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Mental Health

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There is pending legislation in Washington that will focus on multiple entry points for physical and mental health services, for individuals incarcerated in jails and prisons.

The first piece of legislation, the Humane Correctional Health Care Act (HR 4141), asserts that a legislative goal is to increase medical assistance services and access to quality care, as well as access to these services upon return to the community.

See Rep. Kuster’s op-ed in the Washington Post with Senator Booker, and an editorial in the Concord Monitor, on the Human Correctional Health Care Act (HR 4141) — legislation that would extend Medicaid eligibility to inmates of public institutions. Rep. Kuster’s office is ramping up outreach to build co-sponsorship support for the bill, and is working hard to make the legislation bipartisan. Current group supporters of HR 4141 can activate grassroots efforts to help build bipartisan support; if your group would like to support the bill, please contact Marisa Salemme.

The second is an outpatient services bill that outlines the guarantee of three outpatient physical and three mental health visits at a minimum for inmates returning to community settings. Staff from Rep. Lauren Underwood’s (D-IL) office reached out, sharing the above referenced DRAFT text and is soliciting feedback on a bill they plan to introduce later this year. The bill would require commercial plans to cover three outpatient mental health visits per year without any cost-sharing requirements (it would also cover three primary care visits without cost sharing).

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

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Press Release from Governor Tom Wolf

Council on Reform Submits Recommendations for the Protection of Vulnerable Populations to Gov. Wolf
> Public Comment Period through December 16, 2019 <

November 1, 2019

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf’s Council on Reform, established through his Protection of Vulnerable Populations Executive Order 2019-05, submitted its recommendations for improving the state’s systems to protect its most vulnerable individuals and families.

In late July, Gov. Wolf charged this diverse group of community leaders, providers, stakeholders, and cabinet members with taking a comprehensive look at needs to best serve the state’s vulnerable populations with a mandate to report those recommendations back to him by Nov. 1.

“I took action in July to address long-standing issues with the state’s systems designed to protect our most vulnerable,” Gov. Wolf said. “The first task for the newly formed Council on Reform was to buckle down and develop a comprehensive list of recommendations for how we can best protect vulnerable Pennsylvanians.

“My thanks to all of the council members who shared their expertise and considerable time, and to those who participated by meeting with council members or submitting information and recommendations. Your tireless commitment to this process demonstrates your passion for protecting all Pennsylvanians, especially our most vulnerable. I look forward to reading and analyzing these recommendations and to our next steps to make much-needed changes.”

The 25-member council held its first meeting immediately following the governor’s announcement. In determining its charter and scope, the council defined populations and subpopulations, established committees, and adopted values.

The council determined it would look at protecting vulnerable populations from three perspectives with a separate committee for each: prevention and diversion, protection and intervention, and justice and support.

Populations were broken out by age with subpopulations to ensure vulnerabilities unique to each were considered:

Ages 0-17
Subpopulations – African Americans, Asian American & Pacific Islanders, Latinos, LGBTQ+ children, young women, children experiencing mental illness, children with intellectual disabilities/autism, children with physical/sensory disabilities, delinquent children, and dependent children

Ages 18-59
Subpopulations – African Americans, Asian American & Pacific Islanders, Latinos, LGBTQ+ adults, veterans, women, adults experiencing mental illness, adults with intellectual disabilities/autism, adults with physical/sensory disabilities, adults with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, and domestic violence victims

Ages 60+
Subpopulations – African Americans, Asian American & Pacific Islanders, Latinos, LGBTQ+ seniors, women, veterans, seniors experiencing mental illness, seniors with intellectual disabilities/autism, seniors with physical/sensory disabilities, seniors with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, and domestic violence victims

The council recommended two overarching goals for Pennsylvania to better protect vulnerable populations:
• Empower and strengthen the workforce serving vulnerable populations by providing comprehensive training, livable salaries and benefits, and support for staff experiencing vicarious trauma.

