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Substance Use Disorder

The Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Center for First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) programs is partnering with the Central East Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTCC) for a one-day training on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, from 9:00 am – 4:00pm. The session is titled, “Recognizing and Responding to Emerging Psychosis in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Training Workshop for Community Mental Health Providers.”

This free event will take place in Philadelphia and may be attended virtually or in person. Visit here to register. If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Vatza, HeadsUp Education and Telehealth Manager, via email.

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

The PA Department of Human Services and PA Care Partnership are excited to announce the 21st Children’s Interagency Conference is scheduled for April 22 – April 25, 2024, at the Penn Stater Hotel, State College, PA. The conference theme is “Shine The Light on Mental Health – Building Youth Wellness & Resilience.”

Hosted by the PA Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services and the PA Care Partnership, the conference brings together Pennsylvania’s Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) and System of Care (SOC) partners providing behavioral health services. The conference will provide an excellent opportunity for providers, county administrators, youth, family members, practitioners, and educators to learn about changing trends, promising and best practices, resources, and various system of care activities across Pennsylvania. The conference will also add a national perspective on a variety of issues, including government, family peer, early childhood, youth leadership, and school-based mental health.

See the Save the Date flyer, and please share it with your contacts and invite them to attend. Visit the conference website for additional information. For questions or more information, contact our contract meeting planner Katrina Harris at 610-494-8044 or via email.

It’s your last chance to claim early bird registration for the 2023 RCPA Annual Conference A Decade of Unity, as early bird rates end this Friday, September 8! Be sure to take a look at our registration brochure, where you’ll see our full lineup of speakers, sessions, and workshops as well as information on reserving your hotel room and more! You won’t want to miss earning CEs with workshops such as:

  • What We Know About the Effectiveness of FBMHS: Implications for Service Delivery
    • Discover how FBMHS improved functionality for adolescents with SED as well as how to use the ESFT Logic Model as a framework for discussing clinical implications.
  • Don’t Forget the Pharmacist! Impact of the Innovative Collaboration Between Woods Services and Synergy Pharmacy on Patients With ID/A
    • Learn about strategies that enhance quality of care and improve safety for a complex population through a dynamic panel discussion highlighting the work of Woods’ clinical teams and its partnership with Synergy.
  • Independence and Wellness Through Employment
    • Identify strategies of person-centered employment readiness and seeking, and deconstruct the complex process of identifying jobs beyond the “usual entry level” positions for a whole-person approach to employment.
  • Building the Framework: The Interactions of Ethics, Bias, & Cultural Humility
    • Create a foundation for client-centered care by taking an introspective exploration of ethical principles, bias, and cultural humility.
  • Sustainable Development Preventive Planning in Mental and Behavioral Health
    • Experience participatory planning by being grouped into simulated communities and analyzing risk factor data to inform decisions to protect children and youth from developing mental and behavioral disorders.
  • Moving From Great Resignation to Great Retention
    • Develop policies and procedures that support employee wellbeing while using behavioral assessments to improve talent management.
  • Adapting Interventions for Neurodiversity Effectiveness
    • Learn about interventions, modifications, and adaptations for family-based, PCIT, and education systems to improve outcomes for children affected by FASD, their families, and the support providers who work with them.
  • Suicide in a Chaotic World
    • Examine strategies and possible solutions to prevent suicide in the workplace as well as the general community, with an emphasis on the importance of conversation, language, and listening to help those who are having thoughts of suicide by connecting through hope.
Register today!

In addition to an impressive roster of speakers, our 2023 Conference will have an exciting array of sponsors and exhibitors. We thank those who have signed on thus far! **NOTE: EXHIBIT BOOTHS ARE SOLD OUT.** If you are interested in sponsoring, visit here for more details or contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, with any questions you may have. Keep up-to-date and register today for #rcpaconf!

RCPA continues to raise funds to support the RCPA PAC, which provides financial support to state legislators who have demonstrated a strong, consistent, and positive interest in our issues and priorities.

We are excited to once again host the RCPA PAC silent auction to be held in conjunction with the RCPA conference. The silent auction will be held outside Connections Hall during the conference, and with over 700 attendees (registrants, presenters, exhibitors, and sponsors), we are hoping to attract all to participate.

