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Medical Rehab

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

The Department of Human Services has released a new Request for Information (RFI) to assist in determining possible implementation needs for the Commonwealth’s proposed 1115 Demonstration Waiver titled, Bridges to Success: Keystones of Health for Pennsylvania. This RFI will help inform a potential scope of work for private, public, and nonprofit organizations that could serve in the future as a program administrator for the program. If approved and implemented, Keystones of Health would bring new resources to Pennsylvaniaʼs Medicaid program to address health-related social needs (HRSN) that have a direct impact on health care spending and health outcomes. Responses to the RFI are due August 19, 2024 by 12:00 pm.

The proposed Keystones of Health program seeks to expand tools available to address critical health care needs of Pennsylvanians in four main areas: reentry supports, housing resources, food and nutrition services, and continuous health coverage for children under the age of six. This RFI seeks information to assist DHS in implementing the proposed housing, food, and nutrition services for beneficiaries. Through this RFI, the department is seeking knowledge about potential program administrator responsibilities and capabilities for administering these HRSN services. The RFI will also inform aspects of the DHS implementation plan that is currently in development, while the Commonwealth collaborates with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to secure approval. The department encourages respondents and other interested parties to provide feedback by responding to the RFI.

Section 1115 of the Social Security Act gives the federal government the ability to waive certain federal rules that govern Medicaid to allow states to design and evaluate new state pilot projects that promote the general goals of the Medicaid program, helping people live healthier lives. Section 1115 waivers are a major pathway for state innovation in the Medicaid program that many states have leveraged. If approved, and the necessary state funds are appropriated, it would allow DHS to introduce innovative programs and services that address health-related social needs that can improve health and quality of life for Pennsylvanians who access health care through Medicaid.

Submit feedback to DHSʼ Request for Information. The full application, including information on feedback received through public comment, is available on the Keystones of Health web page.

RCPA is reviewing the RFI internally and will meet with interested members on the RFI in the coming week. If you have any questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Policy Director Jim Sharp.

Due to the Microsoft technology outages that have been reported as of Friday, July 19, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) would like to assess the impacts to Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) licensing. DHS is asking that DHS-licensed entities complete a short survey as it pertains to any of their licensed facilities to determine the impact at the facility level.

Please note that if the outage has affected your facility, you are advised to contact your regional program office. If the disruption is critical, please also contact your local emergency management agency. DHS asks that the survey be completed as soon as possible.

The resources for the Administration for Community Living’s (ACL) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Technical Assistance and Resource Center’s (TARC) June 2024 webinar Cognitive Impairment in Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Neurologic Informed Care are now available and posted on the ACL website. The resources posted include the webinar recording (captioned and available on YouTube) and webinar slides.

During the webinar, John D. Corrigan, PhD, ABPP, introduced the new American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) expectations for the treatment of persons with cognitive impairment, including “Neurologic Informed Care,” as described in the new criteria. Implications for the identification of people in treatment who have a history of brain injury, as well as the use of accommodations to make treatment more accessible, were discussed.

On July 11, 2024, Governor Shapiro signed a bipartisan 2024/25 budget that invests in a range of fields, from health care to public transportation to education. The details of the budget are available in the Governor’s Press Release, which highlights each field and dollar amounts signed. In particular, the budget addresses:

  • Supporting PA’s ID/A community and Direct Support Professionals (DSP);
  • Investing in gun violence prevention;
  • Increased funding for nursing homes and the Aging Our Way plan;
  • Combatting maternal mortality; and
  • Further investments in mental health.

RCPA Policy Staff will be reviewing the budget in great detail over the next few days. We plan to reach out to our members with updates and key information as more becomes available and analyzed. If you have any questions regarding the budget, please reach out to your Policy Director.

RCPA is excited to announce that we will be hosting our fall golf outing to support the RCPA PAC on Monday, September 23, 2024, in conjunction with the Annual Conference. Conference attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and presenters can now register to participate in the RCPA PAC’s golf outing at the Colonial Golf & Tennis Club at 4901 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112. Registration and lunch will be held from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, with the shotgun start beginning at 12:00 pm.

Sponsorships are available for this worthwhile cause. We hope you will consider becoming a golf outing sponsor; it is a great way for your organization to receive name recognition as well as an opportunity to support the RCPA fundraiser!

Not a golfer but would still like to support the RCPA PAC? For your convenience, you can now make a personal online contribution, which will provide financial support to state legislators or representatives who have demonstrated a strong, consistent, and positive interest in our legislative priorities. If you are interested in learning more about the RCPA PAC or donating, please visit our website, download the PAC FAQ Card and Donation Card, or email Jack Phillips, Director of Government Affairs.

If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact Christine Tartaglione. We look forward to seeing you on the golf course!

Thursday, September 5, 2024
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am CDT;

9:00 am – 10:00 am MDT; 8:00 am – 9:00 am PDT
Register Here

Dr. Jonathan Pool
Speaker Bio:

Dr. Jonathan Pool is a music therapist and researcher at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research located in Cambridge, England. He is a senior arts therapist at Chroma, providing clinical supervision to many therapists across the United Kingdom.

He trained as a music therapist and then as a researcher at Anglia Ruskin University. He was awarded his PhD in 2013 for his research in brief group music therapy for cognitive functional gains and emotional needs of adult brain injury survivors in community neurorehabilitation.

Jonathan’s work includes developing interdisciplinary interventions for people with acquired brain injury and their families. As a researcher, he is dedicated to developing evidence on the use of music and music therapy in assessment and intervention for people affected by neurological impairments and diseases, with a special interest in disorders of consciousness. He is passionate about improving lives and reducing suffering through the use of music.

Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Understand why a music-based assessment is ideal for the assessment of children and young people with Disorders of Consciousness (DoC);
  • Gain knowledge of the development of the MuSICCA – a music-based assessment tool;
  • Learn how the MuSICCA is used to assess consciousness in pediatric DoC;
  • Learn about how the MuSICCA is being tested for validity, reliability, and clinical utility; and
  • Understand how it can support goal setting and planning of care and treatment.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.

Level: Intermediate

Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.

Complimentary webinars are a benefit of membership in IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.

Registration is now officially open for the 2024 RCPA Conference Embracing Challenges, Empowering Success! By registering, you will gain access to over sixty workshops, live updates from both state and national partners, and the ability to interact with exhibitors and sponsors in our Connections Hall! You’ll also gain access to the mobile app, which will contain CE information, a detailed agenda, and more!
View our registration brochure for complete details on the conference schedule, current sponsors and exhibitors, and a word from RCPA President and CEO Richard Edley. You can also register directly here.

If your organization is interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at our conference, you can complete our Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertisers Brochure or contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator. Spaces are filling up, so don’t delay!

We look forward to sharing more details in the near future and would like to extend a thank you to those organizations who have already pledged support for the conference! View our current sponsors and exhibitors on the RCPA Conference website!