  • Empower communities and vulnerable populations by ensuring access to services for all Pennsylvanians and conducting culturally appropriate and diverse outreach efforts.

The council adopted values they believe to be relevant to protecting and serving vulnerable populations – these values are reflected throughout the recommendations:

Cultural Competence – Recognizing and honoring diversity

Person-Centered Approach – Focusing on the individual’s best interest

Community Engagement – Hearing from vulnerable populations, families, experts, and stakeholders

Context & Awareness – Understanding current environment and avoiding past failings

Trauma-Informed – Utilizing trauma-informed approaches across all systems

Workforce Empowerment – Ensuring the workforce is equipped and supported

Members heard from a wide array of existing oversight and advisory bodies, stakeholders, legislators, and constituents. Information was provided through in-person meetings, letters, emails, and a webform that council members distributed to their networks. These contributors provide recommendations for the council to consider and essential insight and context to ensure the council was fully informed. Many council members also served on advisory bodies connected to this work.

The council compiled the recommendations submitted by others along with recommendations from existing reports and assigned them to the appropriate committee for review and consideration. Committee members reviewed all that was submitted, identified common trends, eliminated duplication, and developed new recommendations.

After committees finalized their lists of recommendations, themes were identified that spanned all populations and committees. The result is the comprehensive list of recommendations presented to Gov. Wolf today.

The council advised Gov. Wolf that it “fully recognizes the funding implications of the recommendations that have been developed and the substantial amount of time and work it takes to carry out these recommendations. It is our hope that Pennsylvania will rise to the occasion and put its best effort into driving this much needed change – our most vulnerable are counting on it.”

The council asked that the governor direct the appropriate agencies, organizations, branches of government, and advisory bodies to carry out the recommendations he would like to move forward.

As the council carried out its process, they believed more could be done to engage with constituents. To achieve this, the council added an online public comment form available today through Dec. 16.

View press release online

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The Pennsylvania Health Access Network is working on a project funded by the PA Disabilities Council to improve access to health care for people with disabilities in Central PA. As a part of this project, they have developed a survey they are asking providers who serve people with disabilities to complete. The data from these surveys will be used to develop trainings and policy initiatives. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey in order to provide input on this project. Please use this contact email for more information.

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Step By Step executive Jim Bobeck has recently announced his retirement. Bobeck served for 33 years as Step By Step’s President and CEO and oversaw an agency that began in the Wilkes-Barre area in the 1970s, which grew to include more than 1,300 employees serving over 2,000 individuals in 18 counties throughout Pennsylvania.

Bobeck has been an active leader for RCPA, as well as its predecessor organization, PARF.

Mr. George Rable, Chairperson of the Step By Step Board of Directors noted, “Under Jim’s leadership and dedication, the Agency has grown tenfold serving a diverse population. He will certainly be missed.”

Bobeck remarked, “I’ve been privileged to be surrounded by the best human service professionals anywhere. Together we developed a community system of care for people with disabilities that ranks as one of the best in the country. Thank you to my lifetime friends made here, and thank you to our consumers who gave me a life filled with purpose.”

Step By Step’s Board of Directors has formed an executive search committee and plans to announce the hiring of a new CEO in the near future.

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On October 19, 2019 DHS and OMHSAS release the newly promulgated IBHS Regulations; Title 55, Chapters 1155 and 5240. The new regulations will be in full effect in 90 days.

This link to the DHS/Health Choices IBHS web page will be the repository for Information regarding IBHS and the ongoing implementation.

This site has access links to the IBHS Regulations, the IBHS Preamble, upcoming regional training information and registration, as well as important IBHS forms, including the IBHS FAQ link. Access the new IBHS Regulations here.

If you have any questions regarding the IBHS regulations, upcoming training, or feedback, please contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp.

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Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), Bureau of Programs, Initiatives, Reintegration, and Outreach reached out to RCPA to share information with members about PA VETCONNECT, which is an exciting new regional outreach initiative. Members can assist with this program by sharing resources and/or services that can assist a veteran in need.

