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Mental Health

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RCPA is excited to share the growing list of sponsors and exhibitors who are committed to supporting our 2025 Conference Strive to Thrive! This event, which will be held September 9 – 12 at the Hershey Lodge, is a highlight for the PA health and human services fields. We would like to thank the organizations who have committed their support already; you can view them below and on our Conference website!

There are still many opportunities available for sponsorship and exhibit booths, and we encourage your organization to view this year’s Sponsors, Exhibitors, and Advertisers Brochure, which features detailed lists of all the ways your organization can thrive at our conference. These include networking opportunities in Connections Hall and new sponsorship items. Please be aware booth self-selection will also be available for exhibitors and exhibiting sponsors. In order to be considered for self-selection, a completed contract with payment must be submitted.

Sign Up Now!
Sponsors, exhibitors, and advertisers who wish to be listed on the website, the mobile app, and in the conference program must submit all materials by August 20. The association looks forward to welcoming you at the conference! Space and opportunities are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and no reservation is considered complete without payment. Please contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, with any questions.

View our sponsors and exhibitors at our Conference website!

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HARRISBURG, PA — A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers joined members of the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA), the Commonwealth’s largest health and human services trade association, at a press conference at the state Capitol in support of vital disability and human service programs. These programs serve millions of Pennsylvanians annually and play a transformative role in their lives.

At the March 26 press conference, RCPA and lawmakers pushed for continued funding and improved payment models, including Medicaid capitation, as well as decreasing administrative burden in the safety net system, as part of any final 2025/26 budget adopted by the General Assembly. These initiatives will help improve services and make the system work better for everyone. They also highlighted the need to invest in the workforce, ensuring strong support for licensed clinicians, direct support professionals, counselors, case managers and support/service coordinators, and peers.

Richard S. Edley, PhD, President and CEO of RCPA, spoke on behalf of members and those who rely on health and human services. Fady Sahhar, MBA, PhD, RCPA Director of Physical Disabilities & Aging, also communicated the need for Medicaid preservation and continued funding.

Richard S. Edley, PhD, President & CEO Fady Sahhar, MBA, PhD, Director of PD&A

RCPA members also raised their voices to stress the importance of not only maintaining but improving the systems in place. Speakers included Melva Fair, an RCPA Board Member and CEO of Community Living and Support Services (CLASS), and Annie Smith, Director of Early Intervention at RCPA member Strawberry Fields. Also in attendance were RCPA Board Members Susan Coyle of Chartiers Center and Gretchen Kelly of PLEA.

Melva Fair Annie Smith Susan Coyle and Gretchen Kelly

Representatives from both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate spoke in agreement with RCPA’s message, voicing continued support for vital services in Pennsylvania.

Representative Doyle Heffley Representative Joseph Hohenstein Senator Tim Kearney

Last but not least, RCPA thanks everyone who attended this year’s Capitol Day. Your support and presence made this year one of our most successful press conferences to date!

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

CARF International requests feedback on their newly released standards for disorders of consciousness. These standards were created with input from the field, and CARF is interested in feedback from providers and other stakeholders. You are invited to share within your network including with families/caregivers and those with lived experience.

Questions can be directed to:
Terrence Carolan, MSPT, MBA
Managing Director | Medical Rehabilitation and Aging Services
CARF International

Provide Feedback Here

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) conducted Technical Assistance (TA) sessions regarding the updated Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (PRS) regulations outlined in 55 Pa. Code Chapter 5230. These sessions were held in November 2024 for licensed PRS providers and Behavioral Health Managed Care Organizations (BH-MCO). The revised regulations became effective on January 18, 2025. To further support licensed PRS providers and BH-MCOs in implementing the new regulatory requirements, OMHSAS has released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document addressing common questions identified during those sessions. The FAQ document is now available; you can view the document here.

The FAQ document can also be found at the links below.

