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Mental Health

Dr. John Petrila, a national expert on mental health law and policy and data sharing, is sharing some of his expansive knowledge on cross-systems data sharing with participants of the PA Stepping Up Technical Assistance Center via webinar on May 24. The PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) is pleased to pass along the opportunity to register for the presentation on this relevant and timely subject. The webinar will discuss how counties can work within their federal and state privacy laws to share data across criminal justice and behavioral health systems along the Stepping Up 4 key measures in order to understand the prevalence of mental illness in their jails.

PA TA Center Data Sharing Webinar

  • Date: May 24, 2022
  • Time: 11:00 am–12:00 pm
  • Registration Link
    • There is a text box to provide questions when you register – please type any questions you have on this subject! The presenter has specifically asked for questions so that he can tailor the presentation to be most helpful.

If you have further questions, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.

This coming week, the Pa. General Assembly will be voting on a critical piece of legislation, HB 1866, aimed at ensuring standards for permanency services for youth turning 18, a time when typically services can end for a child transitioning into adulthood.

Turning 18 represents a pivotal point in life, with new life experiences like college, entering the workforce, living independently, or other exciting and challenging responsibilities. For many youth, this point in life includes the support of biological parents and other natural networks who help guide them and are available when navigating new experiences. Unfortunately, this is not often the case for older youth who are in and transitioning out of the foster care system.

Transition age youth—ages 14 to 21—are older youth in the foster care system transitioning to permanency with a caregiver or aging out of the system to adulthood. Transition age youth often struggle with this life transition due to unique circumstances with being a foster child. Not always having adequate planning and support services to ease the transition can lead to poorer outcomes that have lifelong impacts.

We ask that you support this bill and work with your legislators to get this passed. PA Partnerships for Children has created an amazing fact sheet that can be used to support your efforts. If you have additional questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Director Jim Sharp. We also ask that you share this information with any and all in your network.

Yesterday, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ (DDAP) Secretary Jen Smith virtually joined Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Butler County Commissioner and County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania Board Chairman Kevin Boozel, and Berks County Council on Chemical Abuse to discuss the incoming opioid settlement funding in Pennsylvania.

Read the press release.

A Financial Management Services (FMS) stakeholder meeting has been scheduled for May 6, 2022, from 1:00 pm–2:30 pm. The purpose of this public meeting is to discuss 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 (CHC MCOs) will be in attendance to discuss upcoming changes.

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

Those participating via phone, please use the numbers below:
Dial in: (562) 247-8422
Access Code: 214973439#
Audio PIN: shown after joining the webinar

Due to feedback shared with the Department of Human Services (DHS) regarding the importance of providing behavioral health services in nursing facilities and making sure nursing facilities know how to access these services, DHS has developed a webinar entitled “Behavioral Health Services for the Nursing Facility Population.” The webinars, which all contain the same material being presented, is a joint effort with the DHS’ Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL), Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the Behavioral Health (BH) Managed Care Organizations (MCO), and the Community HealthChoices (CHC) MCOs, and it is being hosted by the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA). Other collaborative partners include the PA Department of Health and LeadingAge PA.

The webinars are as follows:

Tuesday, April 26, 2022
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
1.5 CEUs for SNF
Please register using this registration link.

Tuesday, May 3, 2022
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
1.5 CEUs for SNF
Please register using this registration link.

The first webinar was conducted on April 12, 2022. The webinars will be interactive and are meant for nursing facilities to have the opportunity to ask questions and begin dialogue on how to improve behavioral health services in their facilities. The webinars will also allow the BH-MCOs, the CHC-MCOs, and the nursing facilities to further collaborate on this issue. The webinars will be recorded.

Webinar Presenters:

  • Jamie Buchenauer, Deputy Secretary, OLTL, DHS
  • Kristen Houser, Deputy Secretary, OMHSAS, DHS (April 12 and April 26)
  • Adair, Medical Director/Chief Psychiatric Officer, OMHSAS, DHS (May 3)
  • Kellie Mainzer, Director Western Operations, Bureau of Community and Hospital Operations, OMHSAS, DHS
  • Marjorie Faish, Program Analyst 3, Bureau of Policy Development and Communications Management, OLTL, DHS
  • Duncan Bruce, Director of MCO Integration, Community Care Behavioral Health
  • Rachel Lee-Price, Manager, Behavioral Health Clinical Services, Beacon Health Options of Pennsylvania, Inc.
  • Joe DiMeo, Jr., Behavioral Health Coordinator for Community HealthChoices, Community Behavioral Health
  • Lauren Keane, Magellan Behavioral Health
  • Dan Eisenhauer, Director of Operations, PerformCARE (April 26 and May 3)
  • Brian Gannon, Manager Behavioral Health Programs, PerformCARE (April 12)
  • John McFarland, Director, MCO Integration, Relations & Policy, UPMC CHC
  • Heather Clarke, Director Care Management, Complex Needs and Behavioral Health, PA Health & Wellness (April 12 and May 3)
  • Oliva Martin, Director of LTSS, PA Health & Wellness (April 26)
  • Sara Reitenauer, Manager of LTSS Behavioral Health and Collaborative Services, Community HealthChoices, AmeriHealth Caritas CHC/Keystone First CHC
  • Dyann M. Roth, President and CEO, Inglis
  • Tara Winter, Nursing Home Administrator, Former Senior Center Executive Director, Chapel Manor Genesis HealthCare®
  • Jessica Peacock, Director of Recovery and Community Outreach, Peerstar, LLC
  • Stacy Williams, Social Service Supervisor, Kane Regional-Scott

Questions should be directed to Marjorie Faish, OLTL.