Pennsylvania is home to nearly 800,000 veterans – the fourth largest veteran population in the nation. The DMVA recognizes that they are only one player of a vast network of organizations that are necessary to successfully serve these veterans. While DMVA – through its Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA) – provides a number of programs and benefits for veterans, there are still areas for which they do not have formal programs such as unemployment, homelessness, mental health issues, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI). DMVA hopes to address these gaps through creative inter-agency coordination and community partnerships.

The first phase of PA VETCONNECT encompasses a three-and-a-half-year rollout that began in December of 2018. During the first six months of this phase the concept was developed, requirements were documented, vision & mission statements were defined, initial stakeholders were identified, a focus group was engaged, and regions were established across the Commonwealth. DMVA-OVA looked at current processes to determine the most economical approach to accomplish this goal. To that end, three employee positions were repurposed and/or roles were redefined to administer and implement PA VETCONNECT.

By dividing the Commonwealth into five regions, DMVA will be better able to identify and create partnerships with local community resources and providers that can serve veterans and their families. This includes resources that are not traditionally thought of as veterans’ services or programs. Once identified, the information on the service provider can be entered into a resource database that will be made available to County Directors of Veterans’ Affairs, Veteran Service Officers & Specialists, and any other veterans’ advocates for quick and easy reference.

DMVA-OVA further scrutinized its business plan and found cost saving measures to make several operational functions run more efficiently. The monies realized from the noted cost savings measures, as well as small cuts in other areas, created enough funding to support the hiring of the first five regional personnel for fiscal year 2019/2020. Moreover, DMVA will look at existing department owned facilities or partnerships with sister agencies to house regional personnel so as not to incur additional facility expenses.

Regional Program Outreach Coordinators (RPOCs) will be the “boots on the ground” individuals who will support the outreach team throughout the region, and establish and maintain working relationships with community leaders and local/regional organizations, Veteran Service Organizations, local/county/state government agencies, and other community partners, to gather information and identify resources to facilitate the delivery of services to veterans and their beneficiaries.

One of the elements of this project is a unique Information and Referral (I&R) database that provides those who serve veterans with the names, contact information, and basic overview of organizations that have resources to address veteran-specific needs. This database will eventually contain thousands of organizations throughout the Commonwealth that have the resources to assist veterans’ needs. With a county system already staffed by County Directors of Veterans Affairs, and a vast network of nonprofit organizations at their disposal, this I&R database will have the flexibility to connect veterans, service members, and their dependents to the programs and services they need regardless of the municipality, county, or region where they reside. Through this tool, advocates can more easily assist veterans in locating organizations or resources throughout the state that offer programs and services geared to their specific needs (Note: It is not the intent that advocates would simply hand the veteran or family member a printout of available resources. They believe the best practice would include working with the veteran or family member to find the appropriate resource or service by contacting the service provider, setting up appointments, arranging transportation, etc.).

The DMVA realizes that there is no way a program of this magnitude can be successful without the cooperation of our community partners, especially those who are on the ground level and work every day to improve the lives of veterans. The information and referral tool will roll out in phases, with the first quarter of 2020 targeted for a full statewide rollout.

Members can further assist in this project by completing the Resource Application to self-report. Members should note that the service provided need not consist of veteran-specific assistance or services; you would just need to provide services a veteran might need. Contact Melissa Dehoff, RCPA Rehabilitation Services Director, with questions.

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Gov Wolf Header

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2019
View Online

Pennsylvania Awarded Grant to Support Access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf announced today that Pennsylvania has been awarded a $1.3 million grant to increase access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by expanding state-based call centers.

The grant was issued by Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Lifeline is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and provides confidential, free, 24/7 support to people in crisis, considering suicide, or helping another person.

“We have an obligation to provide resources and promote safe, supportive environments so people we serve know that there are places to turn if they are in crisis,” said Gov. Wolf. “Silence can perpetuate crisis and make people feel like they are struggling alone with no outlet or options for support, but things can and will get better, and help is always available. Expanding access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is one more way to let more people know help is available in Pennsylvania.”

