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Criminal Justice

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Drexel University Behavioral Healthcare Education (BHE) will be hosting their second Annual One-Day Summit “Hot Topics: Trends and Challenges in Behavioral Healthcare,” on Friday, May 29, 2026, which will be held virtually via Zoom. The BHE team invites you to submit an abstract for a 60-minute workshop, which will consist of 50 minutes for the presentation and 10 minutes for questions and answers.

The deadline to submit proposals is Friday, February 27, 2026.

Please note: Although presenters will not be financially compensated for their presentations, all presenters are invited to attend the entirety of the summit, earning the maximum number of continuing education credits free of charge.

For more details and the proposal submission form, refer to the BHE Conferences website.

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The 2026 RCPA Annual Conference Power in Purpose: Promoting Possibilities will be held September 29 – October 2 at the Hershey Lodge for a statewide audience. RCPA’s Conference Committee is seeking workshop proposals in every area for possible inclusion, particularly those that assist providers in developing and maintaining high-quality, stable, and effective treatments, services, and agencies in an industry where change is constant. The committee looks for presentations that:

  • Discuss strategies for C-Suite leadership to advance their organization with adapting to challenges and opportunities;
  • Provide guidance on building a culture of a committed workforce, including recruitment and employee development as well as effective remote workforce strategies;
  • Highlight new policy, research, and treatment initiatives, such as the use of artificial intelligence and technology in service provision;
  • Provide specific skills and information related to individual and organizational leadership development and enhancement;
  • Discuss advanced ethics practices and suicide prevention; and/or
  • Address system changes that affect business practices, including integrated care strategies, value-based purchasing, performance-based contracting, acquisitions and mergers, and alternative payment models.

The committee welcomes any proposal that addresses these and other topics essential to rehabilitation, mental health, substance use disorder, children’s health, aging, physical disabilities, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and autism. Members are encouraged to consider submitting, and we highly encourage you to forward this opportunity to those who are exceptionally good speakers and have state-of-the-art information to share.

The Call for Proposals (featuring a complete listing of focus tracks) and accompanying Guidelines for Developing Educational Objectives detail requirements for submissions. The deadline for submissions is COB Monday, March 23, 2026. Proposals must be submitted electronically with the form provided; confirmation of receipt will be sent. Proposals submitted after the deadline may not be considered.

If the proposal is accepted, individuals must be prepared to present on any day of the conference. Workshops are 90 minutes in length. If the topic requires an in-depth presentation, a double session can be scheduled for a total of 180 minutes. At the time of acceptance, presenters will be asked to confirm the ability to submit workshop slides and handouts electronically two weeks prior to the conference. Individuals unable to meet this expectation may not have their materials available to participants during the conference.

Individuals are welcome to submit more than one proposal; however, we ask that you submit no more than three total. Notification of inclusion for the conference will be made via email by Monday, May 11, 2026. Questions may be directed to Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.

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In response to the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ (OMHSAS) proposed Regulation #14-558: Mental Health Procedure RCPA, in partnership with its members, has submitted public comments.

The proposed regulations align the Department’s regulations with the Mental Health Procedures Act by adding definitions of “business associate” and “covered entity,” and adding those entities to the list of parties to which the Department may disclose confidential information.

RCPA did request that OMHSAS provide further clarification on the impacts and intersects of the proposed standards for youth and parental consents outlined in Act 65.

RCPA fully supports the proposed regulations that will align departmental regulations with Act 32 of 2022 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requirements.

We look forward to working with the Department in the communication and ongoing implementation of the proposed regulatory changes, including the release of a Regulatory Compliance Guide after final promulgation. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Services Director Jim Sharp.

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From the National Council for Mental Wellbeing

As RCPA continues to support efforts to realign Pennsylvania’s integrated behavioral and physical health initiatives with the return to the CCBHC model, our partners at the National Council have issued this advocacy alert on recent legislation expanding States opportunities in serving our vulnerable communities.

This opportunity will focus member reach out to our Senators about a new bipartisan bill that would help sustain and expand access to Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in Pennsylvania and across the country.

S 3402 would give states and organizations the ability to continue growing the behavioral health workforce, expand services for older adults and people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and help more communities establish CCBHCs.

Right now there are three co-sponsors in the Senate. If enough people contact their Senators, we can keep the momentum going!

TAKE ACTION

We also included some more detail about the legislation via the above “take action” link if you’d like to dive deeper. The letter takes about 1–2 minutes to send. If you want to call your Senators’ offices and  leave a message too, we made a script for you to use – just follow the prompts on the page.

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

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This is a reminder that RCPA will be holding a membership benefits webinar on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 1:00 pm, 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 are held throughout the year.

