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Substance Use Disorder

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While we all know there are times when interactive, in-person discussions are preferable, we also understand the sensitivity required at this time and want to take proper precautions, to help protect our members and those you serve. In light of the current situation, RCPA is eliminating in-person meetings for the month of March, and will be offering them all exclusively via webcast or conference call. We will make sure that participants will still have the opportunity to ask questions, comment, etc.

PLEASE NOTE:
Webcast/conference call instructions will be sent 24 hours before each meeting. If you already registered, no action is needed.

As everyone is doing, we are also monitoring instructions received from such sources as the PA Department of Health. Please let us know if you have any questions. RCPA will continue to keep you all informed of any developments as they come about. Thank you for your continued flexibility and understanding.

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GoToMeeting is offering emergency licenses to help people to work from home:

Free Emergency Remote Work Kits for Health Care Providers, Educational Institutions, Municipalities, & Nonprofit Organizations
Starting immediately, we will be offering our critical front-line service providers with free, organization-wide use of many LogMeIn products for 3 months through the availability of  Emergency Remote Work Kits.

These kits will include solutions for meetings and video conferencing, webinars and virtual events, IT support and management of remote employee devices and apps, as well as remote access to devices in multiple locations. For example, the “Meet” Emergency Remote Work Kit will provide eligible organizations with a free site-wide license of GoToMeeting for 3 months. Eligible organizations include health care providers, educational institutions, municipalities, and nonprofit organizations.

Additionally, we have learned that Clocktree.com is a HIPAA compliant telehealth platform that is also offering a free 90-day trial membership.

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Announcement from RCPA President/CEO Richard S. Edley, PhD:

It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing the departure of Kristen Houser, Drug and Alcohol Division Director, from RCPA. Kristen has agreed to take on the position of Deputy Secretary of the DHS Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS).  Therefore, while we will miss Kristen, we are very excited to see her moving to a position that can have so much influence on the system, behavioral health providers, and those they serve every day.

In the short time that Kristen has been at RCPA, she has not only led the Drug and Alcohol Division, but also weighed in on many of the internal strategies that guide the organization. This has been a great help to RCPA, and we are confident she will be just as effective and impactful at OMHSAS.

Please join me in congratulating Kristen. Her last day at RCPA will be Friday, March 13; we look forward to working with her on the many issues impacting our members and effecting positive change in the behavioral health systems of care in the Commonwealth.

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The Department of Human Services (DHS) is working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) to ensure preparations for a response to a possible Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the state and as a result, has issued a Health Alert with pertinent information. DOH is the lead agency for the Commonwealth’s response to COVID-19. At the time of this dissemination, Pennsylvania has zero confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Again, DHS is supporting DOH in the disseminating of information related to COVID-19 and all guidance is provided by, and should be sought through, DOH.

All providers are encouraged to:

  1. Review internal infection control protocols and emergency backup plans for events in which a provider does not have adequate staffing to meet individuals’ health and safety needs.
  2. Evaluate staff adherence to provider infection control protocols.
  3. Evaluate capacity to implement emergency backup plans in the event staffing is impacted by the COVID-19 virus.

While COVID-19 is raising international concern, it presents an opportunity to evaluate preventative infection control measures. Medically fragile individuals, those in congregate settings, and the staff that support/interact with them are all at increased risk for infections of all kinds, not just COVID-19. As always, the best response is prevention and the best prevention is good infection control.

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Nearly $25M Available to Substance Use Prevention Coalitions in New Partnership Between ONDCP and CDC: White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Jim Carroll announced the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program’s Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), which begins this year’s process of awarding funds to community coalitions focused on preventing youth substance use. For FY 2020, this will allow 200 new communities to receive direct financial help totaling $25 million from the White House to prevent illicit drug use and save lives. Community coalitions interested in applying to the DFC Program can learn more here.

ARC Announces $3.3 Million to Continue Economic Growth in Region’s Coal-Impacted Communities: On February 12, ARC announced nearly $3.3 million in investments through the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative focusing on strengthening responses to substance abuse, improving broadband infrastructure, and supporting Opportunity Zone investments.

