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Substance Use Disorder

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Yesterday, January 15, 2026, Governor Josh Shapiro, alongside Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones and Department of Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen, led a roundtable discussion at Wyoming County Emergency Management Agency on efforts to save lives, prevent fatal overdoses, and support families struggling with substance use disorder. The visit followed the release of the Shapiro Administration’s Overdose Prevention Program Annual Report, which details significant progress in reducing overdose deaths across Pennsylvania.

Between October 2024 and September 2025, frontline organizations reported over 11,400 overdose reversals linked to naloxone distributed through the Administration’s initiative — representing thousands of lives saved through timely intervention. Early estimates show that in 2025, Pennsylvania saw the fewest overdose deaths in more than a decade.

Read the complete press release.

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Drexel University Behavioral Healthcare Education (BHE) will be hosting their second Annual One-Day Summit “Hot Topics: Trends and Challenges in Behavioral Healthcare,” on Friday, May 29, 2026, which will be held virtually via Zoom. The BHE team invites you to submit an abstract for a 60-minute workshop, which will consist of 50 minutes for the presentation and 10 minutes for questions and answers.

The deadline to submit proposals is Friday, February 27, 2026.

Please note: Although presenters will not be financially compensated for their presentations, all presenters are invited to attend the entirety of the summit, earning the maximum number of continuing education credits free of charge.

For more details and the proposal submission form, refer to the BHE Conferences website.

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The 2026 RCPA Annual Conference Power in Purpose: Promoting Possibilities will be held September 29 – October 2 at the Hershey Lodge for a statewide audience. RCPA’s Conference Committee is seeking workshop proposals in every area for possible inclusion, particularly those that assist providers in developing and maintaining high-quality, stable, and effective treatments, services, and agencies in an industry where change is constant. The committee looks for presentations that:

  • Discuss strategies for C-Suite leadership to advance their organization with adapting to challenges and opportunities;
  • Provide guidance on building a culture of a committed workforce, including recruitment and employee development as well as effective remote workforce strategies;
  • Highlight new policy, research, and treatment initiatives, such as the use of artificial intelligence and technology in service provision;
  • Provide specific skills and information related to individual and organizational leadership development and enhancement;
  • Discuss advanced ethics practices and suicide prevention; and/or
  • Address system changes that affect business practices, including integrated care strategies, value-based purchasing, performance-based contracting, acquisitions and mergers, and alternative payment models.

The committee welcomes any proposal that addresses these and other topics essential to rehabilitation, mental health, substance use disorder, children’s health, aging, physical disabilities, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and autism. Members are encouraged to consider submitting, and we highly encourage you to forward this opportunity to those who are exceptionally good speakers and have state-of-the-art information to share.

The Call for Proposals (featuring a complete listing of focus tracks) and accompanying Guidelines for Developing Educational Objectives detail requirements for submissions. The deadline for submissions is COB Monday, March 23, 2026. Proposals must be submitted electronically with the form provided; confirmation of receipt will be sent. Proposals submitted after the deadline may not be considered.

If the proposal is accepted, individuals must be prepared to present on any day of the conference. Workshops are 90 minutes in length. If the topic requires an in-depth presentation, a double session can be scheduled for a total of 180 minutes. At the time of acceptance, presenters will be asked to confirm the ability to submit workshop slides and handouts electronically two weeks prior to the conference. Individuals unable to meet this expectation may not have their materials available to participants during the conference.

Individuals are welcome to submit more than one proposal; however, we ask that you submit no more than three total. Notification of inclusion for the conference will be made via email by Monday, May 11, 2026. Questions may be directed to Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator.

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In response to the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ (OMHSAS) proposed Regulation #14-558: Mental Health Procedure RCPA, in partnership with its members, has submitted public comments.

The proposed regulations align the Department’s regulations with the Mental Health Procedures Act by adding definitions of “business associate” and “covered entity,” and adding those entities to the list of parties to which the Department may disclose confidential information.

RCPA did request that OMHSAS provide further clarification on the impacts and intersects of the proposed standards for youth and parental consents outlined in Act 65.

RCPA fully supports the proposed regulations that will align departmental regulations with Act 32 of 2022 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requirements.

