Pennsylvania Budget Finally Clears, With Not Much Optimism Ahead (RCPA President/CEO Richard Edley Interviewed)
Trump Administration Issues Policy Changes on Provision of Gender-Affirming Care
On January 28, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14187 (Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation), directing federal agencies to cut off federal funding and support for gender-affirming care for people under age 19, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgery.
On December 18, 2025, health officials from the Trump administration announced several additional policy changes that, if finalized, will have the effect of essentially banning gender-affirming care for transgender young people, even in states where it remains legal.
One rule would prohibit Medicaid from covering any medical care provided to transgender patients younger than age 18 and prohibit reimbursement though CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) for gender-affirming care for patients under 19.
Additionally, all Medicare and Medicaid funding would be blocked for any services at hospitals that provide pediatric gender-affirming care. This means that hospitals and doctors that perform gender-affirming care on minors will have to forgo federal Medicare and Medicaid funding under the new proposed rules. Virtually every hospital in the country relies on this funding, so the rule would have a wide-ranging impact and could likely make gender-affirming care inaccessible nationwide.
The proposed rules would exclude gender dysphoria not caused by physical impairment from civil-rights health care protections, reducing legal safeguards against discrimination in medical care.
This multi-pronged plan from DHS is part of the Trump Administration’s efforts to limit gender-affirming care, and if finalized, could have a profound impact on care delivery for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.
Stateside Positive Approaches & Practices Meeting to Be Jointly Hosted by OMHSAS and ODP on January 15
The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) and the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) host a quarterly Statewide Positive Approaches & Practices meeting. This meeting aims to provide the most recent research and resources for people with mental health and behavioral challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities to live an everyday life.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 8:30 am – 10:30 am and 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. The topic for the morning session is “The Foundation is Communication.” The topic for the afternoon session is “Sensory or Behavior? Diving into Sensory Processing.” This meeting will be held online via Zoom.
Please see the announcement for additional information.
The Zoom link for joining the session will be sent to the email you used to register. This link will be unique to your registration. Please do not share this link.
Questions? Email PATraining.
PCCD and JPRC Virtual Stakeholder Input Sessions
The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), in partnership with the WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center (JPRC), has received funding from the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to develop a statewide Continuum of Care for Communities model for Pennsylvania. This initiative aims to provide actionable recommendations for diverting youth from the juvenile justice system toward community-based services and alternatives to detention.
To inform this statewide model, WestEd is seeking collaboration with Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice stakeholder groups to gather insights and evidence-based recommendations.
Their goal is to develop actionable recommendations for diverting youth from formal justice system involvement and to strengthen community-based services, drawing on the expertise and experience of local stakeholders. As someone involved in juvenile justice and juvenile justice-adjacent systems, your insights will be invaluable in shaping recommendations and identifying promising local practices.
What’s Involved: You are invited to join an engagement session to discuss:
- Local prevention and diversion strategies, strengths, and gaps; and
- Recommendations and best practices for serving youth and families across the continuum of care.
Session Details:
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Format: Virtual (calendar invite and Zoom link to be provided upon RSVP)
Session Options
- Community Service Providers: January 8, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Violence Intervention Programs, Restorative Justice organizations, Faith-based organizations, Foster Care Agencies, Housing and Homelessness Services, Workforce Development Agencies, Child and Family Advocacy – Rights and Policy Reform, Residential Placement staff, etc.
- Register Here
- Courts and Related Departments: January 9, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Judges, Magistrates, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, Probation, Children and Youth, CASA, Youth Aid Panels, etc.