Registration is required; please register here to attend the webinar. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Virtually meet the dedicated RCPA Policy Staff and RCPA lobbyists;
  • Discuss the 2026 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 Council 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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The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC) is excited to announce the release of the 2026 Staff Development Schedule Booklet. This booklet includes a list of in-person and virtual workshops currently scheduled in the JCJC Event Management System (JEMS) for the entire year. The booklet workshops will contain engaging, informative, and valuable training opportunities for juvenile justice professionals.

Additional workshops will be added to the JEMS schedule throughout the year; RCPA will send updates as they occur.

For questions regarding the Staff Development Schedule or suggestions for future workshops, please contact Sonya Stokes, Coordinator of Professional Development.

Contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any additional questions.

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The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), in partnership with the WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center (JPRC), has received funding from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to develop a statewide Continuum of Care for Communities model for Pennsylvania. This initiative aims to provide actionable recommendations for diverting youth from the juvenile justice system toward community-based services and alternatives to detention.

To inform this statewide model, WestEd is seeking collaboration with Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice stakeholder groups to gather insights and evidence-based recommendations.

Their goal is to develop actionable recommendations for diverting youth from formal justice system involvement and to strengthen community-based services, drawing on the expertise and experience of local stakeholders. As someone involved in juvenile justice and juvenile justice-adjacent systems, your insights will be invaluable in shaping recommendations and identifying promising local practices.

What’s Involved: You are invited to join an engagement session to discuss:

  • Local prevention and diversion strategies, strengths, and gaps; and
  • Recommendations and best practices for serving youth and families across the continuum of care.

Session Details:

  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Format: Virtual (calendar invite and Zoom link to be provided upon RSVP)

Session Options

  • Community Service Providers: January 8, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: Violence Intervention Programs, Restorative Justice organizations, Faith-based organizations, Foster Care Agencies, Housing and Homelessness Services, Workforce Development Agencies, Child and Family Advocacy – Rights and Policy Reform, Residential Placement staff, etc.
    • Register Here
  • Courts and Related Departments: January 9, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: Judges, Magistrates, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, Probation, Children and Youth, CASA, Youth Aid Panels, etc.
    • Register Here
  • Victims’ Services: January 23, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
  • Education: January 27, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: School and District-level Administration, Faculty, Psychologists, Counselors and Social Workers, Student Assistance Programs, and School Security Personnel
    • Register Here
  • Mental and Behavioral Health & Substance Use Treatment: January 30, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
    • Includes: Mental Health, Behavioral Health and Substance Use Treatment Providers, Residential or Community-based
    • Register Here
  • Law Enforcement & Crisis Response: February 4, 2026, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm EST
    • Includes: Police Officers, School Resource Officers, Detectives, Emergency Responders, Crisis Responders, Medical Personnel
    • Register Here
  • Families & Loved Ones with Experience Supporting Youth in the Juvenile Justice System (Past or Present): February 4, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
    • Includes: Family members, friends, caregivers, and loved ones with past or present experience supporting their youth navigate the juvenile justice system
    • Register Here
  • Youth with Lived Experience Navigating the Juvenile Justice System: February 11, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
    • Includes: Youth with juvenile justice or children and youth/foster care experience, ages 25 and under
    • Register Here

Your participation will not only contribute to improving outcomes for youth and families but also ensure that the report and recommendations reflect the needs and realities of your community.

If you are able to attend, please take 2–3 minutes to fill out the RSVP link connected to the session you wish to attend — please plan to attend one session. This will ensure you a spot and send you a calendar invite and Zoom link.  Please feel free to share this email and flyer within any of your networks as well.

Lastly, if you have any questions, please reach out via email.

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Message from the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS):

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is issuing the bulletin OMHSAS-25-05 “Behavioral Health Clinic Services Provided Outside of the Clinic,” effective November 12, 2025, following changes to Federal Regulation 42 CFR 440.90(d).

OMHSAS 25-05 announces an amendment to Pennsylvania’s Medicaid State Plan which allows all behavioral health clinics that are enrolled in the Medical Assistance (MA) Program, who deliver services through the fee-for-service and managed care systems, to provide clinically appropriate services outside of the clinic. Behavioral health clinics include psychiatric outpatient clinics, outpatient drug and alcohol clinics, and methadone maintenance clinics.

Furthermore, OMHSAS-25-05 also announces the abrogation of 55 Pa Code §§ 1153.14(6) (relating to noncovered services) and 55 Pa. Code 1223.14(11) (relating to noncovered services) by Act 46 of 2025.

The guidance in OMHSAS-25-05 is separate from any “telehealth only” licensure and guidance that may be in place. The changes discussed in this bulletin also do not apply to the existing Mobile Mental Health Telehealth (MMHT) services.

Questions and comments can be directed to OMHSAS via email. RCPA members can also contact RCPA COO and MH Policy Director Jim Sharp with any questions.

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