Time is running out; the deadline for revalidating is Thursday, March 24, 2016. Numerous RCPA members have already gone through this process, but it appears that large numbers of providers have not yet done so. A special provider revalidation webinar will be held by RCPA on Wednesday, January 6 at 10:00 am. Jamie Buchenauer, from the Department of Human Services, will be presenting the webcast.
This article from Capitolwire is a good and extensive overview of what is going on with the budget here in Harrisburg. Health and Human service budget line items are still fluid until the House and Senate negotiate a final budget deal. RCPA will provide updates on any budget deal, and RCPA encourages members to continue to contact the governor and state legislators to inform them why it’s necessary for them to pass a state budget sooner rather than later. Questions, contact Jack Phillips.
RCPA President & CEO Richard Edley appeared on Clean and Sober Radio (WWDB-AM), December 4, to discuss issues facing drug and alcohol treatment providers.
The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is concerned about the rise in hepatitis C cases in Pennsylvania (PA), particularly among persons who inject drugs (IDU). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for those who currently inject any type of drug (Opioids, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, etc.) or have injected drugs in the past, including those who injected once or a few times many years ago. PA has experienced a dramatic increase in hepatitis C infections in individuals with injection opioid and/or heroin addiction who are 18 to 35 years of age. DDAP recommends that all licensed drug and alcohol addiction treatment facilities perform a risk assessment for HCV and refer to medical or community based providers for necessary screening/testing as appropriate.
Because many individuals you serve are at high risk for hepatitis C, you play an important role in combating this public health issue. If you have current practices that you believe are effective in combating this disease, we would appreciate you sharing these with us so we can promote them across the field. Please send this information to DDAP Treatment, Prevention & Intervention Bureau Director, Angela Episale, at aepisale@pa.gov.
Through improved identification and treatment of individuals with hepatitis C, we can begin to reduce the spread of this disease. Please remember to obtain consumer consent and maintain confidentiality when sharing test results with the consumers’ primary care physicians or other physical health specialists involved in hepatitis treatment. In some cases, you may be able to utilize a Qualified Service Organization Agreement (QSOA) to permit the exchange of patient identifying information. If you have questions about when this is possible, please contact our Division of Licensing Acting Director, Gary Stauffer, at gstauffer@pa.gov.
For more information regarding hepatitis C testing of IDU clientele, please contact:
Charles Howsare, MD, MPH
Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator
PA Department of Health
717-787-3350
Thank you for your critical assistance in controlling hepatitis C in PA.
Contact Person: Angela Episale, 717-736-7438
RCPA just received this important information from DDAP.
The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) has compiled the responses from the survey conducted on the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL). Many of the questions that were posed in response to the survey are answered through the following handouts, as well as on the state’s CPSL website. Members are strongly encouraged to review the website and handouts.
The OCYF is coordinating with Bureau of Human Services Licensing to host a webinar for providers in November, in order to address questions on CPSL and provide further clarification. Additional details for this webinar will be available in the near future. After your organization has reviewed the materials provided, please send any additional, unanswered questions you may have to Nicole Good at OCYF by Friday, October 9, 2015. These questions can then be addressed during the webinar.
On Friday (September 18), Stan Mrozowski informed RCPA staff and others that he had relinquished his position as Director of the Children’s Bureau at the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS). Dr. Mrozowski noted that “there have been discussions recently in the Department of Human Services about the role of the Bureau and the decision has been made to make a change.” In his farewell message, Stan noted that “I leave with immense satisfaction about the many accomplishments over the past 12 years during which I have been the Director of the Children’s Bureau. I have very few regrets – mostly only that we did not do even more to help children and families in the Commonwealth. I also leave with appreciation for having worked with so many fine people who truly care about youth and families. I will truly miss the friendship and the collegiality that has made the work so rewarding.” RCPA will follow up with OMHSAS leadership to explore and report on any other changes that are planned for their management of children’s behavioral health services in the future.
RCPA received notice today from the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) that the decision has been made to discontinue the STAR data system. The discontinuation will occur in mid-September. More information regarding next steps will be provided soon.
Below is the information sent out by DDAP this afternoon:
“The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs will discontinue utilization of STAR as the database to gather and report TEDS data to SAMHSA in September 2015.
We are planning to shut down STAR at 11:59 pm on September 15, 2015. You will have until then to enter and update information as follows:
Admissions:
Discharges:
If you have any questions, please contact the STAR Helpdesk at 717-783-8200.”
As previously reported, the first meeting of the statewide HealthChoices Behavioral Health Managed Care Organization (BHMCO)/RCPA Task Force was held on July 16, 2015, and all BHMCOs attended, along with numerous oversight bodies. The purpose of this task force is to identify any operational compatibilities
On May 29, the Department of Human Services released a request for information (RFI) to help guide the department’s planning process for the release of a new procurement for the provision of managed care services for physical health. RCPA submitted comments and recommendations to the department in response to the RFI. Secretary Dallas has worked to be transparent during this process and has published a summary of some of the most frequently provided comments in the responses to the RFI. He has also identified some of the changes that the department is considering for the new HealthChoices physical health managed care procurement. This list is not intended to be final and merely reflects some of the ideas that are being considered at this time. Because many of the comments and related action plans communicated by Secretary Dallas address integrated physical and behavioral health care, data and information sharing, service system simplification, and other initiatives that have implications for RCPA members, this interim report is being shared at this time. Please submit any additional comments on the concepts included in this summary, or an area that is not listed in the document, via email by August 10.
Prev