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Substance Use Disorder

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Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

RCPA will be hosting a golf outing to support the RCPA PAC on Monday, October 10, 2022, at Dauphin Highlands Golf Course, 650 S Harrisburg St., Harrisburg, PA 17113. Register now to participate in this event, which includes lunch at 11:30 am, a putting contest, prizes, and much more. Don’t miss the fun! Shotgun start begins at 1:00 pm.

We would like to thank our tournament sponsor Erie County Care Management, Inc. for their support. Sponsorships are still available for this worthwhile cause. Many thanks to the beverage, hole, and prize sponsors to date:

  • Brier Dlugolecki Strategies;
  • Novak Strategic Advisors;
  • Morgan Stanley Wealth Management;
  • Comprehensive Financial Associates, Inc. and PA Pension Planners, Inc.;
  • Threshold Rehabilitation Services, Inc.;
  • Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy;
  • Hearten Workers’ Compensation Program;
  • Fulton Bank;
  • RHA Health Services (previously Salisbury Behavioral Health); and
  • Qualifacts.

If you are unable to attend the golf outing or not a golfer but would still like to support the RCPA PAC, you can make a personal online contribution, which will provide financial support for our legislative priorities. This outing will be held in conjunction with the RCPA Annual Conference. We hope to see you there!

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Registration for the RCPA Conference 2022 Together! is now open! Together! will be held October 11 – 14, 2022, at the Hershey Lodge in person this year. Be sure to register, as early bird rate is available now until September 9, 2022.

We are excited for the line-up of speakers who will be presenting at this year’s conference, as there will be pertinent information available and discussed for all service areas. Workshop sessions include:

  • Leading Through Crisis
    • Presented by Stacey Nybeck of Serve, Inc.
  • How Measurement-Based Care Informs Health Reform and Value-Based Reimbursement Advocacy
    • Presented by Shannon Hall of Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland and Simon Weisz of Greenspace Health
  • Provider and Member Centric VBP Development in IBHS: A Success Story That Benefits All Parties
    • Presented by Debra Luther of Beacon Health Options, Steven Herr of Advanced Metrics, and Kim Bowser-Murtha of Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration
  • Building an IDD System of Care Through Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Presented by Tine Hansen-Turton of Woods Services, Inc., Roy Leitstein of Legacy Treatment Services, Inc., Karen Coleman of Tabor Services, Inc., and Lori Plunkett of Woods Community at Brian’s House
  • Supporting the Middle Manager
    • Presented by Andrea Brown, Katie Clauss, and Juliette Ballough of UPMC Western Behavioral Health
  • How to Transform ID/A Service Delivery Though Technology: A Provider’s Journey
    • Presented by Craig Douglass, Kim Sonafelt, and Heather Lewis of Mainstay Life Services, Christina Romel of SafeinHome, and Maddie O’Rourke of Wellbridge Health, Inc.
  • Innovations in Long-Term Services and Support Managed Care
    • Presented by Blair Boroch of United Healthcare and Tammy Palmgren of Highmark Wholecare

You also won’t want to miss our keynote speakers:

  • Dick Finnegan, a respected speaker, author, and CEO of C-Suite Analytics, who will provide his insight on “The Great Resignation;”
  • Deborah Riddick, a public policy expert, who will discuss how intentional collaboration centered in curiosity, authenticity, and integrity, can help to address health disparities;
  • Dan Hilferty, a respected authority on health care, business, and civic engagement; and
  • Michael Cohen, who has updated stories of uncommon HR situations and strategies to resolve them.

Be sure to check out the entire line-up of sessions in our brochure, and note that sessions will be recorded to allow participants to take advantage of sessions after the event.

Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

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The next Financial Management Services (FMS) stakeholder meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 2, 2022, from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the upcoming changes for the administration of FMS under the Community HealthChoices (CHC), OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs. Representatives from the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) and CHC Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) will be in attendance to discuss upcoming changes.

Please register using this registration link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation containing information about joining the webinar.