- Register Here
- Victims’ Services: January 23, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Victims and Victim Service Providers
- Register Here
- Education: January 27, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: School and District-level Administration, Faculty, Psychologists, Counselors and Social Workers, Student Assistance Programs, and School Security Personnel
- Register Here
- Mental and Behavioral Health & Substance Use Treatment: January 30, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EST
- Includes: Mental Health, Behavioral Health and Substance Use Treatment Providers, Residential or Community-based
- Register Here
- Law Enforcement & Crisis Response: February 4, 2026, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm EST
- Includes: Police Officers, School Resource Officers, Detectives, Emergency Responders, Crisis Responders, Medical Personnel
- Register Here
- Families & Loved Ones with Experience Supporting Youth in the Juvenile Justice System (Past or Present): February 4, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
- Includes: Family members, friends, caregivers, and loved ones with past or present experience supporting their youth navigate the juvenile justice system
- Register Here
- Youth with Lived Experience Navigating the Juvenile Justice System: February 11, 2026, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm EST
- Includes: Youth with juvenile justice or children and youth/foster care experience, ages 25 and under
- Register Here
Your participation will not only contribute to improving outcomes for youth and families but also ensure that the report and recommendations reflect the needs and realities of your community.
If you are able to attend, please take 2–3 minutes to fill out the RSVP link connected to the session you wish to attend — please plan to attend one session. This will ensure you a spot and send you a calendar invite and Zoom link. Please feel free to share this email and flyer within any of your networks as well.
Lastly, if you have any questions, please reach out via email.
OMHSAS TAC Training Series: Upcoming Housing and Homelessness Trainings
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in partnership with the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC), is offering upcoming trainings focused on strengthening housing partnerships and improving coordinated responses for unsheltered individuals with behavioral health needs.
Partnership with Public Housing Authorities (PHA): Best Practice Strategies for Stronger Collaboration
Date/Time: Thursday, January 22, 2026, 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Registration Here
This 90-minute interactive training is designed for housing and service system leaders seeking to strengthen and sustain effective partnerships with Public Housing Authorities (PHA). This session will highlight strategies to improve communication and alignment between PHAs and county systems, approaches for sustaining partnerships during times of system change, and an overview of standard PHA regulations and available flexibilities. The training will include facilitated breakout discussions for participants to share real-world strategies, lessons learned, and best practices with colleagues across communities.
- Trainers: Jim Yates (MPA), Liz Stewart, and Jordan Gulley (LICSW), Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC)
- Open to: County Housing Coordinators
Building Coordinated Responses for Unsheltered Individuals With Behavioral Health Needs
TAC will conduct two 90-minute trainings exploring best practices for coordinated, compassionate, and effective responses to support individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness with significant behavioral health needs.
Session 1: Trauma-Informed Outreach, Collaboration, and Engagement Strategies
Date/Time: Monday, January 26, 2026, 9:30 am – 11:00 am
Registration Here
The first session will highlight practical models and partnerships that enhance trauma-informed outreach, crisis diversion, and person-centered engagement. It will include approaches that reduce law enforcement interactions and improve cross-system coordination to ensure wraparound supports and an array of housing options for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and co-occurring conditions.
- Trainers: Ashley Mann-McLellan (MPH) and Jordan Gulley (LICSW), Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC)
- Open to: County staff overseeing direct care outreach and homelessness response providers; county supported housing and homelessness providers; PATH staff; outreach staff; county housing coordinators
- To be announced: Regionally based Communities of Practice (CoP) will be announced following this training, focused on best-practice outreach/engagement strategies and cross-sector partnerships for staff providing direct care or supervising programs supporting unsheltered individuals.
Session 2: System Approaches to Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampment Responses
Date/Time: Thursday, February 26, 2026, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Registration Here
The second session will provide a foundational understanding of encampment dynamics and encampment resolution, including an overview of decommissioning practices. Emphasis will be placed on humane and coordinated approaches that prioritize connection to services and pathways to stable housing. The webinar will highlight the critical role of cross-sector partnerships (Continuum of Care (CoC), PATH, behavioral health, outreach teams, law enforcement, local government entities, advocates) and will explore targeted housing navigation strategies that support long-term stability beyond clearance efforts.
