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Mental Health

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September is Emergency Preparedness Month. While there frequently seems to be a day, week, or month dedicated to recognizing or learning about various topics, this particular topic became a pertinent event this week. The newly renovated central office of a LEAP (Life Enrichment Advancing People), a nonprofit agency in Maine, was leveled in an explosion on Monday. LEAP provides community services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. The explosion occurred on Monday morning shortly after the LEAP Maintenance Director noticed a strong smell of gas in the basement of the building and alerted everyone to evacuate the building before it exploded. Sadly, one of the firefighters who responded to the call was killed in the explosion, and six other people were injured, including the Maintenance Director.

LEAP is a member of ANCOR, as is RCPA, and so we share a connection. There has been much conversation regarding this incident in an online ANCOR Forum. LEAP CEO Darryl Wood responded to the outpouring of support on this forum, stating:

There are heroes among us. Our maintenance director evacuated everyone and was working with the first responders when the explosion occurred. Many lives were saved by an attentive person and a team that evacuated as we practiced. Don’t take those emergency plans for granted folks.

Inspired by Darryl’s message, ANCOR is offering two webinar recordings about emergency preparedness free of charge to their members. Offering these webinars is only a small part — but hopefully a meaningful part — of how ANCOR works to support our friends at LEAP and, more broadly, ANCOR members who experience all manner of disasters.

Both of these webinars, which were broadcast previously, offer information that remains relevant for providers seeking to understand the steps they can take to be more responsive to disasters of all kinds. To access the webinars, please use the following links:

We hope all providers take the time to reflect on disaster preparedness by watching these recordings, as well as to review your Disaster Plans and training for all staff and people supported. Other actions that have been suggested include:

  • Evaluate the location of your meeting place when evacuating. In this case, it was really far from the building, yet right on the periphery of the blast area.
  • When evacuating, people should leave immediately and not stop to pick up personal items.
  • People should not attempt to use their cell phones while the emergency is in process. Among other things, phones can trigger explosions.
  • If you have propane at any one of your sites, you should have a propane detector.

In an upcoming issue of RCPA News, there will be additional information provided, as well as resources available to assist agencies with emergency preparedness. For any questions regarding this info or how to assist LEAP in their recovery from this disaster, contact Carol Ferenz, RCPA IDD Division Director.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced two new Grant Initiative Funding Opportunities.

19-02 – Community Recovery Support Services

DDAP is accepting applications for Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) who will expand or enhance recovery support services to individuals with opioid use disorder. Such services include the delivery of recovery coaching through Certified Recovery Specialists (CRS), telephonic supports, the provision of education and employment supports; e.g. job coaching, resume writing, engagement in GED services, etc. Applications must be submitted by October 3, 2019 at 5:00 pm.

19-03 – Opioid Prevention in Higher Education  

DDAP is accepting applications from nonprofit, accredited colleges, universities, post-secondary institutions of higher education, and collegiate collaboratives within Pennsylvania, with an emphasis on preventing and reducing opioid use disorder. The primary goal of the effort is to prevent and reduce use and misuse of opioids by college students. Applications must be submitted by October 3, 2019 at 5:00 pm.

Questions can be submitted via email. For more information, visit the Funding Opportunities page on the DDAP website.

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The school was one of 35 selected by the National Council for Behavioral Health with support from Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation.

Philadelphia, PA (September 9, 2019) – Pennsylvania was selected as one of the first expanded pilot sites for teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA). The program will be hosted at Roxborough High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this fall. The training is the first of its kind developed for high school students in the US.

“This first-of-a-kind program will truly make a difference in our communities, and we are excited that our state was chosen to introduce teen Mental Health First Aid to local communities,” said RCPA President/CEO Dr. Richard S. Edley, a member of the National Council for Behavioral Health — which represents 3,100 member organizations across the United States. “It is our hope that this training program will encourage students to take action when they spot early signs of a problem and empower them to support a friend who may be in distress or struggling with a mental health or substance use issue, so they can get the help and treatment they need.”

tMHFA is an in-person training designed for high school students to learn about mental illnesses and addictions, particularly how to identify and respond to a developing mental health or substance use problem among their peers. Similar to CPR, students learn a 5-step action plan to help their friends who may be facing a mental health problem or crisis, such as suicide.

The course specifically highlights the important step of involving a responsible and trusted adult. To ensure additional support for students taking the training, Roxborough High School has also trained a number of school staff in Mental Health First Aid for Adults Working with Young People.

“We’re thrilled Roxborough High School is one of the first US high schools to participate in teen Mental Health First Aid,” said Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health. “Teens trust their friends, so they need to be trained to recognize signs of mental health or substance use problems in their peers. The number one thing a teen can do to support a friend dealing with anxiety or depression is to help the friend seek support from a trusted adult.”

“With teen Mental Health First Aid, we like to say, it’s okay to not be okay,” said Lady Gaga, co-founder of Born This Way Foundation, as she spoke with 16 students who completed the first tMHFA pilot in eight schools across the country.

“Together, Born This Way and the National Council have put this program in eight schools. I know for certain that I’m not stopping here,” Lady Gaga continued. “I want the teen Mental Health First Aid program in every school in this country.”

“Through this pilot, Roxborough High School is taking an important step towards ensuring their students are able to recognize when a friend or peer might be struggling and to feel confident that they know what to do to help,” said Cynthia Germanotta, president and co-founder of Born This Way Foundation. “Knowing how to spot the signs that someone in our lives is experiencing a mental health challenge and understanding how we can support that person is a basic life skill we all need to have — especially teenagers.”

tMHFA is an evidence-based training program from Australia. The National Council adapted the training with support from Born This Way Foundation and Well Being Trust. The pilot program is being evaluated by researchers from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health to assess its effectiveness. The training will be made available to the public following analysis of the pilot study. For more information, please contact Shemiah Cooper.

