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Substance Use Disorder

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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announces a new grant initiative funding opportunity. DDAP is accepting applications from entities with the capacity to deliver employment support services to individuals in recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) seeking to enter the workforce. Employment support services under this project include but are not limited to: vocational assessments, resume writing, interviewing skills, job placement, and transportation assistance related to employment. Applicants shall identify at least one employer partner that is committed to providing employment opportunities to individuals in recovery from SUD.

Applications are due by Monday, May 17, 2021 at 12:00pm. More information is available on DDAP’s website.

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

The RCPA Member Update webinar scheduled for Monday, April 26, 2021 from 2:00 pm–4:00 pm will include a presentation from Secretary of the Budget Jen Swails, who will discuss several issues, including the impact of the American Rescue Plan on state revenue and programs, particularly those programs related to health and human services. There will also be an opportunity for discussion and question and answers.

Ms. Swails has a strong background in health and human services, having served as a senior analyst for various state government fiscal offices prior to being named Budget Secretary. She has presented before at RCPA meetings, and we are pleased to have her available for this discussion.

Please register here to attend this webinar. We look forward to your participation!

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RCPA’s Drug & Alcohol Division has established a Medication Subcommittee. As medication becomes more integral to the addiction treatment system, RCPA members have an opportunity to influence medication-related policy through their experience and expertise. Consider:

  • Access to and integration of medications to treat addiction at all levels of care has become a priority in Pennsylvania.
  • Acceptance of medication as an integral part of treatment continues to grow, especially in areas historically reluctant to embrace it, including criminal justice.
  • The COVID pandemic has changed the treatment landscape, ushering in telehealth and the promise of broader access to care, including medication.

In considering access and integration challenges, regulations, reimbursement, best practice, research, and provider experience, this subcommittee will set an agenda and work with RCPA leadership, other RCPA members, state regulators, payers, legislators, and other key stakeholders to advance that agenda.

Your expertise is invaluable in helping the treatment provider community set this agenda and achieve its goals. If you are interested in participating in the Medication Subcommittee, please email Jason Snyder, Director, RCPA Drug & Alcohol Division.

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Photo by Alena Shekhovtcova from Pexels

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 15, 2021 

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today notified all COVID-19 vaccine providers that the pause in administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine will be extended until April 24 or until updated guidance is provided from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Earlier this week, the department recommended a pause in administering Johnson & Johnson vaccine until April 20 to give the CDC and FDA time to review six incidents of rare blood clots that occurred within two weeks of receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held an emergency meeting yesterday that ended without taking a vote to change the current recommendation to pause administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Another meeting is expected within 10 days.

During the meeting, the CDC acknowledged that one of the six cases being studied involves a 26-year-old Pennsylvania woman who recovered after treatment at a New Jersey hospital. The CDC is not releasing personal information in the case. These six cases occurred in women between 18 and 48 who were among the 6.8 million Americans who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Out of the more than 6.6 million vaccine doses that have been administered in Pennsylvania, only 247,063 doses have been Johnson & Johnson.

This announcement shows that the federal oversight process of a vaccine’s safety and effectiveness is working, and all steps are being taken to protect Americans. “The safety procedures built into the vaccination process are working and should instill confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the available COVID-19 vaccines,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “I urge individuals who have appointments scheduled to receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccination to keep those appointments.”

People who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of their vaccination should contact their health care provider. For more information, please see the CDC/FDA guidance.

The department also has sent communications to stakeholder groups and others who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as a part of a special vaccination initiative.

While vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient. To keep Pennsylvanians informed about vaccination efforts:

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
  • Clean surfaces frequently.
  • Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
  • If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
  • Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “COVID alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

MEDIA CONTACT:  Barry Ciccocioppo

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2021

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Wolf today announced a partnership developed by the departments of Human Services and Corrections that will better connect people who are being released from state correctional institutions with opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, by connecting them to treatment through one of Pennsylvania’s Centers of Excellence (COE).

“When elected, I challenged the Administration to break down silos throughout government and put Pennsylvanians first,” said Gov. Wolf. “This cross-agency partnership will help individuals obtain the necessary services to support their journey after incarceration. By ensuring reentrants have continued access to opioid use disorder treatment we reduce the risk of overdoses as they reenter society.”

“Connecting people to treatment that addresses opioid use disorder is critical in saving lives, and we are proud to work with the Department of Corrections to better facilitate treatment for formerly incarcerated individuals,” said Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller. “The Wolf Administration remains committed to saving lives and helping all people suffering from opioid use disorder get the treatment they need to put them on the path to recovery.”

Individuals who are incarcerated in a state correctional institution who have OUD may receive medication assisted treatment while they are incarcerated, which helps move them toward recovery during their time of incarceration. It is critical for these individuals to have continued access to these prescribed medications upon release in order to maintain their recovery progress.

