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Substance Use Disorder

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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is hosting the following clinical supervision skills trainings:

  • October 21–25 at 7th Street Conference Center, 2525 N 7th St., Harrisburg
  • November 4–8 at Gateway Rehabilitation, 311 Rouser Road, Coraopolis

This in-person training will build on the information provided in the online training and provide participants with the opportunity to practice their clinical supervision skills. Participants will also be provided with tools to assist in assessing and working with their supervisees.

Trainings will be from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm each day. Cost of the training is $300. Registration is limited and will be processed in the order they are received. A registration form is available on DDAP’s Training Management System website. You can email questions about the training to the DDAP Training Section inbox.

An additional clinical supervision skills training is being planned for the southeast region for December 9–13. Once a location is confirmed, it will be posted in the Training Management System.

The 2024 RCPA Conference Embracing Challenges, Empowering Success is just around the corner, with our workshops starting bright and early Tuesday, September 24. Online registration for the conference ends September 13, and by registering today, you will guarantee your early access to the mobile app and your seat in sessions addressing key topics in health and human services!
Register Here for the 2024 RCPA Conference!
View our registration brochure for complete details on the conference schedule.

In addition, due to a high volume of guests at the Hershey Lodge, RCPA has made arrangements for a special rate at the Hilton Garden Inn Hershey, located at 550 East Main Street, Hummelstown, PA 17036, which is less than two miles away from the Lodge. The Hilton is offering rooms to our attendees September 23 – 27 at a Nightly Group Rate of $149.00 plus 11% tax (1-2 adults; $10 each additional adult) using the group name “RCPA 2024 Conference.” Find more information at our Conference website, and please reach out to Carol Ferenz if you have questions or concerns.

Lastly, we wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the sponsors and exhibitors who make our conference possible! We can’t wait to see you in Connections Hall! You can view our current sponsors and exhibitors on the RCPA Conference website!

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The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (DLI), in partnership with Penn State College of Medicine, is offering a free virtual training series to help employers create and maintain recovery-friendly workplaces. The training series, “Shatter the Stigma: Supporting Recovery in the Workplace ECHO,” will educate employers on valuable tools to support employees in recovery from substance use disorders, provide strategies to reduce stigma in the workplace, and help prevent unnecessary terminations.

The program starts Tuesday, September 10 with eight one-hour sessions. The sessions are 8:00 am – 9:00 am every other Tuesday at no cost to employers. Those interested can register online.

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will hold its next ASAM technical assistance webinar at 10:00 am Monday, September 9, 2024. It will be the fourth in the four-month “Conversations With Scott Boyles” series. Boyles serves as Senior National Training Director for Train for Change Inc. During September’s webinar, the discussion about handling administrative discharges will continue. The session and Boyles’ series will then conclude with a focus on the principles of the ASAM Criteria.

As a reminder, webinars are regularly scheduled for 10:00 am on the first Monday of each month.

To sign up for ASAM technical assistance webinar invitations, email DDAP’s ASAM resource account. Past webinars and additional ASAM 3rd Edition resources are available on DDAP’s ASAM Transition web page.

Please use the link below to connect to each month’s webinar.

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Shot of a smiling little boy sitting in a white chair and holding his teddy bear while talking to a child psychologist

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced the Second Annual Pediatric Capacity Building Institute (PCBI). PCBI is a unique, interactive, educational experience that will occur over a nine-month period (March 2025 – November 2025). DHS will bring speakers to engage participants in a wide range of topics designed to better support children and families with complex needs across the Commonwealth. Topics include infant mental health, leading through change, multi-systemic planning, impact of trauma on children and families, vicarious trauma among professionals, and expressive therapies.

PCBI will incorporate the voices and experience of the children and families using these supports and services at every juncture. PCBI is open to professionals across systems with an interest in learning more about supporting children with complex needs and system change.

A formal invitation with additional details and an interest survey will be distributed on September 11, 2024, and an informational webinar will be held on September 12, 2024. Each person must complete the PCBI Year 2 Interest Survey by October 9 to express interest and confirm their ability to attend all sessions.

There are a limited number of spaces available for participants. Persons submitting an interest survey will be notified through email by November 1, 2024, as to their admission status.

Please register for the Pediatric Capacity Building Institute Informational webinar on September 12, 2024, at 10:00 am EDT. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

RCPA will send additional information on the survey as it becomes available.

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The FDA has approved and authorized for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 formula) that include a monovalent (single) component that corresponds to the omicron variant KP.2 strain of SARS-CoV-2. These vaccines were updated to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by circulating variants. Two vaccines are available for use in the United States: 2024–2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. There is no preference for one vaccine over the other when more than one vaccine is recommended for an age group

Who should get the vaccine?

Everyone ages 6 months and older should get the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This includes people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine before and people who have had COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you from severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

It is especially important to get your 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine if you are:

  • Ages 65 and older,
  • At high risk for severe COVID-19
  • Have never received a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Are living in a long-term care facility
  • Are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, or might become pregnant in the future.
  • Want to lower your risk of getting Long COVID

People who recently had COVID-19:

  • People who recently had COVID-19 may delay getting a COVID-19 vaccine for 3 months.
  • The risk of getting COVID-19 is less likely in the weeks to months following a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Certain factors could be reasons to get a vaccine sooner rather than later, such as:

  • Personal risk of severe COVID-19
  • Risk of COVID-19 in a family or household member or other close contact
  • local levels of COVID-19 illness

Keep in mind‎:

  • Vaccine protection decreases over time, so it is important to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a safer, more reliable way to build protection than getting sick with COVID-19.