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Mental Health

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Image by succo from Pixabay

**Editor’s note: This story contains references to sexual abuse, domestic violence, and murders of children.

When a child development professional first told Inaya that they would be filing a Childline report on behalf of her toddler, she felt both relieved and terrified.

The Pittsburgh mother of one was fearful her then-husband would hurt her child once she disclosed the abuse, but her worry poured out to the child development professional. “One weekend I broke down before her because of what had been happening, and she then told me that, ‘You and your daughter are no longer safe here,’” said Inaya, whose real name is being withheld out of concern that publicity might result in negative consequences.

View the full article here.

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Villanova, PA – December 6, 2023 – Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, one
of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare, today announced Clarence D. “Clay” Armbrister has been elected chair of the organization’s National Board of Trustees at the organization’s November meeting.

A trustee since 2013, Armbrister most recently held the role of co-chair of the Board.

“For the past 10 years, Devereux has benefitted from Clay’s expertise in the areas of education, finance, law and government. We also continue to innovate and enhance our programs and services as a result of Clay’s invaluable guidance as a beloved Devereux parent and family member,” said Devereux President and CEO Carl E. Clark II. “His steadfast commitment to our organization – and the individuals and families we serve – is nothing short of inspiring.”

“I look forward to working with Clay in this new capacity to continue advancing our mission and providing the highest quality and most compassionate care for the children, adolescents and adults we support every day,” Clark added.

Devereux requires its National Board of Trustees to include a minimum of five family members, which ultimately helps inform and enrich the Devereux Family Standard. This standard is Devereux’s touchstone principle which demands that, at all times, its programs, practice settings and systems of care match the high levels of quality and compassion of those we would choose for our own family members. Currently, six national Trustees are also Devereux family members.

“I am humbled and honored to be entrusted to help lead an organization that has been so important to our family,” said Armbrister, whose son began receiving educational services through Devereux’s former Kanner Learning Center (now Devereux Pennsylvania Children’s Services) in 1997, and currently receives support from Devereux’s Pennsylvania Adult Services center. “My family and I feel very confident in Devereux, its mission and its future. I will continue to look to my fellow Trustees, and Devereux’s management team, for their leadership and guidance to set and execute the strategic vision for the organization, making sure we deliver on its policies and practices, none of which are more important than the Devereux Family Standard.”

Armbrister assumes the role of chairman of the Board from Christopher D. Butler, who moved into the role of co-chair. “I am incredibly grateful for Chris’ thoughtful and insightful leadership, service and camaraderie during his six years as chairman,” noted Clark. “His vision and outstanding service to our organization have made a significant and positive impact across our entire continuum of care, and I am excited to continue working with Chris as co-chair of our Board.”

About Clarence D. “Clay” Armbrister

Clarence D. “Clay” Armbrister holds more than 40 years of leadership experience across
the private and public sectors. He has served at all levels of education, including senior administrative and leadership positions at several universities and colleges. In addition to his background in education, Armbrister has held executive positions in law, government and finance.

Most recently, Armbrister was the 14th president of Johnson C. Smith University, from 2018 until his retirement in 2023. He began his professional career in 1982 at the Philadelphia law firm of Saul, Ewing Remick & Saul, working his way up to partner. Armbrister left the firm in 1994 to become Philadelphia city treasurer under former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell. From 1996 to 1998, he worked for the Philadelphia School District as managing director, fulfilling the roles of both chief financial officer and chief operating officer, He returned to the private sector in 1999 with PaineWebber (now UBS), advancing to the position of director in the Municipal Securities Group.

Armbrister’s strong belief in the transformative powers of education prompted him to join Temple University in 2003, where he advanced to the position of executive vice president and chief operating officer. From there, he held the following positions in education leadership: senior vice president and chief of staff at Johns Hopkins University (2011), and president of Girard College (2012 to 2018). He also was an adjunct faculty member at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. In addition, Armbrister served as former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter’s chief of staff, from 2008 to 2011.

Armbrister earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. His long history of board and volunteer service, in addition to Devereux, includes serving on the boards of: Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (NYSE: HASI), and Jefferson Health Plans, Inc. Armbrister previously served as board president of the National Adoption Center and a board member of the Community College of Philadelphia. When Armbrister practiced law, he was a member of the following organizations: American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, National Association of Securities Professionals and Government Finance Officers Association.

About Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations, providing services, insight and leadership in the evolving field of behavioral healthcare. Founded in 1912, Devereux operates a comprehensive national network of clinical, therapeutic, educational and employment programs that positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of children, adults – and their families – every year. The organization’s unique approach combines evidence-based interventions with compassionate family engagement.

With nearly 6,500 employees working in programs across the country, Devereux is a trusted partner for families, schools and communities, serving many of our country’s most vulnerable populations in the areas of autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, specialty mental health, education and foster care. For more than a century, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health has been guided by a simple and enduring mission: To change lives by unlocking and nurturing human potential for people living with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive differences.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is developing an 1115 Medicaid program, Bridges to Success: Keystones of Health for Pennsylvania (Keystones of Health). DHS hopes to use this program to make health care more accessible, improve quality of care and services, and design and evaluate innovative strategies in health care to help people live healthier lives. The department’s goal and vision for the waiver is to address Pennsylvania’s Medicaid participants’ health-related social needs with interventions that are both lifesaving and cost saving. Visit the Keystones of Health web page for more details.

Keystones of Health will focus on four key areas:

  • Reentry from correctional facilities;
  • Housing supports;
  • Food and nutrition supports; and
  • Multi-year continuous eligibility for children up to age 6.

DHS is offering the public the opportunity to come to virtual forums to learn more about Keystones of Health and the proposed services. During the forums, the public will be able to ask questions and submit comments. If you are interested in joining the public forums, the information is below:

Public Forum 1

  • Date: Monday, December 11, 2023
  • Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
  • Register for Session 1
  • Join by phone: 312-626-6799; Webinar ID: 982 3951 9594

Public Forum 2

  • Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2023
  • Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
  • Register for Session 2
  • Join by phone: 312-626-6799; Webinar ID: 980 3834 3590

Public Forum 3

  • Date: Friday, December 14, 2023
  • Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
  • Register for Session 3
  • Join by phone: 312-626-6799; Webinar ID: 951 7040 4572

Please register to participate virtually. When you register, there will be an option to add the Public Forum to your calendar. Registration is not necessary to join by phone. Closed captioning will be provided during each public forum.

DHS also invites you to submit written comments on the draft application from December 2, 2023, through January 2, 2024, through the Public Comment Form.

View the Press Release

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Join RCPA for a Membership Benefits webinar on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 1:00 pm to orient yourself with all that RCPA membership entails. This is not just for new and future members; for current members, there may be benefits associated with your membership that you may not be aware of, including meetings and group communications that occur throughout the year. This webinar is a great way to ensure you are getting the most out of your membership!

Register here to attend. During the webinar, you’ll be able to:

  • Virtually meet the dedicated RCPA Policy Staff and lobbyists;
  • Discuss the 2024 Legislative and Administrative priorities;
  • Preview RCPA division committee and subcommittee meetings and what they offer;
  • View the RCPA member-only website;
  • Review exclusive yearly education and networking events; and
  • Understand the value of the National Association memberships included with RCPA membership.

Visit the RCPA member benefits page or contact Tieanna Lloyd for benefit information. We look forward to your participation in this webinar.

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Earlier this week, RCPA submitted its position on SB 962 to the Pennsylvania Senate Health and Human Services Committee. SB 962 would force overdose survivors into treatment for substance use disorder.

RCPA opposes SB 962 because of:

  • The enormous burden placed on providers to manage an unfunded and complex involuntary treatment process;
  • The perpetuation of stigma towards the disease of addiction by introducing the complexity and trauma of the judicial system to the treatment of a disease – not the commission of a crime; and
  • Scant evidence that this approach reduces overdoses and death.

Read RCPA’s full position paper on SB 962. You can also view the memo announcing SB 962 as well as the language of the bill.

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Project Echo at Penn State College of Medicine Presents:
Project Reassure: Fostering Resilience for Adult Neurodiverse Communities

Register for this no-cost training hour-eligible series for professionals serving adult neurodiverse individuals. The eight-session Project Reassure ECHO series will launch on January 12, 2024, from 7:45 am –9:00 am.