We are requesting your consideration in assisting us with providing a donation of an auction item. We are hoping to secure a variety of auction items that will be enticing to all members. All donations are greatly appreciated and can be something as simple as a gift certificate for a restaurant to a basket of sorts (candy, movie night, grilling items, cooking theme). We are also accepting items such as jewelry, designer handbags, tickets to college or professional sporting events, golf items, and sports memorabilia. We hope we can count on your support.

We would like to thank our donors to date, including the following:

  • Basket of Sorts — Venango Training & Development Center, Inc.
  • Pearl & Gemstone Cuff Bracelet — RCPA Staff
  • The 19th Hole Basket (Whiskey, Cigars & Golf Balls) — Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley, Inc.
  • Chocolate / Kate Space Basket — PLEA
  • Coach Denim Jacket — RCPA Staff
  • Hershey Lodge Stay — Hershey Resorts
  • Black & Gold Pendant Statement Necklace — RCPA Staff
  • Round of Golf for 4 People — Dauphin Highlands Golf Course
  • Victoria’s Secret Large Tote Bag & Wallet — RCPA Staff
  • 2 Steelers / Packers Football Tickets — Corporate Benefits Consultants, Inc.
  • Winter Basket — Wesley Family Services
  • Basket of Sorts — Hope Enterprises
  • 2 Branded Sweaters & 2 Yeti Coffee Mugs — Greenspace Health
  • Signed Football from #2 Darius Slay of the Philadelphia Eagles — Success Rehabilitation, Inc.
  • Little League World Series Basket — Firetree, Ltd.

Please contact Christine Tartaglione before September 29, 2023, if you would like to donate any items. Thank you for your consideration of our request. We hope we can count on your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the conference.

Image by Dirk Wouters from Pixabay

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is inviting public comments on the Pennsylvania Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services (SUPTRS) Block Grant submission. The submission process consists of three parts: the draft of the Substance Use Prevention Treatment and Recovery Services Assessment and Plan, or Mini-Application, which is currently open for review; the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Report, which is to be posted in November; and the Annual Synar Report, which is to be available in December. These documents can be accessed here using “citizenpa” as the login and “citizen” as the password. Public comments are requested to be submitted electronically by September 30.

Don’t wait any longer — time is running out to take advantage of the early bird registration rate for the 2023 RCPA Annual Conference A Decade of Unity! Early bird rates end Friday, September 8, 2023. You can view our registration brochure to see our exciting lineup of sessions, keynote speakers, and activities, including networking and Connections Hall events, as well as information on booking your hotel room. Complete the brochure and reserve your seat at the early bird discount rate today!

We also wish to extend our thanks to those organizations that have already contributed and shown their support! Please note that all exhibitor booths have been reserved! However, you can still sponsor and advertise by completing our sponsor/exhibitor brochure today! As a reminder, sponsors, exhibitors, and advertisers who wish to be listed on the website, the mobile app, and in the conference program must submit all materials by September 8. If questions remain, please contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.

September is FASD Awareness Month (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder). This is an expansion of FASD Awareness Day that has been held each year on September 9 since 1999. People all around the world gather for events to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol use during pregnancy and the challenges of individuals and families living with FASD. The first awareness day was celebrated on 9/9/99. This day was chosen so that on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, the world will remember that during the nine months of pregnancy, the safest option is to abstain from alcohol.

Statistics show that approximately half of all pregnancies are unplanned, and the rates of drinking during childbearing age are substantial; thus, there is ongoing risk of having children born who are affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol (Finer & Zolna, 2011; Green, McKnight-Eily, Tan, Mejia, & Denny, 2016). The estimated prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is conservatively around 1%; however, a recent study in North America found rates as high as 4.8% of the school-age population is affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, indicating a significant public health concern (May et al., 2014; May et al., 2015). While research continues to be completed regarding this public health concern, September is a month we honor all who are living with FASD. We must remember to spread the word that the best information is 0-4-9. Zero alcohol four nine months. Please take time to join a social media group or an activity in your community to spread the word!

Please support RCPA and its members in celebrating FASD Month to bring awareness, education, and advocacy to this critical issue affecting children and families. If you have any questions or want to assist in promoting FASD Month, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.