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Step By Step executive Jim Bobeck has recently announced his retirement. Bobeck served for 33 years as Step By Step’s President and CEO and oversaw an agency that began in the Wilkes-Barre area in the 1970s, which grew to include more than 1,300 employees serving over 2,000 individuals in 18 counties throughout Pennsylvania.
Bobeck has been an active leader for RCPA, as well as its predecessor organization, PARF.
Mr. George Rable, Chairperson of the Step By Step Board of Directors noted, “Under Jim’s leadership and dedication, the Agency has grown tenfold serving a diverse population. He will certainly be missed.”
Bobeck remarked, “I’ve been privileged to be surrounded by the best human service professionals anywhere. Together we developed a community system of care for people with disabilities that ranks as one of the best in the country. Thank you to my lifetime friends made here, and thank you to our consumers who gave me a life filled with purpose.”
Step By Step’s Board of Directors has formed an executive search committee and plans to announce the hiring of a new CEO in the near future.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2019
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Pennsylvania Awarded Grant to Support Access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf announced today that Pennsylvania has been awarded a $1.3 million grant to increase access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by expanding state-based call centers.
The grant was issued by Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Lifeline is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and provides confidential, free, 24/7 support to people in crisis, considering suicide, or helping another person.
“We have an obligation to provide resources and promote safe, supportive environments so people we serve know that there are places to turn if they are in crisis,” said Gov. Wolf. “Silence can perpetuate crisis and make people feel like they are struggling alone with no outlet or options for support, but things can and will get better, and help is always available. Expanding access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is one more way to let more people know help is available in Pennsylvania.”
The Department of Human Services will partner with three Lifeline network centers to form three regional call centers to ensure at least 70 percent of calls are answered in Pennsylvania, with the goal of increasing that percent to 90 within two years. Partners include Center for Community Resources, Family Services Association of Bucks County, and New Perspectives Crisis Services. In 2018, partners supported nearly 3,000 calls. As of June 2019, they have received nearly 2,500 calls.
“No one should ever feel like they are alone – especially in times of crisis,” said Secretary Miller. “The Wolf Administration is committed to dispelling stigma around suicide and mental health and ensuring supports are available to promote a safe, supportive environment so people know there are resources, like the Lifeline, to turn to in emergencies. Expanding our in-state call centers is another opportunity to better serve our fellow Pennsylvanians and prevent suicide across our commonwealth.”
Pennsylvania is committed to reversing the rising national trend of suicide and supporting Pennsylvanians affected by suicide. In May 2019, Governor Wolf established a statewide Suicide Prevention Task Force. The task force brings together leaders from the departments of Human Services, Health, Corrections, Aging, Education, Military and Veterans Affairs, and Transportation as well as the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the Pennsylvania State Police, elected officials, and mental health and suicide prevention organizations to create a comprehensive suicide prevention plan for Pennsylvania.
The task force is holding public listening sessions through November to learn about how suicide impacts the lives of Pennsylvanians and to develop prevention efforts that reflect the diverse needs of individuals and families across Pennsylvania.
For more information on Pennsylvania’s Suicide Prevention Task Force and upcoming listening sessions, visit www.dhs.pa.gov/citizens/suicideprevention.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or is considering suicide, help is available. Reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact Crisis Text Line by texting PA to 741-741.
MEDIA CONTACT: J.J. Abbott, 717-783-1116
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Please find the details below regarding the application process for the upcoming Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Certification courses. These trainings are funded through a Federal SERG Grant; funds may also be used for trainings throughout the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania has been awarded a Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Emergency Response Grant (SERG) as a response to the tragic shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue last fall. One component of the funding includes expansion of Mental Health First Aid across the Commonwealth. The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) will be hosting instructor certification courses to candidates interested in training in their region. Youth and Adult Certification Courses are three full days with a limit of 16 people per class. Additional details are included below:
Dates:
Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor Course
November 18, 19, and 20, 2019
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor Course
December 10, 11, and 12, 2019
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Location:
BHARP – Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural Pennsylvania
301 Science Park Road | Suite 308 | State College, PA 16803
Registration: Interested participants should contact Brandon Bennet by October 14, 2019.
Expectations:
The training application is available here.
On October 1, 2019, the PROMISe Service Location Enrollment process was effectuated. RCPA understands that many providers have submitted their requests and are awaiting the PROMISe numbers for their programs.
In conversations with the Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), we have been advised that as providers await confirmation on program PROMISe numbers for service locations, providers can continue to utilize their main physical site address for billing pending site enrollment.
This link will provide access to the bulletin. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp.