March deadline:

  • DOJ-BJA Stop School Violence Grant Program. DOJ is seeking applications for funding under the Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant Program. This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting and assisting county, local, territorial, and tribal jurisdictions in improving efforts to reduce violent crime in and around schools. Deadline: March 3, 2020. Review application guidelines here.
  • HHS-SAMHSA: Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants SAMHSA is accepting applications for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Expansion Grants (CCBHC Expansion Grants). The purpose of this program is to increase access to, and improve the quality of community mental and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services through the expansion of CCBHCs. SAMHSA expects that this program will provide comprehensive 24/7 access to community-based mental and SUD services; treatment of co-occurring disorders; and physical health care in one single location. Deadline: Tuesday, March 10, 2020.
  • HHS-SAMHSA: Minority Fellowship Program SAMHSA is accepting applications for a Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) grant. The purpose of this program is to increase the knowledge of mental health professionals on issues related to prevention, treatment, and recovery support. The program aims to reach individuals who are from racial and ethnic minority populations and have a mental or co-occurring mental and substance use disorder, and to improve the quality of care provided to these individuals. Deadline: March 16, 2020.
  • HHS-SAMHSA: Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers SAMHSA is accepting applications for Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers (CORC) grants. The purpose of the program is the operation of comprehensive centers which provide a full spectrum of treatment and recovery support services to address the opioid epidemic. Deadline: March 17, 2020.
  • HHS-SAMHSA: Grants to Implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention SAMHSA is accepting applications for Grants to Implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP). The purpose of this program is to support states and communities in advancing efforts to prevent suicide and suicide attempts among adults age 25 and older in order to reduce the overall suicide rate and number of suicides in the US nationally. Addressing suicide prevention among adults is imperative to decreasing the nation’s suicide rate. Deadline: March 23, 2020.
  • HHS-SAMHSA: Services Grant Program for Residential Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women. SAMHSA is accepting applications for the Residential Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women grant program (PPW). The purpose of this program is to provide pregnant and postpartum women with treatment for substance use disorders through programs in which, during the course of receiving treatment, 1) the women reside in or receive outpatient treatment services from facilities provided by the programs; 2) the minor children of the women reside with the women in such facilities, if the women so request; and 3) the services are available to or on behalf of the women. Deadline: March 30, 2020.

April deadline:

  • DOJ-BJA Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program. The RSAT for State Prisoners Program assists states with developing and implementing residential substance abuse treatment programs within state correctional facilities, as well as within local correctional and detention facilities, in which inmates are incarcerated for a period of time sufficient to permit substance abuse treatment. The program encourages the establishment and maintenance of drug-free prisons and jails and developing and implementing specialized residential substance abuse treatment programs that identify and provide appropriate treatment to inmates with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders or challenges. Deadline: April 6, 2020.
  • HHS-HRSA: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Implementation. The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) is a multi-year initiative by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), in high risk rural communities. This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under RCORP-Implementation. Deadline: April 24, 2020.

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The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is seeking information regarding the needs of diagnosed infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), and their families, after discharge from the hospital. For information about the incidence of NAS around the commonwealth, please see the attached report. Around the country, there are a few facilities referred to as Residential Pediatric Recovery Centers, that serve as a step-down for babies diagnosed with NAS from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or hospital prior to going home.

For information about some of these examples, please see:

For information about Residential Pediatric Recovery Centers generally, please see Section 1007 of the federal SUPPORT Act, accessible at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6/text. Please also see the CMS Informational Bulletin on the topic, accessible at: https://www.medicaid.gov/sites/default/files/Federal-Policy-Guidance/Downloads/cib072619-1007.pdf

While each model of residential pediatric recovery center is unique, they each provide 24/7 medical, nursing, and pharmacological services for infants diagnosed with NAS in a sub-acute setting. Most of these facilities allow mothers, and in some cases, fathers, to live in the same room as their baby. While there is only one facility that directly provide substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services for mothers, several of the RPRCs around the country connect mothers to treatment and arrange for their participation in outpatient programs provided by licensed drug and alcohol treatment facilities. Each RPRC provides case management that allows families to receive all necessary psychosocial supports to promote family unity. The purpose of this survey is to gather information on how to best meet the needs of babies and mothers as Pennsylvania looks to implement Section 1007 of the SUPPORT Act in the Commonwealth.