The Department of Human Services will partner with three Lifeline network centers to form three regional call centers to ensure at least 70 percent of calls are answered in Pennsylvania, with the goal of increasing that percent to 90 within two years. Partners include Center for Community Resources, Family Services Association of Bucks County, and New Perspectives Crisis Services. In 2018, partners supported nearly 3,000 calls. As of June 2019, they have received nearly 2,500 calls.

“No one should ever feel like they are alone – especially in times of crisis,” said Secretary Miller. “The Wolf Administration is committed to dispelling stigma around suicide and mental health and ensuring supports are available to promote a safe, supportive environment so people know there are resources, like the Lifeline, to turn to in emergencies. Expanding our in-state call centers is another opportunity to better serve our fellow Pennsylvanians and prevent suicide across our commonwealth.”

Pennsylvania is committed to reversing the rising national trend of suicide and supporting Pennsylvanians affected by suicide. In May 2019, Governor Wolf established a statewide Suicide Prevention Task Force. The task force brings together leaders from the departments of Human Services, Health, Corrections, Aging, Education, Military and Veterans Affairs, and Transportation as well as the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the Pennsylvania State Police, elected officials, and mental health and suicide prevention organizations to create a comprehensive suicide prevention plan for Pennsylvania.

The task force is holding public listening sessions through November to learn about how suicide impacts the lives of Pennsylvanians and to develop prevention efforts that reflect the diverse needs of individuals and families across Pennsylvania.

For more information on Pennsylvania’s Suicide Prevention Task Force and upcoming listening sessions, visit www.dhs.pa.gov/citizens/suicideprevention.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or is considering suicide, help is available. Reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact Crisis Text Line by texting PA to 741-741.

MEDIA CONTACT:  J.J. Abbott, 717-783-1116

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Please find the details below regarding the application process for the upcoming Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Certification courses. These trainings are funded through a Federal SERG Grant; funds may also be used for trainings throughout the Commonwealth.

                                                                                                                                                           

Pennsylvania has been awarded a Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Emergency Response Grant (SERG) as a response to the tragic shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue last fall. One component of the funding includes expansion of Mental Health First Aid across the Commonwealth. The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) will be hosting instructor certification courses to candidates interested in training in their region. Youth and Adult Certification Courses are three full days with a limit of 16 people per class.  Additional details are included below:

Dates:
Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor Course
November 18, 19, and 20, 2019
8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor Course
December 10, 11, and 12, 2019
8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Location:
BHARP – Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural Pennsylvania
301 Science Park Road | Suite 308 | State College, PA  16803

Registration:    Interested participants should contact Brandon Bennet by October 14, 2019.

Expectations:

  1. MHFA instructors must submit an application that will be reviewed by the National Council for acceptance.
  2. Once admitted, participants must attend three full days of training and pass a proficiency exam.
  3. Instructors are required to train a minimum of three times per year and log their courses and evaluations on the national website to maintain their certifications.
  4. In addition, participation in this free course includes the expectation to train at least one course to a target population in their area impacted by the Tree of Life tragedy. Course materials will be offered at no cost for these trainings.

The training application is available here.

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The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has released a report describing the essential community mental health services that must be expanded to divert people with significant psychiatric disabilities from the criminal justice system: Diversion to What? Evidence-Based Mental Health Services That Prevent Needless Incarceration.

Diversion to What? is designed to provide guidance to stakeholders engaged in efforts to reduce incarceration of people with psychiatric disabilities, laying out the types of services that should be the focus of such efforts. The report describes what those services do and how they are structured, and identifies the evidence demonstrating their success in reducing incarceration. The report is also available to download on the Bazelon Center’s website.

The Bazelon Center gratefully acknowledges the essential support for this report provided by the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge and the Ford Foundation.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact RCPA Children’s and Criminal Justice Director Jim Sharp.

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