';
CLOSE
Mental Health

0 2100

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.

0 2021

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.

0 3746

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.

0 1593

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.

 

0 1319

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.

0 1994

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.

0 1790

Governor Wolf signed the FY 19/20 budget at the end of June, which includes $2.5 million for the Parent Pathways initiative, led by the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Education (PDE).

The departments are in the process of developing a competitive Request for Applications (RFA) to award Parent Pathway models. They are continuing to receive input on the initiative and explore options for distributing the $2.5M implementation funding. As previously shared, they plan to award grant funding in two phases for Parent Pathway models – first, for technical assistance for model planning and development, and second, implementation funding.

Parent Pathways seeks to establish community-specific comprehensive models to support access to, and success in, post-secondary education and training for single parents. Specifically, the departments propose to invest in holistic models that address the needs of parents and children together, and successfully leverage partnerships to offer sustainable post-secondary education solutions to the multiple barriers often facing families experiencing economic challenges.

The departments recognize that in order for Parent Pathways models to be successful, the awards should allow flexibility for communities to best meet the needs of potential participants in these programs. Stakeholders are asked to complete this survey by Friday, August 16, to help inform the development of this RFA.

Please visit this website for updates on the initiative and various resources available to assist you in community engagement and development.

0 1574

The Self-Determination Housing Project of Pennsylvania is hosting a webinar; “811 Project Rental Assistance Overview” on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 10:00 am. The webinar will cover program eligibility, priority populations, how to become a stakeholder, and what the process looks like once someone is referred to an 811 unit. Please follow the link below to register for the webinar and feel free to share this information with colleagues and those in your network who would be interested in this topic.

Please register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. If you have any questions, please reach out to the 811 Team.

0 2011

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) are pleased to announce a statewide conference focused on building capacity to better support the complex needs of individuals in the community. The conference theme is Expanding Capacity: Reaching Further.

The Conference will be held on Wednesday, August 21 and Thursday, August 22, 2019 at the Blair County Convention Center, 1 Convention Center Drive, Altoona, PA 16602.

Keynote and Plenary Speakers include:

  • Gina Calhoun – Program Director, Doors to Wellbeing, National Consumer Technical Assistance Center
     Topic: WRAP: Living a Self-Determined Well Life
  • Julie Gentile, MD, Professor and Chair, Psychiatry – Wright State University
     Topic: Practicing Medicine in the Digital World
  • Angela Moreland, PhD – Assistant Professor, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina
     Topic: Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: From Research to Practice

Breakout Session Topics include:

  • The Importance of Data Collection Relevant to Behavior Change and Medication;
  • Autism and the Justice System;
  • Communication and Collaboration: Supporting Transition Across the Lifespan; and
  • Creative Strategies for Mental Health Professional in State Hospitals.

For more information, visit: https://www.myodp.org/mod/url/view.php?id=22147
For registration information, visit: https://www.myodp.org/mod/url/view.php?id=22147REGISTRATION:

Online registration is now open and will remain available until Friday, August 9, 2019. The registration fee is $100 and includes lunch, break snacks, and all materials.

This conference is hosted by the Office of Developmental Programs and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and supported by the Money Follows the Person grant funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

0 2133

The PA Statewide Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) Leadership Team is pleased to provide the Save the Date information for the 2020 Biennial FGDM Conference. They are especially thrilled to bring back to Pennsylvania Jodi Pfarr, aha! Process, Inc. This conference is being held on April 22 and 23, 2020 at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort, 777 Waterwheel Drive, Seven Springs, PA 15622. Please note this is a change in location for this conference.

Information and educational tracks for this conference will be relevant to CCYA administrators, judges, hearing officers, attorneys, child welfare professionals, and providers of family group decision making. Please share this information with those you deem appropriate in your county. Registration and specific session information will be sent out in December. Please contact Christy Stanek at 412-616-1079 or via email, should you have any questions. Looking forward to seeing all of you at Seven Springs in 2020!

FGDM Conference Save the Date

Prev1...275276277...294Next Page 276 of 294
© 2021 - Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association