If you choose to use your phone to call in, please use the numbers below:
Dial in: 562-247-8422
Access Code: 834499387#
Audio PIN: shown after joining the webinar

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

RCPA member Venango Training & Development Center, Inc. would like to introduce their new Production Operations Director, Tom Scott. Tom comes to the company with over 30 years of experience in industry. Tom lives with his wife and family in New Bethlehem. He’s already hit the ground running, reaching out to area employers to assist them with their contract packaging, assembly, quality inspection, document imaging and destruction, CASS certified mailing, fulfillment, and commercial janitorial and lawncare needs. He’s also excited to connect with RCPA member organizations. Please welcome him. You can contact Tom at 814-676-5755 or via email.

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Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Miranda Brazinski
570-709-4655

August 1, 2022 (PITTSBURGH, PA) — Mainstay Life Services, a nonprofit organization that provides life-long, high-quality support services to people with developmental disabilities, is pleased to welcome Willette Walker as its first-ever Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO).

“I’m honored to begin this new chapter of my career with Mainstay,” said Walker. “To ensure Mainstay’s services continue to exceed the needs of those supported, I hope to cultivate an even stronger work environment for our employees so that they are inspired to continue our mission as their best selves.” In her role, Walker will support the organization’s strategic human capital initiatives as a multifaceted leader through organizational development, employee relations, talent strategy, and strategic business partnering.

Walker comes to Mainstay with over 25 years of leadership experience in human resources and organizational development. Most recently, Walker served as EVP of Human Resources at A Second Chance, Inc., where she provided leadership and oversight over the full spectrum of the organization’s human resource functions. In addition to Walker’s previous experience, she spent six years as an educator with Pittsburgh Public Schools where she developed and implemented lesson plans designed to facilitate student learning.

“Willette’s experience will prove a strong asset for our organization’s growth,” said Kim Sonafelt, Mainstay Life Services Chief Executive Officer. “She has a heart for leading and educating others, which seamlessly supports Mainstay’s mission to ensure those we support live fulfilling lives.”

Walker received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wilberforce University, her JD degree from Duquesne University School of Law, and her master’s degree in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh.

# # #

About Mainstay Life Services

Mainstay Life Services is a nonprofit organization providing residential services, community services, and other supports to people with developmental disabilities and their families. We are committed to assisting the people we support to reach their fullest potential within their community.

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Concept of important day, reminder, organizing time and schedule - red pen marking day of the month on a calendar

Organizations wanting to include their recovery month events on the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ National Recovery Month web page should email the DDAP Press Office.

September is National Recovery Month, which celebrates the gains made by those in recovery from substance use and mental health. Recovery Month works to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.

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REMINDER
Message from the Department of Human Services (DHS)**

Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) is changing which Physical Health Managed Care Organizations (PH Plans) are available for Medical Assistance (MA) consumers. This is an opportunity for DHS to be sure that the program and our partners are continuing to strive towards improved access to care and superior quality of care and support provided by the PH Plans to MA consumers.

The PH plans available in your county may change. In some counties, your current MCO will no longer be available, and in others, you may have new options to pick from. If you have to select a new plan, DHS is committed to helping you find a plan that meets your individual needs, while also allowing you to keep your current health care providers. It’s important for you to consider what doctors, hospitals, or other health care providers are in a PH plan’s network.

This enrollment period is your opportunity to compare the health plan options in your region and choose the best plan for you.

Please note that the above information means that your agency needs to alert your consumers to the change so they can make an informed decision. Otherwise, they will be auto-assigned. Visit here for more details regarding which plans are available by county.

**Does NOT affect current Behavioral HealthChoices or
Community HealthChoices participants.**

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Registration for the RCPA Conference 2022 Together! is now open! Together! will be held October 11 – 14, 2022, at the Hershey Lodge in person this year. After two long years, we are looking forward to seeing everyone!

The 2022 event features more than 60 workshops, most of which will be recorded to allow participants to take advantage of viewing sessions after the event. We will have over 90 continuing education credit options. Participants will also be able to visit Beacon Health Options Connections Hall and networking events.

