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Mental Health

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New SAMHSA Publication:
Guidance to States and School Systems on Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Issues in Schools

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new joint informational bulletin, Guidance to States and School Systems on Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Issues in Schools. This guidance includes examples of approaches for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) related treatment services in schools, and describes some of the Medicaid state plan benefits and other Medicaid authorities that states may use to cover these treatment services. Additionally, the guidance summarizes best practice models to facilitate implementation of quality, evidence-based, comprehensive mental health and SUD related services for students.

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The PA Department of Human Services (DHS) is in the process of developing and implementing a statewide Resource and Referral Tool, in order to assist families with receiving the necessary services to address their needs around social determinants of health (SDOH). This tool will include an SDOH standardized assessment which, when completed, will generate a list of resources closer to the community where the patient lives. It will also allow service providers to make electronic referrals and receive a notification when the patient receives the services.

In order to understand how this tool could better meet the needs of health care providers, we would like to know what you currently have in place to assess and address SDOH needs. DHS has put together a very brief questionnaire (7–8 questions) to receive provider feedback.

This survey should be completed by the individual in your practice who is in charge of SDOH assessments or has the most knowledge about how they are incorporated into your workflow. DHS would like to receive your feedback by Tuesday, June 25, 2019. Complete the survey here.

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The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) would like to announce that the Pennsylvania Community on Transition State Leadership Team (SLT) has announced the date for its 2019 PA Community on Transition Conference. The conference will be held at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel Wednesday, July 17 & Thursday, July 18, 2019 and brings together a diverse community of stakeholders to share information, explore resources, and gain knowledge regarding successful secondary transition practices. The conference will offer breakout sessions and activities designed for youth and young adults, networking opportunities, hands-on assistive technology exhibits, vendor displays, and resource tables. Topics covered include Transition Planning, Secondary Education, Youth and Family Engagement, Employment, and Social and Emotional Health.

Youth and Family Scholarships: A limited number of scholarships are available for family members or caregivers of a transition-aged youth or young adult with a disability, and high school youth between the ages of 16–21 accompanied by an adult (family member/caregiver). Families are encouraged to apply by completing the scholarship application online on or before June 26, 2019. The scholarship will cover the cost of a double occupancy hotel room and conference registration fee. Meals and mileage are on your own. You will be informed of your acceptance by July 1, 2019. For additional information about youth/young adult family scholarships, please contact Paula Quinn. The scholarship form can be found by visiting the PaTTAN website. If a foster or adoptive youth applies for a scholarship, please email the youth’s name and date of birth.

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

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The Center for the Study of Social Policy is hosting a series of free summer webinars for the Prenatal (PN) to 3 community. Feel free to register or pass it along to others that might have an interest.

Webinar: Effective Strategies for Engaging the Pediatric Community, Tuesday, June 4, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET by Jill Sells, MD, FAAP, CSSP Consultant. This presentation will help early childhood community leaders more effectively engage the pediatric community in early childhood partnerships that help families connect to prenatal-to-three supports. Participants will learn about common barriers that stand in the way of partnership as well as helpful strategies to bridge early childhood and health. Register here.

Webinar: Early Relational Health: Community Level Strategies for Supporting the Psychosocial Health of Infants, Toddlers, and the Caregivers, Wednesday, June 12, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET by David Willis, MD, CSSP Senior Fellow. This presentation will define the concept of “early relational health” and help participants examine new ways to support the functional, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial health of infants and toddlers and their primary caregivers at the community level. Register here.

Webinar: Reaching Isolated Families and Communities, Friday, July 12, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET by Rosemarie Allen, PhD, Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence. Participants will learn about challenges faced by socially isolated or “hard-to-reach” families and opportunities to help more families in need of access to prenatal-to-three services. Participants will also learn about strategies to mitigate implicit bias and implement culturally responsive practices. Register here.

Webinar: Building Strong Local Alliances to Support Your PN–3 Agenda, Wednesday, August 21, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET by George Askew, MD, FAAP, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Health, Human Services, and Education of Prince George’s County, MD and Krystal Reyes, Chief Resilience Officer, City of Tulsa, OK. This presentation provides community engagement strategies for sharing power and building allies to help advance your prenatal-to-three strategies and agenda. Register here.

Thanks for all you’re doing on behalf of babies!