We look forward to working with the Department in the communication and ongoing implementation of the proposed regulatory changes, including the release of a Regulatory Compliance Guide after final promulgation. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Services Director Jim Sharp.

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From the National Council for Mental Wellbeing

As RCPA continues to support efforts to realign Pennsylvania’s integrated behavioral and physical health initiatives with the return to the CCBHC model, our partners at the National Council have issued this advocacy alert on recent legislation expanding States opportunities in serving our vulnerable communities.

This opportunity will focus member reach out to our Senators about a new bipartisan bill that would help sustain and expand access to Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in Pennsylvania and across the country.

S 3402 would give states and organizations the ability to continue growing the behavioral health workforce, expand services for older adults and people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and help more communities establish CCBHCs.

Right now there are three co-sponsors in the Senate. If enough people contact their Senators, we can keep the momentum going!

TAKE ACTION

We also included some more detail about the legislation via the above “take action” link if you’d like to dive deeper. The letter takes about 1–2 minutes to send. If you want to call your Senators’ offices and  leave a message too, we made a script for you to use – just follow the prompts on the page.

If you have any questions please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Services Director Jim Sharp.

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Grant funding symbol. Beautiful wooden table. Business financing and grants concept. Copy space.

The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) provides small grants to local community-based programs/services that prevent child abuse and neglect before an incident occurs. The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) Request for Application (RFA) was posted on eMarketplace today, January 5, 2026. The press release is being shared through DHS comms, PA Key comms, and a special announcement in the e-News.

RCPA, as part of several statewide work groups and task forces, wishes to share this with members, though you may receive this through other communications networks. The RFA is only available for 30 days, due no later than February 5, 2026.

If an applicant has any questions regarding this RFA, the applicant must submit those questions via email, with the subject line “25-RFA-13772 Question” to the RFA Issuing Officer named in Part 1, Section I-2 of this RFA. The Issuing Officer shall post all written answers to the questions submitted on the Department of General Services (DGS) website at eMarketplace as an addendum to this RFA.

You may view the Request for Application online at eMarketplace.

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Following the creation of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut legislation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the establishment of the Office of Rural Health Transformation (ORHT). This new office will be located within the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) and will continue overseeing the RHT Program. The RHT Program is a $50 billion initiative to strengthen rural health systems and expand access to care nationwide. As noted in RCPA’s Alert from December 30, 2025, Pennsylvania will receive nearly $200 million in 2026.

ORHT, which announced approved awardees on December 29, 2025, will guide states in implementing their rural health transformation plans, provide technical assistance, coordinate federal and state partnerships, and ensure strong oversight and accountability throughout the five-year program, which will run through September 30, 2031.

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Press release from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that all 50 states will receive awards under the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation (Public Law 119-21) to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country. In 2026, states will receive first-year awards from CMS averaging $200 million, within a range of $147 million to $281 million. This unprecedented federal investment will help states expand access to care in rural communities, strengthen the rural health workforce, modernize rural facilities and technology, and support innovative models that bring high-quality, dependable care closer to home.

Awardees and Funding Amounts

The Rural Health Transformation Program’s $50 billion in funds will be allocated to approved states over five years, with $10 billion available each year from 2026 through 2030. As directed by Public Law 119-21:

  • 50% of the funding is distributed equally among all approved states. This provides states with a strong foundation to begin implementing their Rural Health Transformation Plans; and
  • 50% is allocated based on a variety of factors. As described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, those factors include individual state metrics around rurality and a state’s rural health system, current or proposed state policy actions that enhance access and quality of care in rural communities, and application initiatives or activities that reflect the greatest potential for, and scale of, impact on the health of rural communities. All scoring factors are outlined further in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Read the full press release here.

Pennsylvania submitted their plan to CMS in November, and the plan is currently being evaluated. CMS made funding awards to all 50 states, with Pennsylvania receiving $193,294,054.

RCPA continues to work with the Department of Human Services (DHS) in answering questions from members as well as gaining an understanding on the implementation values for PA specific initiatives from both funding allocation pathways.

If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO Jim Sharp.

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