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OPEN MINDS: Addressing The Age Gap
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OMHSAS Releases Partial Hospitalization Regulatory Compliance Guide
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is pleased to release the Partial Hospitalization Regulatory Compliance Guide (RCG). This guide has been developed to provide clear explanations of the regulatory requirements of Title 55 Pa. Code Chapter 5210 “Partial Hospitalization” regulations. It is meant to help agencies providing partial hospitalization services with the goal of ensuring safe environments and effective services to individuals through regulatory compliance, and to help OMHSAS Licensing Representatives protect individuals served by these programs by conducting consistent and comprehensive inspections.
This guide is a companion piece to Title 55 Pa. Code Chapter 5210 regulations. It is intended to be a helpful reference for these regulations. The explanatory material contained in this guide in no way supplants the plain meaning and intent of the regulations set forth in 55 Pa. Code Chapter 5210.
The guide can be accessed here.
Feedback or questions on the RCG can be sent electronically. If you have additional questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Policy Director Jim Sharp.
Training for Child Residential Facility Staff Announced
The Department of Human Services’ Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) is supporting a specialized training effort addressing child abuse recognition and reporting training for residential facilities through a contract with the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) to provide training child residential staff, their related purchasing entities, and local law enforcement agencies.
Title of Training: Reporting Requirements for Children Served in Residential Care Facilities
Training Hours: 3 Hours
Format: Live, Virtual
Register for an upcoming Training:
Training Summary:
This training is for providers and other child-serving entities and clarifies what allegations must be reported to ChildLine as suspected child abuse and/or HCSIS as a reportable incident, as well as further clarifies when an alternative plan of supervision must be put into place. This training also teaches minimal facts interviewing skills to better determine when to make a report and explains how those reports of suspected child abuse are categorized and handled at ChildLine. Lastly, internal follow-up recommendations and communication are discussed. Other entities that interact with these 3800 facilities are also welcome to attend – OCYF Regional Office Reps, Law Enforcement, MCOs, etc.
This training mirrors the information outlined in the OCYF Bulletin # 3800-21-01 issued January 19, 2021, and is an additional training (not a replacement for the mandated reporter training).
Please reach out to COO and Mental Health Policy Director Jim Sharp with any questions.
Philadelphia Inquirer: A New Overtime Rule Has Been Stayed By a Federal Court. What Should Employers Do? [Paywalled]
National Council to Host Annual Membership Meeting on December 13
DDAP to Begin Licensing Telehealth-Only SUD Treatment Providers
Despite opposition and concerns from substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers, single county authorities, primary contractors, and behavioral health managed care organizations, the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) will begin licensing telehealth-only SUD treatment providers.
DDAP will issue a licensing alert on Wednesday, December 4, detailing the new licensure category.
Organizations newly licensed under this tele-only category will be able to provide intake, evaluation, and referral services, as well as outpatient treatment, including partial hospitalization services, via telehealth only, without a physical plant location in Pennsylvania.
DDAP’s intention in licensing telehealth-only providers is to hold them to the same standards as facility-based providers as a way to ensure equity and maintain operational standards. DDAP will continue to monitor complaints and unusual incidents for all licensed providers, as well as the number of telehealth-only license applications that are made over time, looking for any trends that could require additional action.
RCPA and its provider members opposed creation of the new license, citing patient safety and quality concerns, as well as potential erosion of the community-based provider system. RCPA hosted DDAP for a discussion about its concerns, met one-on-one with the department, and provided written feedback to DDAP. In addition, RCPA met with the governor’s Policy Office, to discuss provider concerns.
DDAP will attend RCPA’s next SUD Committee meeting at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 10. RCPA has asked DDAP to discuss the new license category. RCPA members wanting to attend this meeting can register here.
Capitolwire: Providers Pushing Back Against Proposed Regulations for Youth Mental Health Treatment Facilities
SAMHSA Now Accepting Public Comments for Draft Model BH Crisis Services Definitions
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is welcoming public comments on the draft SAMHSA Now Accepting Public Comments on Draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions.
SAMHSA developed the draft Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions document for state, territory, Tribal, and local entities; crisis services providers; public and private payers; regulators; and help seekers and their supporters to clarify and distinguish the different types of crisis services for people across the nation.
Interested people are invited to submit written comments for these draft definitions from Thursday, November 21, 2024, through Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET.
For more information on the definitions and to submit comments, please visit the Model Behavioral Health Crisis Services Definitions web page on the Crisis Systems Response Training and Technical Assistance Center website at the link below.
DEA Extends Telehealth Prescribing Flexibilities – Ryan Haight Act of 2008
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in concert with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has issued a third extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications, through December 31, 2025.
In 2023, in response to a set of proposed telemedicine rules, DEA received more than 38,000 comments and held two days of public listening sessions. In light of that feedback and discussion, and to give DEA time to consider a new path forward for telemedicine, DEA and HHS extended current telemedicine flexibilities through the end of 2024.
DEA and HHS continue to carefully consider the input received and are working to promulgate a final set of telemedicine regulations. However, with the end of 2024 quickly approaching, DEA, jointly with HHS, has extended current telemedicine flexibilities through December 31, 2025. RCPA has remained active in our advocacy to make permanent the telehealth flexibility across the behavioral health landscape both federally and in Pennsylvania. Please follow this link to view the ruling.
If you have additional questions, please contact RCPA SUD Treatment Services Director Jason Snyder or COO / Mental Health Services Director Jim Sharp.
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