This series will provide participants with strategies in supporting adult neurodiverse individuals struggling with anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic and building resilience. The curriculum will cover the basics of recognizing trauma, stress, and anxiety; fostering resilience building skills; crisis prevention; dealing with uncertainty; and changes in the adult neurodiverse brain. Professionals serving adult neurodiverse individuals, including immediate direct clinical supervisors of direct support professionals, group home managers, behavior specialists, and program coordinators, are encouraged to register and actively participate.

Additional details and registration information can be found on the event flyer.

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will host a Region 3 virtual town hall, “Expanding the Behavioral Health Workforce: Common Elements Treatment Approach,” from 9:45 am – 12:00 pm on Tuesday, December 5, 2024. The purpose of the town hall is to share information and outcomes about an innovative solution to address workforce challenges with rural, veteran, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), and international examples.

Information is now available about the event’s speakers, including the agenda. Interested participants can register online. For inquiries, contact Jean Bennett or Jeanne Tuono of SAMHSA.

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The Department of Human Services (DHS) published a bulletin on patient smoking on June 15, 1993, to clarify smoke-free living areas. The Department now requires all state hospitals to be smoke-free facilities, which was announced during the Department’s press release on December 11, 2018. The facilities are to offer smoking cessation programs and support as needed, including nicotine patches, gum, or other replacement items permissible for both patients (if approved/supported by the treatment team, primarily for new admissions) and staff.

View the full announcement on rescission of Bulletin SMH-93-02, Patient Smoking, here. Comments and questions regarding this bulletin should be directed via email.

If you have additional questions or would like RCPA to submit comments, please contact RCPA Mental Health Services Policy Director Jim Sharp.

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Monday, December 4, 2023
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT;
10:00 am – 11:00 am MST; 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT
REGISTER

IPRC is pleased to once again host Shari Wade, PhD, and Devi Miron Murphy, PhD, to discuss practical applications of a trauma-informed approach to pediatric rehabilitation delivery. By member request, this webinar will expand on the content delivered in their previous webinar, Trauma Informed Care in Pediatric Settings, which was held on October 4, 2022.

Speaker Bios:

Shari L. Wade, PhD

Dr. Shari Wade is a tenured professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Director of Research in the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She is a highly experienced rehabilitation psychologist who has conducted federally-funded research examining outcomes of traumatic brain injury and factors that influence outcomes since 1991. This research has been widely cited (h-index = 65 and i10-index = 189) and shaped how the field understands the role of social environmental factors on recovery and the effects of TBI on child and family functioning over time. For the past 20+ years, she has conducted single site and multicenter randomized clinical trials of interventions to reduce morbidity following pediatric TBI, including some of the first Class 1 clinical trials. She pioneered the development and testing of technology-based interventions to reduce behavioral and family consequences of pediatric TBI, beginning with an R21 award from NICHD in 2001. She is currently conducting a multi-site RCT examining the efficacy of a brief, online intervention to reduce post-traumatic stress following medical trauma.

Devi Miron Murphy, PhD

Dr. Devi Miron Murphy is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Director of Training, Clinical Psychology at the Tulane School of Medicine. Dr. Murphy’s clinical interests are psychotherapy and psychological assessment with youth and families. Specifically, her clinical activities include the assessment and treatment of young children and their families who have experienced trauma, such as abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence, and medical injuries. She is also interested in the evaluation and treatment of attachment disruptions. Dr. Murphy’s research interests include investigating long-term social, emotional, and cognitive outcomes in children who have had traumatic experiences and promoting sensitive caregiving for young children in foster care. Through her research and training endeavors, Dr. Murphy contributes to the development and dissemination of evidence-based treatments for traumatized youth.

Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Identify one or more tools to screen for PTSS;
  • List two strategies for working with children with PTSS during their rehabilitation stay;
  • Describe one approach for supporting families experiencing PTSS; and
  • Discuss how to manage vicarious trauma and identify one strategy for self-care.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team, including medical staff, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, licensed psychologists, mental health professionals, and other interested professionals.

Level: Intermediate

Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.

Registration: Registration is complimentary for members of IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today. Multiple registrations per organization are permitted.

REGISTER

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