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Mental Health

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With close to 400 members, the priorities of RCPA leadership are to maintain the quality standards of membership communication, along with advocacy at the state and federal levels. To continue to serve our members effectively and efficiently, it has become imperative that RCPA leadership include a Chief Operating Officer (COO) position. We are pleased to announce that RCPA policy staff member Jim Sharp will start as the COO — and remain Director of Mental Health — effective Monday, April 8, 2024.

Jim has been with RCPA for five years. He has more than 35 years of cross-systems advocacy with organizational and strategic planning experience. He previously worked for RCPA member Merakey, and has served in several key positions, including Chief Juvenile Probation Officer at the Philadelphia Family Court, Admissions Director at George Junior Republic, and he began his career at Montgomery County Juvenile Probation. He holds a Master of Administration, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Shippensburg University.

This COO role will provide management, leadership, and vision to ensure that RCPA continues to meet its short-term and long-term goals and objectives, by creating policies and a company culture that strengthens operational efficiency and quality of services. Jim Sharp demonstrates a depth of knowledge regarding RCPA’s mission, vision, and values. Please join me in congratulating Jim in his new role.

Transforming Behavioral Health Systems Through Measurement-Based Care
April 25, 2024 at 1:00 pm EDT
Visit
here to register!

Greenspace Health has announced a highly requested and anticipated educational Measurement-Based Care (MBC) panel, featuring three key leaders driving behavioral health transformation from within a leading accreditation body, across a national system, and within a managed care organization.

As MBC adoption spreads rapidly within clinics, hospitals, large organizations, health systems, and national accrediting bodies like the Joint Commission recognizing it as a foundational component of any high-quality and evidence-based behavioral health service, there is a need for industry education surrounding large-scale and system-level implementations.

Hosted by Greenspace President and Co-Founder Simon Weisz, the panel will feature Melinda Lehman, Executive Director of Behavioral Health & Human Services at the Joint Commission; world-renowned applied psychologist and leading global expert on MBC Dr. David Clark; and Dr. Sandra Berg, Senior Director of Complex Health Solutions, Behavioral Health at CareSource. The panelists will dive deep on MBC, its relationship to value-based care, and share insights to inform any implementation.

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President Biden signed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 into law on March 23. This Act includes the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024. Notable FY 2024 funding totals for mental health and substance use include:

  • $385 million for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (level with FY 2023);
  • $986,532,000 for the Mental Health Block Grant, which includes maintaining the existing 5% of the total set aside for evidence-based crisis care programs that address the needs of individuals with serious mental illnesses, children with serious emotional disturbances, or individuals experiencing a mental health crisis (level with FY 2023);
  • $153 million for the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program, including $40 million for the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (level with FY 2023);
  • $1,575,000,000 for State Opioid Response Grants (level with FY 2023); and
  • $1,928,879,000 for Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grants (level with FY 2023).

Additionally, key provisions of the Act include an $18 million increase in funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and a $1 million increase for the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration grant technical assistance program. There is also a $75 million increase for mental health research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health. Various mental health and substance use programs maintained funding levels similar to those of FY 2023. For more information, you can access the full explanatory text as well as the comparative highlights table.

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

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Full Diagnosis: Impact of Trauma, Physical Health, and Metabolic Health
Virtual Event
May 22 – 23, 2024

The Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) invite you to save the date for the statewide Dual Diagnosis Conference. This year’s two-day conference will be held virtually. Nationally recognized speakers will provide perspectives on the impact of trauma, physical health, and metabolic health. Schedule and registration information will be available soon!

Visit the Dual Diagnosis Conference website for more information.

The Inglis Impact Accelerator is dedicated to fostering a more accessible and inclusive world by investing in entrepreneurs within, and allies to, the disability community with disruptive ideas and business ventures.

To that end, RCPA member Inglis is looking for six businesses to participate in a 15-week virtual program that concludes with a virtual pitch event. The program includes interactive webinars, workshops, and both one-on-one and group coaching sessions about refining and testing business ideas, attracting and engaging customers, optimizing sales funnels, and more.

Each business that successfully completes the program and pitches at the virtual pitch event will receive a $5,000 cash prize provided by Highmark Wholecare.

Eligibility requirements:

  • Founder must reside in Pennsylvania.
  • Founder will ideally have identified a target market and created a minimum viable product/service or prototype.
  • The program does not require a legal business entity to apply, but we are seeking businesses that plan to file in the near future if they haven’t already.
  • Our rigorous selection process will prioritize ideas in three core areas — housing accessibility, assistive technology, and innovative healthcare models, as well as founders who identify as having a disability.
  • At least one member of the founding team should expect to spend a minimum of 4-6 hours per week participating in programming and dedicated work efforts for the duration of the 15-week program.

If you know any founders whom you think might be interested in participating in the program, please share the flyer and link to apply.

If you have any questions, please contact Fady Sahhar.

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Pediatric to Adult Health Care Transition Summit
Thursday, June 13, 2024
Live and In-Person at St. Cloud, MN
Virtual Attendance Also Available
REGISTER

Summit Overview
The Pediatric to Adult Health Care Learning Collaborative Summit will offer participants valuable insights into enhancing programs and overall state practices regarding pediatric to adult health care transition (HCT). This progress is urgently needed to support the growing number of youths with special health needs aging into adulthood. IPRC member Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare is a part of the Learning Collaborative.

Target Audience
The Summit is open to those interested in advancing pediatric to adult HCT. This includes pediatric/adult clinicians from any setting, family advocates, insurers, policymakers, health system and health administrators, and more.

Virtual Attendance
All Clinicians: $25
Family Members: Free

Register to attend in person or virtually before May 30. You can find more information in the event flyer.

Moving From Fear and Fantasy to Find Functionality: Leveraging AI in Behavioral Health
Wednesday, March 27
2:00 pm EST
Register Here

Are you navigating the intricate terrain of artificial intelligence (AI) and what role it plays at your behavioral health organization? Register for a virtual session guided by industry leading experts who specialize in charting this new territory as they discuss practical ways to learn and apply AI into your day-to-day or leverage it to innovate your services.

Tailored for executive leaders of behavioral health organizations, this session is your compass in understanding the dynamic AI landscape. The speakers will explore the latest regulations, practical applications, and strategies for effectively navigating fear in this evolving field. Whether you’re seeking to innovate your services or ensure compliance with changing regulations, this webinar will provide invaluable guidance.

Speakers include:

  • Tonya Long of Quantum Crow Advisory;
  • Mari Savickis of CHIME; and
  • Stacy DiStefano of RCPA Business Member Consulting for Human Services.

Register Here