This partnership will ensure DOC social workers have the appropriate connections through COE staff to connect reentrants with treatment centers across the commonwealth who have demonstrated a commitment to working with returning citizens. This process will provide a seamless transition into community-based treatments, as risk of fatal overdose is high in the weeks immediately following a person’s release from a correctional institution.

“I am immensely excited about this streamlined pathway,” said PA Department of Correction’s (DOC) Medication Assisted Treatment Statewide Coordinator Steve Seitchik. “Reentrants will have access to FDA-approved medications for Opioid Use Disorder, psychosocial interventions, and referral mechanisms from the Centers of Excellence to various community-based providers with systematic follow-up and adjustment of the reentrant’s care plan if they are not improving as expected.”

Traditionally, because formerly incarcerated individuals may be released into different communities with a variety of treatment providers, DOC social workers have had to navigate a different protocol for each provider. A lack of clarity about roles, information, and timelines complicated these referrals and, in the worst cases, resulted in a lapse in care for the individual being released.

For more information, visit the DHS website.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lyndsay Kensinger, Governor’s Office,
Erin James, Human Services
Maria Bivens, Corrections

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Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

RCPA will be holding the Annual Membership meeting webinar on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 10:00 am. Please register here to participate in the meeting webcast. This year’s agenda and the 2020 Annual Meeting minutes are available for review.

This year’s Annual Meeting highlights guest speakers Meg Snead and Andrew Barnes. Ms. Snead was recently nominated to serve as the next Secretary of the Department of Human Services. Mr. Barnes is the Department of Human Services’ Executive Deputy Secretary. We look forward to their presentation on critical issues facing the Commonwealth and human services, as well as thoughts regarding their new roles within the administration and a discussion of issues that face providers.

In addition, the RCPA Nominating Committee has nominated RCPA member CEOs/Directors to serve as directors and officers of the RCPA Board of Directors. Please VOTE HERE in advance of the Annual Meeting for the election of RCPA Board of Directors and Officers.

We look forward to your registration and participation.

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This just released from the U.S. DOL:

Guidance seeks to help protect an estimated $9.3T in assets.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced new guidance for plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries, record keepers and plan participants on best practices for maintaining cybersecurity, including tips on how to protect the retirement benefits of America’s workers. This is the first time the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration has issued cybersecurity guidance. This guidance is directed at plan sponsors and fiduciaries regulated by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and plan participants and beneficiaries.

As of 2018, EBSA estimates that there are thirty-four million defined benefit plan participants in private pension plans and 106 million defined contribution plan participants covering estimated assets of $9.3 trillion. Without sufficient protections, these participants and assets may be at risk from both internal and external cybersecurity threats. ERISA requires plan fiduciaries to take appropriate precautions to mitigate these risks.

Today’s guidance comes in three forms:

  • Tips for Hiring a Service Provider: Helps plan sponsors and fiduciaries prudently select a service provider with strong cybersecurity practices and monitor their activities, as ERISA requires.
  • Cybersecurity Program Best Practices: Assists plan fiduciaries and record-keepers in their responsibilities to manage cybersecurity risks.
  • Online Security Tips: Offers plan participants and beneficiaries who check their retirement accounts online basic rules to reduce the risk of fraud and loss.

“The cybersecurity guidance we issued today is an important step towards helping plan sponsors, fiduciaries and participants to safeguard retirement benefits and personal information,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Employee Benefits Security Ali Khawar. “This much-needed guidance emphasizes the importance that plan sponsors and fiduciaries must place on combatting cybercrime and gives important tips to participants and beneficiaries on remaining vigilant against emerging cyber threats.”

The guidance announced today complements EBSA’s regulations on electronic records and disclosures to plan participants and beneficiaries. These include provisions on ensuring that electronic recordkeeping systems have reasonable controls, adequate records management practices are in place, and that electronic disclosure systems include measures calculated to protect Personally Identifiable Information.

Learn more about the department’s work.

April 14, 2021
Release Number
21-358-NAT
Contact: Michael Trupo
Phone Number 202-693-6588
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Donna Martin
American Network of Community Options and Resources
Alexandria VA
(401) 965-9411
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The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking input on ideas for ensuring equity in employment policies and programs for people with disabilities from historically underserved communities.

Share your ideas, review community input, and comment on others’ ideas. Your feedback will be used by the department to identify solutions for overcoming barriers to employment for people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds, communities, and identities. It will also inform future programs and funding opportunities that equitably deliver vital employment services and supports to all. Submissions will be accepted through April 26, 2021. You can submit ideas, comments, and votes here.

This effort is co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Women’s Bureau.

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