Comments and questions regarding this memorandum should be submitted via email to the DHS Psych Rehab inbox. You can also contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp.

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The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released the outcomes from the Early Intervention (EI) Rate Methodology Study that concluded in the Fall of 2024. A key focus of the RCPA Early Intervention Steering Committee’s strategic agenda has been the review of how rates have been historically developed, including the lack of sustainable rate increases that have taken place over the past two decades. In our collaboration with OCDEL and other early intervention stakeholders, the goal was the development of a quantifiable rate methodology that uses the cost of care as a driving variable in the rate development matrix.

The EI Rate Study Final Report has been added to DHS website and can be viewed here. The study was the culmination of a year-long effort led the Public Consulting Group (PCG) and an Advisory Committee, which RCPA and other provider members were a part of.

The report reviewed the methodology and formulary variables for rate calculations across several operational dimensions of early intervention services, including staffing, operations, administration, and the calculation of how missed and cancelled visits intersect with actual costs.

The final funding review of the estimated Commonwealth fiscal impact was calculated using the number of service units provided during FY 2022/23 for Early Intervention services, current Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), and county contributions. Services with a recommended rate decrease were kept at the current rate when calculating Commonwealth fiscal impact. The result indicated that for FY 2022/23, the rates were underfunded by more than $71M, or roughly 38% of the FY 2022/23 rate.

This year there is a proposed State budget increase of $10M that is targeted to aid Early Intervention providers in stabilizing their workforce infrastructure. This would be a 3% increase over the FY 2023/24 rate. There was no rate increase last year in anticipation of the rate methodology study report. There was hope that the study outcomes, which ended in September 2024, could have made a greater impact on this year’s projected rate increase. That notwithstanding, RCPA fully supports and will be advocating that the proposed $10M funding allocation be approved for Early Intervention services in the final budget. Additionally, there is a projected Medicaid allocation of $12.6M, for a total $22.6M that will go to the final rates for FY 2025/26.

Finally, the report indicated that between the periodic rate studies, PCG recommends that OCDEL implement a rate monitoring program to measure costs annually against payments. This monitoring should also measure inflation, and OCDEL should adjust rates annually to match the rate of inflation.

RCPA thanks OCDEL and our members for the partnership in the project and looks forward to the opportunity to work together in supporting and advocating the implementation of rates that support the cost of delivering high quality Early Intervention services to the children and families of the Commonwealth.

If you have any additional questions, please contact RCPA COO Jim Sharp or IPRC Policy Director Cindi Hobbes.

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has announced the speakers for their Children’s Crisis Intervention Forum, which will be held April 29 – 30, 2025, at the Hilton Harrisburg. The speakers will include:

  • Drew Martel, LISW, CADC, is a leading expert in crisis intervention and suicide prevention, overseeing crisis response programs at CommUnity Crisis Services.
  • Amanda Gillespie, LISW-S, is the MRSS Coordinator at Case Western Reserve University, with expertise in crisis intervention and youth mental health.
  • Heather Distin, Project Director at Case Western Reserve University, is a licensed clinical counselor with 20 years of experience in youth behavioral health and multi-system collaboration.
  • Ashley Nichols-Kaye, MS, MHP, CHCO, is the Program Manager for Human Services Quality Management and HIPAA Compliance at Venango County Human Services.
  • Dr. Rhonda Boyd is a faculty member at PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and an associate professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She is also the associate director of CHOP’s Child and Adolescent Mood Program.
  • Jennifer Foxworthy, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, is the Founder and CEO of Inspirationally Speaking, LLC, and Unstoppable You Ministries, Inc., serving others as a motivational speaker, author, and coach.

From experienced insights to actionable strategies, these speakers (and more) will inspire your impact!

Date: Tuesday, April 29 – Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Location: Hilton Harrisburg (discounted accommodations available)
Parking: Discounted parking provided to conference guests
Register Today – Space is Limited!

Please contact RCPA Policy Associate Emma Sharp with any questions.

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