Services, will be presenting the webcast.

Continue

0 2554

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) are inviting providers and others to review and provide comments on its draft State Plan for the Child Care Development Block Grant.

To submit comments, download and complete the response form by Friday, January 8, 2016, and email or mail to:

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning
Attn: State Plan
333 Market Street
Sixth Floor
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17126

The Child Care Development Block Grant is one of the primary federal funding sources for monitoring regulated child care programs, child care subsidy through Child Care Works, and child care quality improvement through Keystone STARS. Pennsylvania’s plan, once finalized, will address how the state will implement new requirements imposed by the reauthorization over the next three federal fiscal years. Key features of the plan include:

  • Supporting child development by providing greater opportunities for stable, quality child care.
  • Exploring payment rates to providers serving children receiving Child Care Works, to ensure equal access, and compensation for providers that is closer to the market rate.
  • Improving health and safety requirements for child care providers through child care regulations and inspections.
  • Reaffirming professional development requirements for providers participating in Keystone STARS.

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning has also posted and begun accepting public comment on a policy announcement, Reduction of Expulsion and Suspension in Early Childhood Programs in Pennsylvania. OCDEL will hold a webinar to review the public comments received to date and give the stakeholder community a final opportunity to provide feedback. OCDEL will also accept additional comments via email until Monday, January 18, 2016, at which time the public comment period will be closed.

Prev1...269270271...273Next Page 270 of 273
© 2021 - Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association