NatCon22 – Call for Presentations is Now Open!
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MHA Releases Student Mental Health Toolkit
Information Request: Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Vaccination Rate Survey
Message from the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP):
Dear Intermediate Care Facility for Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IDs) and Community Home Provider:
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has a critical need for updated vaccine uptake information as a result of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and recent news related to boosters. We need your help to gather this important information. Please complete this brief survey by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.
This survey is part of a larger effort to obtain a point-in-time view of the vaccination rate of staff and residents in all facilities licensed by DHS. For the number of staff, please use the count for those currently employed and who work within the licensed residential setting(s) operated by your agency (even if they might not come into direct contact with individuals receiving services).
We realize that you have provided this information in the past; you will note that this survey is much shorter than previous versions (Residential Providers complete for agency, not by licensed home) and should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
For any questions regarding this survey, please contact ODP.
Thank you for your support in our ongoing fight against COVID-19.
Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) Report Now Available
CHCS Report Now Available — “Accelerating Child Health Care Transformation: Key Opportunities for Improving Pediatric Care”
The Center for Health Care Strategies released a report providing practical recommendations for providers, payers, and policymakers to consider when adopting approaches to transform child health care services. It also explores barriers to widespread implementation and identifies critical accountability and financing levers to support and sustain improvements in pediatric care. The report is a product of the Accelerating Child Health Transformation initiative, led by CHCS and made possible by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Read the full report here.
OLTL Releases Proposed Amendments to CHC Waiver
DDAP Issues Report on PA’s Confidentiality Regulations, Makes Recommendations for Changes
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) today announced findings from a new report highlighting the need to update existing client record policies to address barriers for individuals seeking substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and better integrate the drug and alcohol treatment system with other healthcare services.
The recommendations outlined in this report suggest a shift in Pennsylvania’s approach to confidentiality of SUD records. DDAP plans to work with the legislature to implement the following three recommendations:
- Align Pennsylvania SUD confidentiality regulations with federal regulatory language contained in 42 CFR Part 2;
- Develop resources, including informed consent trainings, on client privacy rights to ensure that all individuals who enter SUD treatment in Pennsylvania are informed of their rights over their own records; and
- Create an ombudsman or advocate position at the state level to empower individuals to report grievances if they think their data has been misused or if they feel their SUD status has resulted in discrimination.
Throughout 2020, DDAP conducted a stakeholder survey in partnership with Vital Strategies for feedback on statutes and regulations that control the management of SUD records in Pennsylvania. The new report and findings offer potential pathways for updating Pennsylvania’s SUD confidentiality policies to meet the needs of an evolving SUD service landscape that is becoming increasingly more integrated and collaborative.
Read the full press release.
Addiction Treatment Providers Battling Workforce Crisis Within Epidemic, Pandemic – Guest Column by Dale Klatzker, RCPA Member Gaudenzia
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Gets Full Approval From the FDA
CCBH Continues Provider APAs Through 12-31-21
The following is a notice provided by Community Care Behavioral Health (CCBH) regarding the future status of provider Alternative Pay Agreements/Arrangements (APA):
“Community Care, in collaboration with our Primary Contractors/county partners, has been closely monitoring service delivery volumes in order to assess the level of need to continue with the current Ambulatory Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA). In order to continue to support providers to ensure member access to essential behavioral health services, we collectively have determined the need to continue the current terms of the Ambulatory APA and are committed to doing so through December 31, 2021. Community Care and our Primary Contractors will continue to work with our contracted providers to prepare for the future and the eventual discontinuation of our APAs.
Please review your previous contract amendment. In lieu of an extension for additional one (1) month periods, this email serves as formal notification to extend the APA through December 31, 2021. The criterion for eligibility and the methodology for APA calculations will remain unchanged from the contract language. Please add this document to your previous contract exhibit listed below.
| APA | Exhibit |
| Ambulatory Services Advance Payment Arrangement | Exhibit P |
As noted in the contract amendment, Community Care will perform a reconciliation process for the payments providers receive under this agreement. The reconciliation process for 2021 will begin 90 days after the APA ends.
Providers have the option to opt-out of the APA payments by submitting notice to the following email address. Please use the subject line Opt Out – your organization’s name.
Continue to check our website (COVID-19 Information: HealthChoices Providers – Community Care (ccbh.com)) for other important COVID updates. If you have any questions, please contact your Community Care Provider Relations representative. A list of Provider Relations representatives and contact information may be found at Provider Representatives: HealthChoices Providers – Community Care (ccbh.com).”
RCPA is grateful for these efforts by CCBH for their continued support of providers during this time. If you have any questions, please contact your RCPA Policy Director.
Maher Duessel – Free Ethics Webinar
Maher Duessel is hosting a free summer ethics webinar Wednesday, August 25, 1:00 pm–5:00 pm. The session will be four (4) Continuing Professional Education credits. Please register here, and a link to the meeting in Teams will be emailed to you in advance of the session.
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