Gerry Cobb, Pritzker Children’s Initiative

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On May 15, Representatives Grace Napolitano (D-CA) and John Katko (R-NY), co-chairs of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, hosted a very important briefing in Washington, DC as part of Mental Health Awareness Month. This briefing addressed the decarceration of transition age youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and mental disorders. Key presentations outlined the issue, its impact (including impact upon families), and needed solutions.

Rep. Napolitano opened with welcoming remarks, whereby she decried the plight of many children and young adults with disabilities and emphasized the need to move toward community care. Additional information about the briefing can be found here.

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ODP Announcement 19-053 announces the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) are relaunching the Positive Approaches Journal, written by and for professionals who provide supports and services to individuals with mental and behavioral health challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities.

The Positive Approaches Journal seeks to improve lives by increasing knowledge and capacity of professionals that provide supports and services to individuals currently utilizing services within the ODP and OMHSAS systems. The articles will be written using the guiding principles of Everyday Lives, Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP), System of Care, and the Resilience and Recovery Movement in mind. Through case studies, articles, interviews, and related academic sources, the Positive Approaches Journal will strive to feature resources, observations, and advancements that are relevant and timely to professionals and supporters of human service systems.

The new version of the Positive Approaches Journal will include Data Discoveries, useful data presented in ways that are interesting and customizable. Data presented will be focused on a topic related to each issue theme. This “new” journal will be published quarterly and will be available in digital form online. Please submit any questions via email.

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The Department of Human Services (DHS) is partnering with the University of Pittsburgh Child Welfare Resource Center to recruit for the Pennsylvania Citizen Review Panels (CRPs). The CRPs are groups of volunteer citizens who examine policies, procedures, and practices of state and local agencies and make recommendations for improvement to DHS. CRPs partner with state and local children and youth agencies, relying on maintaining respectful and positive relationships with these agencies to complete their work. To learn more about Pennsylvania’s CRPs, including their mission, vision, function, and members, visit this website. Please also see the website for our recruitment video.

They are currently working to recruit additional members to all three regional panels in the Northeast, South Central, and Southwest. Brochures for each panel as well as a general CRP flyer are below. Each brochure lists the counties within each region. Information on regions can also be found on the CRP website. The recruitment period will remain open until June 15.

It is requested that you forward this information on to your contacts and/or provide the names and contact information of individuals you feel would be a good fit for the panels and are located within one of the three regions. An online application can be accessed through the “Join” page on the CRP website. Referral information can be sent to the CAPTA Program Development Specialist, Kari Coccagna, via email or at 717-795-9048.

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Dept of Labor and Industry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2019

L&I Seeks Public Input on Proposed Changes to Pennsylvania’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan

Harrisburg, PA – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak today encouraged Pennsylvanians to provide comments on proposed changes to the state’s vocational rehabilitation services plan. Pennsylvania expects less federal reallocation funds for the vocational rehabilitation program and must adjust the plan.

“Our primary goal throughout this process is to ensure that services continue to be provided to as many people with disabilities as possible across the commonwealth,” said Secretary Oleksiak. “I urge interested Pennsylvanians to provide us with their feedback.”

Due to the anticipated decline in federal reallocation funds, the independent Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation recently voted unanimously to begin the process to close the Order of Selection, in essence creating a temporary waiting list for new OVR customers. Services would continue for current OVR customers with an Individualized Plan for Employment, as well as Pre-employment Transition Services for students with disabilities, as required by federal law.

The proposal is available in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Comments will be accepted for 30 days, until 5:00 PM on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, and should be emailed to OVRFeedback@pa.gov, with “OOS closing all categories” in the subject line. Written comments may also be mailed to OVR Central Office, c/o Cindy Mundis, 1521 North 6th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102.

Public meetings will be conducted in-person throughout the state in each OVR district office on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM and 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Individuals who are unable to attend in person can participate via phone. All meeting sites are accessible and interpreters for people who are deaf or hard of hearing will be present at each public meeting.

Following the public comment period, the U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) will review OVR’s request to temporarily close the order of selection. If approved, the waiting list is expected to be implemented on July 1, 2019.

For more information, visit the OVR page on the Department of Labor & Industry’s website.

MEDIA CONTACT: Penny Ickes, 717-787-7530 or dlipress@pa.gov

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