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SAVE THE DATE!
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) is planning several statewide and regional trainings to discuss the forthcoming Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) regulations. Trainings will include an overview of the regulatory package, instruction on the licensing process, and information sharing regarding timelines and next steps. Anyone interested in, or impacted by, these regulations is welcome to attend.

Statewide Trainings
OMHSAS will host two statewide webinars specific to the IBHS regulations. Registration information for these webinars will be distributed in the near future. The dates for the webinars are September 30 and November 20.

Regional Forums
OMHSAS will host regional forums specific to the IBHS regulations throughout the month of October. Registration and location information will be distributed shortly.
•    WESTERN REGION: October 11
•    CENTRAL REGION: October 16
•    SOUTHEAST REGION: October 21
•    NORTHEAST REGION: October 22

If you have questions you believe will be helpful in developing the upcoming trainings and FAQ, please submit them here. If you have any other questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Division Director, Jim Sharp.

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The following Grant Opportunities are now open in the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency (PCCD) Egrants System:

Funding Announcement Title: County Jail-Based Medication Assisted Treatment
Plan Year: 2019
Release Date: 8/26/2019
Due Date: 10/4/2019
Concept Papers Required: No
Competitive/Noncompetitive: Competitive
Amount Announced: $1,900,000.00

To view the details regarding this solicitation and others, please click on the Funding Announcement Title listed above. You can view detailed documentation regarding these Funding Announcements by clicking on the Funding Announcement Title on the screen.

You must be registered with PCCD to access the Egrants System. If you are not registered, visit this website and select “Login.” Then select “Register.” Once your registration is accepted, revisit the Login page. Enter the User ID and Password established when you registered, and log in to the system through the Egrants Production link. Then you will see the User Management Profile Details page. You must save this information in order to access the system.

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RCPA’s Human Resources Committee met this week, and there was discussion regarding provider responsibilities for trainings for their employees and resources available to provide the needed training. We want to clarify that these requirements apply to providers of Medicare services, not Medicaid.

CMS offers an online resource – Medicare Learning Network (MLN) as a free resource to the public. One area covered in the MLN is Medicare Parts C and D Compliance and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) Trainings. Prior to January 1, 2019, CMS required providers of Medicare services to utilize their training to meet this requirement. Beginning January 1, 2019, CMS no longer requires health care providers participating in Medicare Advantage and Part D plans to complete CMS issued training, in order to allow the training to be offered in a manner that is tailored to each organization’s operations and risks.

Providers of Medicaid Services (Waiver services are funded through Medicaid) are not mandated to provide FWA training to their employees. Although this is not a mandated training, providers may offer this training as a part of your compliance training for all staff.

For more information regarding these training requirements, please refer to the CMS website and the Compliance Program Frequently Asked Questions document. If you have any further questions, please contact Carol Ferenz.

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Registration for the 12th Annual Pennsylvania Autism Training Conference (PATC), Thursday and Friday, September 5-6 in Lancaster, PA is now open. PATC is an excellent training and networking opportunity for supports coordinators, employment service providers, job coaches, direct support professionals, residential service workers, community support providers, and any other professional who supports individuals with autism of all ages.

PATC gives providers a chance to learn about important topics like autism and the justice system, engage with experts at a mentoring breakfast, earn continuing education and training credits, and enjoy an evening networking reception with other providers across Pennsylvania. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Can’t attend in person? Don’t worry! Check out the ASERT Facebook Page to view live interviews with presenters!

Contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp with questions.

 

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The National Council for Behavioral Health’s Medical Director Institute has produced a study on Mass Violence in America. While the study shows a modest link between mental illness and violence, there is no basis for the public’s generalized fear of people with mental illness. Having a psychiatric diagnosis is neither necessary, nor sufficient as a risk factor for committing an act of mass violence. For that reason, the group’s report has a broad range of considerations and recommendations beyond the subset of all mass violence with a link to mental illness. Questions, please contact Jack Phillips.

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Today, the 55 Pa. Code Chapter 1155, Intensive Behavioral Health Services and the 55 Pa. Code Chapter 5240, Intensive Behavioral Health Services were unanimously approved by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC).  These regulations are the result of an OMHSAS and stakeholder partnership that included a 75-person statewide work group that began in May of 2016.

During testimony, Acting Deputy Secretary Val Vicari, provided an overview of the process, as well as addressing the need for revisions to the regulatory reform language around staffing qualifications for individual services, ABA, and group services ensuring fidelity to each specific treatment modality. Additionally, areas of supervision were included in the Deputy Secretary’s comments that adjustments to the operational language will need to be consistent across the regulations.

Several attendees provided testimony on the record, including Jim Sharp, RCPA Children’s Division director. While RCPA supports the broad scope of the IBHS regulations, their noted concerns regarding the preservation of Individual Services delivery standards, operationalizing staff supervision activities, and the creation of a program sustaining fiscal rate infrastructure model were all addressed in the OMHSAS position to advance the approval of the regulations.

RCPA congratulates the Department of Human Services (DHS); OHMSAS Acting Deputy Secretary Val Vicari, as well as Children’s Bureau Director Scott Talley and team. We would also like to express our gratitude to the RCPA IBHS work group and Children’s Division Steering Committee for their dedicated efforts during this process and their integral thoughts in preparing for the IRRC IBHS hearing this week.

The RPCA Children’s Steering Committee will continue to monitor the progress of the IBHS regulations as they move to the Office of the Attorney General.

RCPA will send the final regulations out as soon as they are approved by the Office of the Attorney General and published by DHS.

Contact Jim Sharp, RCPA Children’s Division Director, with questions.

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