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Policy Areas

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The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting was recently held on November 12, 2025. During the meeting, a number of presentations were provided. In addition to the presentations, the agenda and a document that provided follow-up items from the LTSS Subcommittee meeting on October 1, 2025, were provided.

Members should take time to review the PowerPoint presentations from the meeting below:

The next LTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The meeting will be held virtually only from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Register here to participate. Participants also have the option to call in by dialing (415) 655-0052; Access code: 883-556-407#.

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RCPA, in partnership with its members, has submitted public comments in response to the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ (OMHSAS) proposed Licensure of Crisis Intervention Services regulations. RCPA thanks OMHSAS for their effort in creating licensing standards that align with national best practice standards for the Commonwealth’s crisis intervention system and their receptivity to further recommendations from current crisis providers.

The proposed regulations have been reviewed by members of RCPA’s 988/Crisis Work Group, who are some of the most experienced and knowledgeable leaders in Pennsylvania’s Crisis System. With their expertise, RCPA developed comments and recommendations to guide the State towards meaningful regulations for Crisis Intervention Licensure.

The largest areas of concern in the proposed regulations are in regard to the staffing requirements and fiscal impacts, which led to the following recommendations:

  • Flexibility in the staffing requirements to account for the national behavioral health workforce shortage.
  • A transparent cost analysis of the true cost of implementing the regulations to ensure that the regulations do not become an unfunded mandate.
  • Increased clarity on the role of community outpatient clinics that are not connected to larger hospital systems.
  • The assembly of a stakeholder work group, similar to the forums that OMHSAS convened for their PRTF regulations, to ensure that provider and other stakeholder concerns are addressed before promulgation of the regulations.

Read RCPA’s full public comments here. Contact Emma Sharp with any questions.

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Waiver 101: What is a Waiver, and What Does It Do?
December 4, 2025
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Register Here

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) invites individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or autism (ID/A) and their families to join in a virtual discussion with members of the Division of Policy and Program Innovation. These sessions are informal, meaning the conversation will not be recorded, and rules will be set before the session starts to ensure everyone feels comfortable and safe to provide questions and comments. The session will be held through Microsoft Teams.

Please note: This event is being held only for individuals and family members; this is not an event for someone who is only a professional.

What Will Be Covered?

ODP staff will provide an overview of the ID/A Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS) waivers available in Pennsylvania. This session will consist of a brief history of ID/A services in PA, what ODP is, and how the “waivers” came to exist and their purpose. The session will also include time to explore the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) and ODP’s websites for this information.

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Thank you for sharing these important workshops and support groups with your networks! Register for upcoming events at PA Family Network’s website.

Good Life Group, Support Groups

LifeCourse Workshops

Waiver Workshops

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is sharing this important announcement from the PA Department of Health.

As of November 11, 2025, 15 infants with suspected or confirmed infant botulism were reported from 12 states: Arizona, California (2), Illinois (2), Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas (2), and Washington. Laboratory confirmation for some cases is ongoing. Illnesses started on dates ranging from mid-August to November 2025. All 15 infants were hospitalized and treated with BabyBIG®. No deaths were reported. Infants ranged in age from 16 to 157 days. State and local public health officials are interviewing caregivers about the foods infants were fed in the month before they got sick. All 15 (100%) reported feeding ByHeart Whole Nutrition infant formula. This investigation is ongoing, and additional cases may be identified.

All ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products were recalled. This includes all unexpired lots of formula cans and single-serve “anywhere” sticks. The link to the recall can be found here.

According to the FDA, ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula makes up less than 1 percent of all infant formula sales in the United States. Given this small market share, recall of these products is unlikely to create shortage concerns of infant formula for parents and caregivers.

Summary:

  • On November 11, 2025, ByHeart, Inc. recalled all lots of ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) ongoing investigation into a recent outbreak of infant botulism.
  • According to the company’s website, ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula was sold through its website ByHeart.com and through retail stores nationwide, including Amazon, Kroger, Walmart, Whole Foods, Target, SamsClub, and others.
  • Infant botulism is a rare but potentially fatal paralytic illness that impacts babies less than one year old. Symptoms can include constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids, weak cry, and progressive muscle weakness.
  • Health care providers (HCP) should call the California Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program (IBTPP) immediately at 510-231-7600 for consultation of suspected case. Consultation is available 24/7. Treatment with botulism immune globulin, BabyBIG®, obtained from California Department of Health, is recommended for all suspected cases of infant botulism.
  • Infant botulism is a reportable disease in PA; all suspected cases must be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) at 1-877-PA-HEALTH or their local health department.

For More Information

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From Chaos to Clarity: How Human Service Leaders Bring Order to Oversight
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
12:00 pm ET
Register Here

Keeping up with inspections and licensing requirements can feel like an endless chase — especially when each site or program has its own system. Many organizations are finding new ways to bring structure, visibility, and calm to these responsibilities, even with limited resources.

Join us on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 12:00 pm ET for From Chaos to Clarity: How Human Service Leaders Bring Order to Oversight, a live webinar co-hosted by RCPA and PUPS Software. This session brings together leaders for an open, practical conversation about streamlining inspections, licensing, and operational readiness.

Featured Panelists:

  • Jim Sharp, Chief Operating Officer & Director of Mental Health Services, RCPA
  • Savannah David, Service Director – ID/A NE Region, Step By Step, Inc.
  • Morgan Gerety, Director of Maintenance, Caring, Inc.

We’ll talk about:

  • Practical steps to bring consistency and visibility to inspections and licensing;
  • How to move from paper and spreadsheets to digital processes without overwhelming your team;
  • Real examples of accountability and readiness in action; and
  • Lessons learned from organizations that replaced annual scrambles with steady progress.

Whether your team is just getting started or already modernizing oversight, you will walk away with useful ideas, peer insights, and tools to support your next steps.

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Evolving Legal Considerations of DEI: What Employers Need to Know
Thursday, November 20, 2025
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm
Register Here

About this event:
As the legal and political landscape continues to shift, employers are facing new pressure to balance inclusion goals with compliance requirements.

In this 30-minute live session, attorneys from Diversity Resources’ partner firm Epstein Becker Green will unpack what is changing, what remains protected, and how organizations can move forward with confidence.

You will gain from this webinar:

  • A clearer understanding of executive orders and their impact on employers;
  • Practical steps to stay compliant while maintaining inclusive practices; and
  • Guidance on how to navigate growing uncertainty around DEI initiatives.

This session will not be recorded to allow for open, candid discussion.

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