You will not want to miss keynote speakers, including:

  • Dick Finnegan, a respected speaker, author, and CEO of C-Suite Analytics, who will provide his insight on “The Great Resignation;”
  • Deborah Riddick, a public policy expert, who will discuss how intentional collaboration, centered in curiosity, authenticity, and integrity, can help to address health disparities;
  • Dan Hilferty, a respected authority on health care, business, and civic engagement; and
  • Michael Cohen, who has updated stories of uncommon HR situations and strategies to resolve them.

We will also have two plenary sessions available for all attendees. The first will provide national updates from our partners Chuck Ingoglia of National Council for Mental Wellbeing and Gabrielle Sedor of ANCOR. Later on in the week, Meg Snead, Acting Secretary of the Department of Human Services, and Jennifer Smith, Secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, will highlight key accomplishments from DHS and DDAP respectively.

Several sessions will focus on workforce development, workforce recruitment and retention, value-based payments, telehealth, and trauma-informed support. Learn how to effectively share your story with legislators. Join us to hear from respected colleagues regarding state-of-the-art practices and new thoughts on service provisions. You can view the full schedule at the RCPA Conference website.

Early bird registration is available now until September 9, 2022! Questions about the conference may be directed to Carol Ferenz or Sarah Eyster, Conference Coordinators.

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

RCPA is pleased to announce that Gaudenzia CEO Dale Klatzker has been appointed to the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health.

The commission was created in the recently passed fiscal code as part of Pennsylvania’s fiscal year 2022/23 budget. Language in the law specifically directed the commission to include as a member, among others, “A recognized subject matter expert in the treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders from a list of recommendations compiled by the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association with experience in behavioral health matters.” Gov. Wolf selected Klatzker from among a list of RCPA member behavioral health experts provided by the association.

A leader in behavioral health care for more than 35 years, Klatzker was appointed CEO of Gaudenzia, Inc. in March 2019. Gaudenzia operates substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring mental health (MH) programs in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. Established in Philadelphia in 1968, Gaudenzia, Inc. is Pennsylvania’s largest non-profit provider of treatment for SUD and co-occurring disorders.

Before joining Gaudenzia, Klatzker held roles as senior consultant and chief clinical officer for The Margolin Group, as well as senior vice president, Population Health Management, for Care New England. Previous to those roles, he was president and CEO of The Providence Center (TPC) and was at the forefront of establishing programs that integrate primary and behavioral health care through community partnerships and strategic consumer-focused programming. Through his leadership, TPC became a national model for integrated care in community mental health settings.

Klatzker has been both locally and nationally recognized for his leadership and innovative contributions to the field. He has served as board chair of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, chair of Mental Health Corporations of America, fellow for the Rhode Island Foundation Fellows Program, associate clinical professor at Alpert Medical School at Brown University, adjunct professor of psychology at Johnson and Wales University, and adjunct assistant professor at the Department of Social Sciences and Education at Colby-Sawyer College. He also served on the Rhode Island Healthcare Reform Commission, Community Healthcare Providers Leadership Council, and numerous other commissions and committees.  He received his PhD from the Brandeis University Heller School and his MSW from Boston University.

Reporting to the Department of Human Services, the commission is to be comprised of 24 individuals from various state agencies or areas of specialty, as well as legislative appointees. The commission is charged with issuing a report of recommended funding allocations to the following areas. This funding will come from $100 million of federal American Rescue Plan funds.

  • Delivery of services by telemedicine;
  • Behavioral health rates, network adequacy, and mental health payment parity;
  • Workforce development and retention;
  • Expansion of certified peer support specialist services and peer-run services;
  • Development and provision of crisis services;
  • Integration of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment;
  • Cultural competencies when providing behavioral health care;
  • Impact of social determinants of health on behavioral health;
  • Intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system; and
  • Integrating care that can deliver timely psychiatric care in a primary care setting.
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