Study: Telehealth May Help Reduce Fatal Overdoses
Home Policy Areas
Sen. Bob Casey Bill Would Phase Out Subminimum Wage for Workers With Disabilities
Inside Aging April 2023 Newsletter is Now Available
DDAP Encourages Providers to Request Exceptions to Address Staffing Shortages and Access Barriers
As RCPA continues to advocate for regulatory reform, the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) discussed its position at RCPA’s most recent SUD Treatment Services Committee meeting, held Tuesday, April 4.
Some Children Waiting Over A Year To See An Autism Specialist For Diagnoses (features RCPA member Meliora Health)
PA Department of Health Release: State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) 2023–2028
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has released the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). This plan represents a multi-year strategic plan developed in collaboration with a diverse public partnership of stakeholders across the Commonwealth. It is a data-driven, comprehensive process and a primary, expert resource for establishing and maintaining public health programs and policies.
The SHIP identifies Pennsylvania health priorities and includes goals, objectives, and strategies for improving those priorities. For each priority area, a work group with goal and strategy teams meets to implement the strategies and reassess, as necessary, to improve the health of Pennsylvanians.
RCPA has participated in the plan development process, and if members have feedback that may impact implementation of the plan, please contact RCPA Policy Director Jim Sharp.
OCYF Grant Providing FREE Trauma Training
All child welfare professionals in Pennsylvania are eligible for the following FREE trauma trainings facilitated by Lakeside Global, Inc.
If you have completed Trauma 101 and Enhancing Trauma Awareness, you are eligible to register for the Train the Trainer course scheduled for April or May!
Train the Trainer (25-hour course)
Participants who meet course requirements would be certified by Lakeside Global Institute as Adjunct Trainers with authorization to license and present Lakeside Global Institute workshops. Adjunct Trainers are also equipped to facilitate small group discussions. LGI’s Train the Trainers course applies the same approaches and techniques provided in course content. Participants can expect LGI trainers to maintain a high level of integrity with regard to processes of group leadership, management, and facilitation.
Workshops
Enhancing Trauma Awareness
Enhancing Trauma Awareness (ETA) is a 15-hour course that is the first in a series of trauma courses. ETA provides a rich and sophisticated exploration of the subject of trauma with an emphasis on encouraging professionals to become highly sensitive regarding the nature of trauma as foundational to becoming trauma-informed. Professionals will gain heightened awareness and respect with regard to trauma-related behaviors and the consequences of being impacted by trauma that can extend into relationships, systems, and across generations.
Questions?
If you already registered for training and did not receive a training link, here are your contacts:
CMS Issues FY 2024 IRF PPS Proposed Rule
Late yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the fiscal year (FY) 2024 inpatient rehabilitation facility prospective payment system (IRF PPS) proposed rule.
The proposed rule includes a 3.7 percent payment increase, compared to the 3.9 percent payment update that CMS finalized for FY 2023. This payment update reflects the effects of the proposed IRF market basket update for FY 2024 of 3.0 percent, which is based on the proposed IRF market basket increase factor (3.2 percent), productivity adjustment (0.2 percent), and outlier payment increase (0.7 percent).
** Please note that these figures are subject to change in the final rule if updated forecasts become available, which typically occurs.
CMS is making a number of changes to the Quality Reporting Program (QRP), including the future addition of a discharge function score measure and patient-level COVID vaccination measure as well as a modification of the current healthcare personnel COVID-19 vaccination measure to reflect the latest vaccination recommendations.
In addition, CMS is proposing to allow hospitals to open a new IRF unit and begin being paid under the IRF PPS at any time during the cost reporting period (rather than the current restrictive enrollment rules). The proposed rule does not address any of the COVID-19 PHE waivers, including the three-hour rule and virtual team conferences, nor does it include any further discussion of the expanded transfer policy (to include certain discharges under the care of home health) that was the subject of a Request for Information (RFI) in last year’s rule.
A more detailed and extensive summary of the proposed rule will be forthcoming.
The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register for April 7, 2023. Comments on the proposed rule will be considered until 5:00 pm on June 2, 2023. For additional information, CMS also released a fact sheet.
Gender-Affirming Care Has a Long History in the U.S. — And Not Just For Transgender People
Bill Would Create Permanent Office of Child Advocate in Pennsylvania
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