- Trainers: Ashley Mann-McLellan (MPH) and Jordan Gulley (LICSW), Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC)
- Open to: County and municipal leaders, including County Mental Health Administrators; County Human Services Directors; County Housing and Homelessness Service Administrators; Coordinated Entry Leads and Continuum of Care (CoC) leadership; PATH program staff; outreach providers and behavioral health directors; outreach supervisors; housing program managers; Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services-designated program leadership
- To be announced: A statewide Community of Practice (CoP) will be scheduled following this training, focused on collaborative learning for county and municipal leaders implementing systemic responses to unsheltered homelessness for individuals with SMI. Dates will be announced soon.
Questions and Comments can be directed to the OMHSAS housing inbox.
DOH Seeking SUD Treatment Providers’ Experience With Medetomidine
Medetomidine is a veterinary sedative, similar to xylazine, that was first found in Philadelphia’s drug supply in May 2024. Since then, it has spread across Pennsylvania. Medetomidine is 100-200 times more potent than xylazine and can cause longer-lasting sedation, low heart rates, and more severe withdrawal symptoms. It is not an opioid but is found in the illicit drug supply.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is seeking information about complications associated with medetomidine in the drug supply. DOH is particularly interested in SUD treatment providers’ responses to the following.
- Are you seeing an influx in clients presenting with worsening withdrawal symptoms (e.g., racing heart, severe nausea, high blood pressure, tremors, confusion)?
- Are you seeing an increase in clients leaving against medical advice?
- Have you had to send clients to the hospital because their symptoms required a higher level of care?
- Are there any other changes you are noticing in your community that you think DOH should know about?
You can email your responses to DOH Senior Harm Reduction Technical Advisor Roseanne Scotti or RCPA SUD Treatment Policy Director Jason Snyder.
DDAP Offering New Virtual Format for Clinical Supervision Training
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is offering a new virtual format for the clinical supervision training.
This instructor-led virtual training builds on foundational coursework and gives participants the opportunity to practice clinical supervision skills, along with tools to support assessment and effective work with supervisees.
The next session will be held daily at 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Monday, January 26, through Friday, January 30.
Log into DDAP’s Training Management System (TMS) to request a virtual seat and review registration and payment instructions for the $300 training. Payment must be submitted by check or money order, as detailed in TMS. Space is limited, and registrations are processed in the order received.
Completion of the Clinical Supervision Training Foundations course, available on demand through TMS, is required before enrolling.
Clinical supervisors and lead counselors with less than two years of supervisory experience are required to complete the core curriculum offering in TMS or a DDAP-approved core curriculum in clinical supervision.
Please send any questions electronically.
Washingtonian Names National Council President/CEO Chuck Ingoglia One of the “Most Influential People Shaping Healthcare Policy” for 2025
National Council Releases H.R. 1 Implementation Journey Map
IRRC Releases Licensure of Crisis Intervention Services Comments
The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) has published their comments on the proposed Licensure of Crisis Intervention Services regulations, summarizing the comments submitted by the stakeholder community during the public comment period. As part of the IRRC’s regulatory process, OMHSAS will have to address and clarify any questions that have been submitted.
Similar to RCPA’s public comments, the IRRC response highlights concerns regarding the proposed rulemaking in the following areas:
- Potential issues with “one-size-fits-all” approach to crisis intervention.
- Lack of availability of qualified staff and how to pay for them.
- Elimination of an “in-between” level of care by imposing hospital-like standards that do not align with current outpatient structures.
- Possibility of inadequate government funding to cover providers’ implementation costs.
- Lack of inclusion and integration with law enforcement, first responders, 911 operators, and 988 lifeline centers.
In support of RCPA’s recommendation, the IRRC comments also urge the Department to reconvene the stakeholder work group that had been assembled in 2021, especially given the drastic shift in the mental health landscape that has occurred since the group last met.
Please contact Emma Sharp with any questions.
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