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Criminal Justice

The seats are quickly filling as we get closer to the 2022 RCPA Conference Together! Be sure to register now to see our exciting workshops in person and earn continuing education credits. The final online registration deadline is Friday, September 30. Take a look at our full brochure to view the schedule and find valuable information on our upcoming workshops, which include:

  • Competing for Quality: Strategies for Becoming a Top Talent Manager
    • Presented by Ed Krow of Ed Krow, LLC
  • Creating the Playbook on the Fly: Lessons Learned From the COVID-19 Pandemic That Will Endure as We Navigate to the “New” Normal
    • Presented by Woody Rosenbach, Trapeta Mayson, Tyrone Howell, and LaMar Brooks of COMHAR
  • Reducing Obstacles to Care: Low-Barrier Access to Buprenorphine and Other Life-Saving Treatments
    • Presented by Mark G. Fuller and Stuart Fisk of Allegheny Health Network
  • Reviewing Data Together: The Impact of the COVID Crises on Children’s Services Outcomes
    • Presented by Dan Warner of Community Data Roundtable
  • Healing-Centered Supervision: Lessons From Peer Support
    • Presented by Emily Ferris and Dana Lombardi of Magellan Behavioral Health of Pennsylvania
  • One Hospital Diversion VBP Project: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
    • Presented by Lisa M. May and Mandy Fauble of UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor
  • Technologies Needed to Be Successful in Healthcare Reform for Mental Health, Substance Use, Developmental Disabilities, and Human Service Organizations
    • Presented by Michael Lardieri of Core Solutions
  • Supporting Children With Medically Complex Conditions — Overview of Medical Support Needs
    • Presented by Gregory Cherpes and Rhonda Gengler of the Office of Developmental Programs

Note that sessions will be recorded to allow registered participants to view content after the event concludes.

In addition to an amazing roster of speakers, our 2022 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have committed to our conference thus far! If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, visit here for more details. For sponsors and exhibitors to be included in signage, RCPA will require contracts no later than Thursday, September 15.

We’d like to give a special shoutout to our Connections Hall sponsor Beacon Health Options as well as our Welcome Reception sponsor UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

Early bird registration for the 2022 RCPA Conference Together! ends today! Be sure to register now to see our exciting workshops in person and earn continuing education credits. You won’t want to miss taking advantage of this opportunity!

Gathering in person at the Hershey Lodge October 11 – 14, 2022, attendees will see and learn from presenters from health and human services organizations all across Pennsylvania. Our full brochure is available, and some of our upcoming workshops include:

  • Employment Strategies for Those With Prader Willi Syndrome
    • Presented by Lisa Svidron of Mainstay Life Services
  • TCV Community Services and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health — A Case Study in Effective Affiliation
    • Presented by Carl E. Clark II, Fran Sheedy Bost, and Robert Dunne of Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
  • Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in Children’s Mental Health Residential Treatment in Pennsylvania
    • Presented by Gordon R. Hodas and Caren L. Rosser-Morris of OMHSAS
  • Preparing for a Value-Based Payment (VBP) Future in Substance Use Treatment in PA: Using the Centers of Excellence (COE) as an Example
    • Presented by David Loveland of Community Care Behavioral Health
  • Managing Unique Challenges for Clients in the Workplace
    • Presented by Thomas Tirney of Arlington Heritage Group
  • Do Private Equity-Funded Start-ups and Services Have an Advantage Over Legacy Nonprofit Provider Organizations?
    • Presented by Stacy DiStefano of Consulting for Human Services
  • Ethical Considerations of Guardianship
    • Presented by Lesley Mehalick of McAndrews, Mehalick, Connolly, Hulse and Ryan, PC

Note that sessions will be recorded to allow registered participants to view content after the event concludes.

In addition to an amazing roster of speakers, our 2022 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have committed to our conference thus far! If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, visit here for more details.

We’d like to give a special shoutout to our Connections Hall sponsor Beacon Health Options as well as our Welcome Reception sponsor UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a Request for Information (RFI) that seeks public input on accessing healthcare and related challenges, understanding provider experiences, advancing health equity, and assessing the impact of waivers and flexibilities provided in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE).

The Make Your Voice Heard: Promoting Efficiency and Equity Within CMS Programs RFI furthers CMS’ commitment to engaging and learning from partners, communities, and individuals across the health system to inform how we can better support the populations we serve. In alignment with Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, the CMS Strategic Plan Pillar: Health Equity, and the CMS Framework for Health Equity (2022–2032), this RFI aims to gather feedback and perspectives related to challenges and opportunities for CMS to embed health equity into their efforts encouraging innovation, reducing burden, and creating efficiencies across the healthcare system.

CMS is seeking to better understand individual and community-level burdens, health-related social needs, and opportunities for improvement that can reduce disparities and promote efficiency and innovation across programs. CMS is requesting information related to strategies that successfully address drivers of health inequities, including opportunities to address social determinants of health and challenges underserved communities face in accessing comprehensive, quality care. For example, challenges accessing care may include understanding coverage options, receiving culturally and linguistically appropriate care, accessing oral health services, and accessing comprehensive and timely healthcare services and medication.

Through this RFI, CMS also seeks to better understand the factors impacting provider wellness and learn more about the distribution of the healthcare workforce. CMS is particularly interested in understanding the greatest challenges for healthcare workers in meeting the needs of individuals, and the impact of CMS policies, documentation, and reporting requirements, operations, and communications on provider experiences.

Comments received in response to the Make Your Voice Heard RFI will be used to identify opportunities for improvement and to increase efficiencies across CMS programs. In addition, CMS hopes to learn how specific programs have benefited providers, practices, and the people served.

CMS encourages comments from all interested stakeholders, in particular, patients and their families, providers, clinicians, consumer advocates, and healthcare professional associations. CMS also encourages comments from individuals serving and located in underserved communities and from all CMS stakeholders serving populations facing disparities in health and healthcare. The RFI is open for a 60-day public comment period.

Comments must be received by November 4, 2022, to be considered.