The US Department of Labor has announced ‘The Right Talent, Right Now’ as the theme for 2019 National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Observed each October, NDEAM celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and educates about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents. The 2019 theme emphasizes the essential role that people with disabilities play in America’s economic success, especially in an era when historically low unemployment and global competition are creating a high demand for skilled talent. The Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) administers NDEAM.
“Every day, individuals with disabilities add significant value and talent to our workforce and economy,” said US Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. “Individuals with disabilities offer employers diverse perspectives on how to tackle challenges and achieve success. Individuals with disabilities have the right talent, right now.”
Observed annually in October, NDEAM celebrates America’s workers with disabilities both past and present, and emphasizes the importance of inclusive policies and practices, to ensure that all Americans who want to work can work and have access to services and supports to enable them to do so. With continued advances in such supports, including accessible technology, it is easier than ever before for America’s employers to hire people with disabilities in high-demand jobs.
The official 2019 NDEAM poster is available for downloading or to order. For additional information, contact Carol Ferenz.
September is Emergency Preparedness Month. While there frequently seems to be a day, week, or month dedicated to recognizing or learning about various topics, this particular topic became a pertinent event this week. The newly renovated central office of a LEAP (Life Enrichment Advancing People), a nonprofit agency in Maine, was leveled in an explosion on Monday. LEAP provides community services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. The explosion occurred on Monday morning shortly after the LEAP Maintenance Director noticed a strong smell of gas in the basement of the building and alerted everyone to evacuate the building before it exploded. Sadly, one of the firefighters who responded to the call was killed in the explosion, and six other people were injured, including the Maintenance Director.
LEAP is a member of ANCOR, as is RCPA, and so we share a connection. There has been much conversation regarding this incident in an online ANCOR Forum. LEAP CEO Darryl Wood responded to the outpouring of support on this forum, stating:
There are heroes among us. Our maintenance director evacuated everyone and was working with the first responders when the explosion occurred. Many lives were saved by an attentive person and a team that evacuated as we practiced. Don’t take those emergency plans for granted folks.
Inspired by Darryl’s message, ANCOR is offering two webinar recordings about emergency preparedness free of charge to their members. Offering these webinars is only a small part — but hopefully a meaningful part — of how ANCOR works to support our friends at LEAP and, more broadly, ANCOR members who experience all manner of disasters.
Both of these webinars, which were broadcast previously, offer information that remains relevant for providers seeking to understand the steps they can take to be more responsive to disasters of all kinds. To access the webinars, please use the following links:
We hope all providers take the time to reflect on disaster preparedness by watching these recordings, as well as to review your Disaster Plans and training for all staff and people supported. Other actions that have been suggested include:
In an upcoming issue of RCPA News, there will be additional information provided, as well as resources available to assist agencies with emergency preparedness. For any questions regarding this info or how to assist LEAP in their recovery from this disaster, contact Carol Ferenz, RCPA IDD Division Director.
In accordance with legislation that passed in 1972, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is required to develop a State Plan and to update it annually. The department has posted a request for public comments on the 2019–2022 draft state plan. Comments are due Monday, September 16 to Jordan Lewis. We request that members also copy RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp on any comments submitted to DDAP. If you have any questions, please contact Jim Sharp.
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced two new Grant Initiative Funding Opportunities.
19-02 – Community Recovery Support Services
DDAP is accepting applications for Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) who will expand or enhance recovery support services to individuals with opioid use disorder. Such services include the delivery of recovery coaching through Certified Recovery Specialists (CRS), telephonic supports, the provision of education and employment supports; e.g. job coaching, resume writing, engagement in GED services, etc. Applications must be submitted by October 3, 2019 at 5:00 pm.
19-03 – Opioid Prevention in Higher Education
DDAP is accepting applications from nonprofit, accredited colleges, universities, post-secondary institutions of higher education, and collegiate collaboratives within Pennsylvania, with an emphasis on preventing and reducing opioid use disorder. The primary goal of the effort is to prevent and reduce use and misuse of opioids by college students. Applications must be submitted by October 3, 2019 at 5:00 pm.
Questions can be submitted via email. For more information, visit the Funding Opportunities page on the DDAP website.
Pennsylvania Senate Democrats will hold 10 open house events across the state in September, where their constituents can share stories of addiction and recovery and find resources for battling substance use disorder, the caucus announced Tuesday.
The events will begin on Thursday, September 12 in Delaware County and conclude Sunday, November 29 near Pittsburgh. Recovery specialists, family counselors, and legal experts will be at each session to talk with attendees. State agencies including the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and the office of the Attorney General will also be present, alongside personnel from local agencies and addiction treatment groups.
The full schedule of events is listed below. All events are free and open to the public.
(Source: Pennsylvania Capital-Star, Elizabeth Hardison, September 3, 2019)