Please consider taking a few moments to respond to this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DG3XW7J. Your response will help inform the Commonwealth’s approach to implementation of Section 1007 of the federal SUPPORT Act, which allows for Medicaid coverage of residential pediatric recovery center services.

Thank you for your participation. Please find the 2018 NAS Report here.

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The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) Notification Protocol for Formal Licensing Actions and Incidents, is currently outlined in Bulletin #00-19-02 released in August 2019. On October 21, 2019, OCYF convened a meeting to bring together representatives from entities covered within the scope of OCYF Bulletin #00-19-02, to discuss the intent of the notification protocol, and to develop recommendations for improvements to the process.

From the meeting, the following improvements were agreed upon and will be released in new bulletins as described below.

  • A new bulletin will be issued promptly to remove the issuance of a notification regarding removal of staff under an approved plan of supervision. These notifications are no longer being sent. This bulletin will also remove any notifications listed that are duplicative of one another, specifically those that would equate to a citation and issuance of a licensing inspection summary (LIS), as those already trigger a notification.
  • Pending the implementation of CPSL amendments, another bulletin will be issued to include a quarterly report that will be provided to county agencies and dependency and delinquency judges, providing aggregate child abuse and substantiation data for child residential or day treatment facilities, approved foster or pre-adoptive homes, and youth development centers and youth forestry camps. If/when the CPSL is amended to permit the release of specific aggregate data, a new bulletin will be issued that will provide for county agencies and dependency and delinquency judges to receive substantiation information at the conclusion of an investigation, regardless of whether they are the placing county for the child or youth for these same placement settings.

RCPA was grateful to participate in this process and commends OCYF and the systems stakeholders for the collaborative partnership on this initiative The Department of Human Services (DHS) is moving forward with implementing these changes to ensure the safety and well-being of Pennsylvania’s children and youth. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp.

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RCPA has been notified by the PA Department of Corrections (DOC) / Bureau of Community Corrections (BCC) of a new referral process for Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) or Mental Health (MH) services for reentrants. This initiative is part of a continued effort to reduce and maintain the Department budget, to streamline services, and to offer consistent and needed programming.

Effective immediately, any referrals made to the BCC for AOD or MH services should be made as a last resort. This includes any inpatient placements as well. It is the responsibility of the person making the referral to find placement through other community resources first, when possible. In many cases, reentrants either have or are eligible for medical assistance. Medical assistance will allow a range of services to be funded under their contracts.

If a reentrant is in need of services, reach out to the statewide single county authority (SCA) helpline first. The number to call is 800-662-HELP (4357). A more complete list of every SCA, every county MH office, and their contact person is being formulated and will be forthcoming in the near future. Until those lists are distributed, please use the SCA HELPLINE number that is provided. It can be a starting point for both AOD and MH services, and inpatient beds in the county.

The correspondence from the Department of Corrections / BCC can be found at this link.

For our RCPA members currently providing these services, please contact RCPA Criminal Justice Division Director Jim Sharp and/or RCPA Drug & Alcohol Division Director Kristen Houser to discuss the potential impact on your services.

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As we approach the conclusion of the Governor’s Council on Reform public comment period on December 16, 2019, RCPA would like to ensure that each member has the materials for providing their public comments, feedback, and support. RCPA will be submitting commentary within each policy director’s purview, and we strongly urge your agency to submit your thoughts to the Council, including areas and issues that may not be represented in the current recommendations.

If you would like to send your submissions to your respective policy director for inclusion in the RCPA public comment, please have them submitted by close of business on Wednesday December 11, 2019.

Below you will find the links to important documents relating to the Council on Reform, including the Public Comment Submission Form. If you have further questions, please contact your respective RCPA Policy Director.

  1. Governor’s Executive Order
  2. November 1 Press Release
  3. Recommendation Document
  4. Public Comment Form

Thank you for your efforts and partnership to bring these recommendations to the forefront of your work.

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