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Mental Health

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Removes Barriers to Delivering Telehealth Outside the Clinics

On Friday, November 1, the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule for calendar year 2025 that will give states the option to cover Medicaid telehealth behavioral health clinic services delivered outside the “four walls.” Previously, under 42 CFR § 440.90, the “Four Walls Rule,” it was required that during Medicaid outpatient behavioral health clinic telehealth services, either the patient or the clinician had to be physically onsite at the clinic.

CMS waived this requirement during the Public Health Emergency (PHE). Now that the PHE has ended, CMS has released this final rule to allow states to cover behavioral health outpatient clinic services outside the four walls. The final rule should take effect on January 1, 2025. In the meantime, it is the expectation that telehealth services will continue to be delivered as per current operating standards to ensure service access to individuals.

CMS amended the Medicaid clinic services’ regulation to authorize Medicaid coverage for clinic services furnished by IHS/Tribal clinics outside the “four walls” of their facility. In addition, states implementing the Medicaid clinic services’ benefit can opt to cover clinic services furnished outside the “four walls” of behavioral health clinics or clinics located in rural areas. For clinics located in rural areas, based on comments received, CMS is finalizing an approach to defining “rural area” where states will select either a definition used by a federal agency for programmatic purposes, or a definition adopted by a state agency with a role in setting state rural health policy.

For more information, view the CY 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1809-FC) Fact Sheet and the full Final Rule.

RCPA will be reviewing the implications of this final form ruling for Pennsylvania and our ongoing efforts to expand telehealth services through legislative action. RCPA offers thanks to our members, as well as DHS/OMHSAS, County Primary Contractors, BH-MCOs, the National Council on Mental Wellbeing, and our stakeholder groups and associations for their collaborative advocacy to remove the “4 Walls” barriers to equity and access through telehealth.

If you have any additional questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Division Director Jim Sharp.

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Registration is now open for the 32nd Annual PA Forensic Rights and Treatment Conference, titled “What We Know: Myths or Facts.” Sponsored by Drexel University’s Division of Behavioral Healthcare Education, College of Medicine, the virtual conference will be held December 4 and 5 with both live and pre-recorded presentations addressing topics such as trauma-informed care; working with victims of trafficking and partner violence; neuro and gender diversity; and identifying methods to enhance belonging and inclusion.

The conference brochure includes the schedule, workshop descriptions, plenary bios, and registration information. CE credits will be available.

For more information, email Drexel or visit the BHE conferences website.

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Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Microsoft Tech for Social Impact is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible technology to help nonprofits of all sizes achieve their mission. That’s why they offer grants and discounts for their products and services to eligible nonprofits around the world, including solutions like Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365.

Download the Microsoft Nonprofit Grants Proposal to learn about their most popular nonprofit offers:

  • Improve cybersecurity, reduce costs, and empower staff and volunteers to work from anywhere with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams. Free for up to 10 users and discounted pricing of $5.50 (USD) per user/month for additional users.
  • Move to the Cloud with the Azure grant for nonprofits. Leverage $2,000 (USD) Azure services credits per year and access the complete portfolio of Azure products and cloud services.
  • Easily develop mobile and web apps to support your mission — even if you have no technical or development experience. Power Apps is now free for up to 10 users with discounted pricing of $2.50 per user per month for additional users.

Get started with free technology grants and discounts!

Get grants and discounts across Microsoft’s Cloud products, including Microsoft 365, Azure, and Dynamics 365. To get started, register and confirm your organization’s eligibility. Already registered as a nonprofit? Login to your Microsoft Nonprofit page and access Admin Center. Watch our guided demo to help you get your free Microsoft 365 licenses.

Learn more about nonprofit offers:

For general information on eligibility, accessing offers, the Nonprofit Hub, and technical support, please submit your question, and a Microsoft representative will contact you shortly. Contact us.

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The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) recently sent out information to County Mental Health Administrators to alert each of them to an upcoming funding opportunity. This funding supports OMHSAS’s efforts to equip the ICWCs for alignment with the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) model, which includes providing robust crisis services. Additional information regarding the OMHSAS plan for the expansion of the ICWC model is forthcoming, but clinics should still take advantage of this potential opportunity. The ICWCs are encouraged to contact their county representatives to express interest in participating in the start-up project for walk-in crisis services.

An informational meeting for County Partners will be held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Please do not submit any applications to OMHSAS, as the application must come from the County Partner(s) in order to be considered.

If you have any further questions, please reach out to your County Partner. Please see below for the information that was shared.

Upcoming Funding Opportunity: Emergency Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Centers (EBHC Walk-In Centers)

OMHSAS is excited to announce a new funding opportunity for County Mental Health Administrators aimed at supporting the establishment of Emergency Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Centers (EBHC Walk-In Centers). This opportunity offers up to five grants, with a total funding request of up to $3 million per project. Each grant will consist of a blend of $1 million in state funds and $2 million from the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (CMHSBG).

Funding Breakdown:

  • State Funding: Can be used for infrastructure, purchasing property, construction, and/or service provision.
  • Federal CMHSBG Funding: Limited to services for individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)/Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), provider training, and rent/utilities.

Key:

  • New Walk-In Centers in Rural Areas: Particularly those formed through multi-county partnerships, beyond joinder counties.
  • Applicants that have not previously received CMHSBG funding for crisis start-up projects will be prioritized.

If you have further questions, please contact RCPA COO and Mental Health Director Jim Sharp.

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The Pennsylvania State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) is seeking interested family members, caregivers, and professionals to serve on ad hoc subcommittees. The PA SICC is a Governor-appointed council that advises and assists the Departments of Health, Education, and Human Services to ensure that a comprehensive delivery system of integrated Early Intervention programs and services is available to all eligible infants, toddlers, and young children as well as their families.

Individuals are needed to serve on one or more of the following committees:

  • Mental health committee;
  • Workforce development committee;
  • Outreach and communication committee; and
  • Access and inclusion committee.

The deadline to apply is Monday, October 28. All applicants will be notified about the decision of their application by early January via email.

Please share this information with professionals and families within your network. For more information about the committees and to apply, view the application here. Please send any questions electronically.

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To address Pennsylvania’s high maternal mortality rate, the Commonwealth, through a partnership with Governor Shapiro’s office and the Departments of Health, Human Services, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Insurance, is developing a statewide Maternal Health Strategic Plan. Interested stakeholders are invited to share their opinion through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Maternal Health Strategic Plan survey, which will remain open through November 4.

The vision for Pennsylvania’s Maternal Health Strategic Plan is a Pennsylvania where every pregnant and birthing person has easy access to high-quality perinatal, birth, and postpartum care that is person-centered, comprehensive, equitable, and affordable and that results in healthy outcomes and long-term good health and well-being.

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